> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.telys.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.telys.ai/mcp/client-cursor-vscode.md).
# Cursor & VS Code
Cursor and VS Code both speak MCP over stdio, so the same `telys mcp` server drops into either — only the config file and its shape differ. `telys mcp install` configures Cursor; configure VS Code by hand.
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Cursor" icon="laptop-code" %}
Cursor reads MCP servers from `~/.cursor/mcp.json` (all projects) or `.cursor/mcp.json` inside a project (project scope).
Let the installer write it:
```bash
telys mcp install --client cursor # user scope (~/.cursor/mcp.json)
telys mcp install --client cursor --scope project # this repo (./.cursor/mcp.json)
```
Or add the block yourself. Set `TELYS_MEMORY_PATH` only for a store other than `~/.telys/memory`:
{% code title=".cursor/mcp.json" lineNumbers="true" %}
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"telys": {
"command": "telys",
"args": ["mcp"],
"env": {
"TELYS_MEMORY_PATH": "/Users/you/.telys/memory"
}
}
}
}
```
{% endcode %}
Reload from **Settings → MCP** (or restart Cursor). The `telys` server appears with its five tools.
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="VS Code" icon="code" %}
VS Code uses a different key and requires an explicit transport `type`. Put it in `.vscode/mcp.json` for a workspace, using the `servers` object with `"type": "stdio"`:
{% code title=".vscode/mcp.json" lineNumbers="true" %}
```json
{
"servers": {
"telys": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "telys",
"args": ["mcp"],
"env": {
"TELYS_MEMORY_PATH": "/Users/you/.telys/memory"
}
}
}
}
```
{% endcode %}
The installer does not target VS Code, so add this file yourself. Save it, then start the server from the **Start** action VS Code shows above the entry, or reload the window. The tools become available to the agent in the Chat view.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
{% hint style="warning" %}
If the editor launches from a desktop icon it may not inherit your shell's `PATH`, so a bare `"command": "telys"` can fail. Run `which telys` and set `command` to that absolute path (a pipx install is typically `/Users/you/.local/bin/telys`).
{% endhint %}
## Reload after editing
Both editors read the config when the MCP server starts. After any change, reload — Cursor from **Settings → MCP**, VS Code with the **Start**/**Restart** action on the entry (or **Developer: Reload Window**) — so the editor respawns `telys mcp`.
## What you will see
The `telys` server appears in the editor's MCP panel with five tools: `telys_search`, `telys_add`, `telys_create_collection`, `telys_list_collections`, and `telys_stats`. Drive it from the agent in natural language:
```
Use telys_search on the collection "project-notes" for "auth token refresh" and summarize the hits.
```
The agent calls `telys_search` and summarizes the returned ids and metadata. If the collection does not exist yet, ask the agent to add a few notes first — `telys_add` creates it on the fly.
{% hint style="info" %}
No results or a missing server usually means the runtime is not verified or the `command` path is wrong. Run `telys runtime verify` and see [MCP client won't connect](/troubleshooting/mcp-client.md).
{% endhint %}
## Next steps
---
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