Apify MCP Server for Windsurf: Setup & Config

What you can do with Apify in Windsurf

Choose it when assistants need discoverable web-extraction tools backed by Apify Actors.

• Collect social-media or search-result data through an Actor.
• Search the web and extract page content with the RAG Web Browser Actor.

Before you start: Apify in Windsurf

• Node.js and npx for the local launch
• An MCP-compatible client
• Apify API token for the documented local configuration

The command is the local stdio route. The recommended hosted alternative uses streamable HTTP at remote_url and supports OAuth. Do not append /sse; the old SSE endpoint was removed. Hosted output-schema inference is not available in local stdio mode.

Apify Windsurf configuration

1. Choose Windsurf configuration scope

   For Apify MCP Server, open macOS/Linux: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json. Merge into mcpServers; remote endpoints use serverUrl.

2. Add Apify MCP Server to Windsurf

   Use the actors-mcp-server entry below in mcpServers. Keep Apify MCP Server's documented stdio connection fields and your other Windsurf entries.

3. Check Apify MCP Server in Windsurf

   Apify MCP Server: Refresh MCP in Windsurf settings and inspect Cascade’s tools.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "actors-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@apify/actors-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "APIFY_TOKEN": "<Apify API token for local access>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Apify tools available to Windsurf

Apify's stored tool list documents 19 tools; compare it with Windsurf's connected tool list, because the stored list is not a live check.

search-actors

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for search-actors.

Find relevant Actors in Apify Store.

fetch-actor-details

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for fetch-actor-details.

Inspect an Actor's schemas, documentation, and pricing before execution.

call-actor

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for call-actor.

get-actor-run

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for get-actor-run.

get-dataset-items

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for get-dataset-items.

get-key-value-store-record

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for get-key-value-store-record.

abort-actor-run

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for abort-actor-run.

Stop an Actor execution, optionally using graceful cancellation.

search-apify-docs

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for search-apify-docs.

Locate relevant pages in Apify's documentation.

fetch-apify-docs

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for fetch-apify-docs.

Load an Apify documentation page from its URL.

apify--rag-web-browser

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for apify--rag-web-browser.

Search and browse web sources through the RAG Web Browser Actor.

get-actor-run-list

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for get-actor-run-list.

get-actor-log

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for get-actor-log.

get-dataset

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for get-dataset.

get-dataset-schema

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for get-dataset-schema.

get-key-value-store

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for get-key-value-store.

get-key-value-store-keys

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for get-key-value-store-keys.

Enumerate keys in a selected store.

get-dataset-list

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for get-dataset-list.

List datasets available to the user.

get-key-value-store-list

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for get-key-value-store-list.

List the user's available key-value stores.

add-actor

After refreshing Apify in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for add-actor.

Experimentally register an Actor as another callable tool.

Apify: full stored tool descriptions

Troubleshooting Apify in Windsurf

• Check npx @apify/actors-mcp-server (Node.js/npm) on the machine running Windsurf's MCP integration for Apify MCP Server; refresh MCP and inspect Cascade's tools.
• Check APIFY_TOKEN for Apify MCP Server; do not bypass a Windsurf permission error with a broad administrator token.
• Apify MCP Server uses stdio here: Windsurf must keep the configured process running; protocol output belongs on stdout and diagnostics on stderr.
• Known limitation: Local stdio lacks some hosted features.
• Known limitation: Client support for dynamic tool discovery varies.
• Known limitation: Paid Actor execution needs an account token or a supported funded payment flow.
• General Windsurf troubleshooting lives in the /clients/windsurf guide.

Frequently asked questions