Perplexity API Platform MCP Server for Windsurf: Setup

What you can do with Perplexity API Platform in Windsurf

Pick it for Perplexity search, Sonar answers, deep research, and reasoning in a single MCP integration.

• Answer current-information questions using sonar-pro.
• Handle analytical questions using sonar-reasoning-pro.

Before you start: Perplexity API Platform in Windsurf

• A Perplexity API key
• npm/npx tooling for the local command
• An MCP-compatible client
• Network access to the configured Perplexity API endpoint

Use the package named in the README rather than the older config_hint package. HTTP deployment is also documented. PERPLEXITY_TIMEOUT_MS adjusts timeouts, and npx -yq is suggested for clients affected by installation output.

Perplexity API Platform Windsurf configuration

1. Choose Windsurf configuration scope

   For Perplexity API Platform 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 Perplexity API Platform MCP Server to Windsurf

   Use the modelcontextprotocol entry below in mcpServers. Keep Perplexity API Platform MCP Server's documented stdio connection fields and your other Windsurf entries.

3. Check Perplexity API Platform MCP Server in Windsurf

   Perplexity API Platform MCP Server: Refresh MCP in Windsurf settings and inspect Cascade’s tools.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "modelcontextprotocol": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@perplexity-ai/mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "PERPLEXITY_API_KEY": "<Perplexity API key>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Perplexity API Platform tools available to Windsurf

Perplexity API Platform's stored tool list documents 4 tools; compare it with Windsurf's connected tool list, because the stored list is not a live check.

perplexity_search

After refreshing Perplexity API Platform in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for perplexity_search.

perplexity_ask

After refreshing Perplexity API Platform in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for perplexity_ask.

Answer web-aware conversational questions using sonar-pro.

perplexity_research

After refreshing Perplexity API Platform in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for perplexity_research.

perplexity_reason

After refreshing Perplexity API Platform in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for perplexity_reason.

Handle analytical reasoning with sonar-reasoning-pro.

Perplexity API Platform: full stored tool descriptions

Troubleshooting Perplexity API Platform in Windsurf

• Check npx @perplexity-ai/mcp-server (Node.js/npm) on the machine running Windsurf's MCP integration for Perplexity API Platform MCP Server; refresh MCP and inspect Cascade's tools.
• Check PERPLEXITY_API_KEY for Perplexity API Platform MCP Server; do not bypass a Windsurf permission error with a broad administrator token.
• Perplexity API Platform MCP Server uses stdio here: Windsurf must keep the configured process running; protocol output belongs on stdout and diagnostics on stderr.
• Known limitation: Requires a Perplexity API key and connectivity to the API.
• Known limitation: Long research requests can need higher timeout settings.
• Known limitation: Some strict clients need quieter npx output to initialize successfully.
• General Windsurf troubleshooting lives in the /clients/windsurf guide.

Frequently asked questions