Before you connect

Sign in to Citera and open Settings → API & MCP → MCP. Select Connect another assistant. Choose your client, or Other client when it is not listed, and copy the server URL. API and MCP access are open to all Citera accounts.

Open Citera API & MCP settings

The current server URL is https://mcp.citeralabs.ai/mcp. Browser sign-in lets you select the brands your assistant may read without creating an API key. The connection is read-only; it does not grant content generation or publishing access.

Add a personal MCP server

In VS Code, open the Command Palette and run MCP: Open User Configuration. Merge the Citera server entry shown below, preserving other servers. Alternatively, use MCP: Add Server, choose HTTP, enter the same URL and choose a personal/global destination.

{
  "servers": {
    "citera": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.citeralabs.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}

{
  "servers": {
    "citera": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.citeralabs.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}

{
  "servers": {
    "citera": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.citeralabs.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}

{
  "servers": {
    "citera": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.citeralabs.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Start the Citera server entry and follow the browser sign-in prompt. Select the brands it may read, then enable Citera’s tools in the Agent chat.

Verify the connection

Enable Citera in your client and send this first request. Inspect the Citera tool result: it should list only brands you authorized. A written answer without a Citera tool call does not verify a connection.

Use the Citera MCP tools to list the brands I authorized. Show their names and IDs. Then ask which brand I want to review. Do not change, generate or publish anything.

Permissions, limits and troubleshooting

Your selected VS Code agent harness must support the configured MCP server and your organization must allow it. If the command or personal configuration destination is missing, check the client’s current requirements. Read-only Citera access does not grant file access or publishing permissions in other tools.

A brand with no completed scans may have little visibility data to report. If a brand is missing, check the account used for sign-in and the brands selected during consent. Reconnect when needed. You can revoke the connection under AI assistants in Citera’s MCP settings. API and MCP share the account’s applicable usage allowance.

Client menus, plan requirements and connection capabilities can evolve. These instructions describe configuration and a verification step; they do not guarantee that every client version or workspace policy allows the connection.

Try a complete workflow

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Official VS Code documentation