Shortcut MCP Server
Connect AI agents to your Shortcut workspace — read and update stories, epics, and iterations over MCP.
Updated
What is Shortcut MCP?
The Shortcut MCP server is a Model Context Protocol server that connects AI assistants and agents to your Shortcut software project management workspace — its stories, epics, iterations, and workflows.
Built and maintained by Shortcut, it lets a connected model read live project context (stories, epics, comments, teams, members, workflows) and take actions like creating and updating stories, creating epics and iterations, and creating docs. Instead of copy-pasting between your tracker and your AI tool, an agent can pull a story, understand what's needed, and act on it directly.
The recommended way to connect is Shortcut's hosted remote server at https://mcp.shortcut.com/mcp, which uses OAuth — there's no API token to manage or local process to run. For editors that don't support remote HTTP servers, Shortcut also publishes a local stdio server that authenticates with a Shortcut API token.
Tools the Shortcut MCP server exposes
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| Get / search stories | Retrieve and search Shortcut stories by ID or query. |
| Create story | Create a new story in a workflow. |
| Update story | Update fields on an existing story. |
| Get / create epics | Retrieve epics and create new ones. |
| Get / create iterations | Retrieve iterations and create new ones. |
| Get objectives | Retrieve objectives from the workspace. |
| Get teams | Retrieve teams (groups) in the workspace. |
| Get members | Retrieve workspace members. |
| Get workflows | Retrieve workflow and workflow-state definitions. |
| Create doc | Create a new Shortcut doc. |
Connect the Shortcut MCP server
Claude Code
- 1
Add the remote server
Run: claude mcp add --transport http shortcut https://mcp.shortcut.com/mcp
- 2
Authorize via OAuth
On first use, Claude Code opens a browser to sign in to Shortcut and authorize access. No API token needed.
- 3
Verify the connection
Run /mcp in Claude Code and confirm the shortcut server is listed and connected, then ask it to fetch a story.
Use the hosted OAuth server; you'll authorize in the browser on first use.
Cursor
- 1
Open MCP settings
In Cursor, go to Settings > MCP (Tools & Integrations) and add a new server.
- 2
Add the Shortcut server
Add an entry with url set to https://mcp.shortcut.com/mcp (HTTP transport).
- 3
Authorize and test
Complete the OAuth sign-in in the browser when prompted, then confirm Cursor lists the Shortcut tools and try retrieving a story.
Cursor supports remote HTTP MCP servers; connect over OAuth.
Sample use cases
An engineer asks their AI tool to pull a Shortcut story and propose a fix
The agent reads the story context and comments directly, no copy-pasting.
A scheduled agent reviews an active iteration
It summarizes progress and flags stalled stories for the team.
A bug report arrives via an event trigger
The agent creates a new Shortcut story with the relevant details.
Security & permissions
The hosted server at https://mcp.shortcut.com/mcp authenticates with OAuth — you authorize the connection in your browser through Shortcut, so no long-lived API token is stored in your client config. The agent acts within your Shortcut permissions and can read project data (stories, epics, iterations, comments, teams, members, workflows) and create/update stories, epics, iterations, and docs.
The official local server authenticates instead with a Shortcut API token (SHORTCUT_API_TOKEN). When running locally you can set SHORTCUT_READONLY=true to disable all write actions, and scope which tools are exposed with SHORTCUT_TOOLS. Treat any API token as a secret and grant the minimum access your workflow needs.
Using Shortcut MCP with Gamut
In Gamut, Shortcut can be wired in as a tool for an automated agent that runs on a schedule or in response to an event — for example, a nightly agent that reviews open stories in an iteration and posts a summary, or an event-triggered agent that creates a story when a bug report comes in. Gamut manages the MCP connection and credentials, so the agent calls the verified Shortcut actions (read stories/epics/iterations, create or update stories) as part of a larger workflow without a human re-authenticating each run.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Shortcut MCP server?
It's an official Model Context Protocol server from Shortcut that connects AI assistants and agents to your Shortcut workspace, letting them read and act on stories, epics, iterations, docs, and workflows.
Is the Shortcut MCP server free?
Shortcut doesn't document a separate charge for the MCP server itself — it works with your existing Shortcut workspace and plan. Check Shortcut's current plans for the details that apply to your account.
How do I connect the Shortcut MCP server to Claude Code or Cursor?
Point your client at the hosted server URL https://mcp.shortcut.com/mcp over HTTP and complete the OAuth sign-in in your browser. In Claude Code, run claude mcp add --transport http shortcut https://mcp.shortcut.com/mcp; in Cursor, add the same URL under Settings > MCP.
Is the Shortcut MCP server hosted or self-hosted?
Both are available. Shortcut recommends its hosted remote server at https://mcp.shortcut.com/mcp (OAuth, no setup). For editors that don't support remote HTTP servers, Shortcut also publishes a local stdio server that authenticates with a Shortcut API token.