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The Take Time MCP Server is distributed as an npm package. You configure it by adding a JSON block to your AI client’s settings file — no separate process to manage. The server reads your API key from an environment variable and handles authentication automatically.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:
  • Node.js 18+ — required to run the server via npx. Check your version with node --version. Download Node.js from nodejs.org if needed.
  • A Take Time API key — generate one from Settings → Developer → Generate API Key inside the Take Time app. Your key starts with tt_live_.
You do not need to install the MCP Server package globally. The npx command in the configuration fetches and runs it on demand each time your AI client starts.

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Setup by Client

Choose the client you want to connect and follow the steps below.

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Claude Desktop

1

Open the Claude Desktop configuration file

In Claude Desktop, go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config. This opens the claude_desktop_config.json file in your default editor.
2

Add the Take Time server block

Inside the mcpServers object, add the following entry. If mcpServers does not exist yet, create it at the top level of the JSON file.
Replace tt_live_your_key_here with your actual API key.
3

Save and restart Claude Desktop

Save the configuration file, then fully quit and relaunch Claude Desktop. Changes to MCP configuration only take effect after a restart.
4

Confirm the tools are loaded

Look for the hammer icon (🔨) in the Claude Desktop chat toolbar. Clicking it shows a list of connected tools — you should see the Take Time tools listed there. If the icon is missing, double-check your JSON syntax and API key.

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Cursor

1

Open the Cursor MCP configuration file

Create or open ~/.cursor/mcp.json. You can do this directly from the terminal:
2

Add the Take Time server block

Add the following to the file, merging with any existing mcpServers entries:
Replace tt_live_your_key_here with your actual API key.
3

Restart Cursor

Fully quit and reopen Cursor. MCP servers are initialized at startup.
4

Verify the connection

Open the Cursor AI panel and ask: “What study blocks do I have today?” If Cursor can reach Take Time, it will respond with your actual schedule.

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VS Code

1

Open the VS Code MCP configuration file

You can configure MCP servers either globally in your user settings.json or per-project in .vscode/mcp.json. For a project-scoped setup, create .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace root.
2

Add the Take Time server block

Add the following configuration:
Replace tt_live_your_key_here with your actual API key.
3

Reload the VS Code window

Open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) and run Developer: Reload Window to apply the new configuration.
4

Verify in GitHub Copilot Chat

Open the Copilot Chat panel and ask: “What study blocks do I have today?” A successful response confirms the MCP Server is connected and authenticated.

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Verify Your Setup

Regardless of which client you use, the fastest way to confirm everything is working is to ask your AI assistant:
“What study blocks do I have today?”
If the MCP Server is connected and your API key is valid, the assistant will call list_blocks with today’s date and return your actual schedule. If you see a tool-not-found error or an authentication failure, revisit the configuration steps above and confirm that your API key starts with tt_live_.
Do not commit your mcp.json or claude_desktop_config.json to a public repository if it contains your API key. Consider using a secrets manager or environment variable injection for team environments.