Using the Glean MCP Server
This page helps end users connect supported MCP host applications to Glean and understand what they can do once connected.
What is MCP?
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) lets AI apps ("hosts" like Cursor, Claude, ChatGPT) securely connect to company tools and data. Glean provides an MCP server so your AI can use Glean’s permission-aware knowledge graph directly in those apps.
Glean tools available through MCP
Once connected, a host can call Glean's built-in tools — including search, chat, document retrieval, code search, and people lookup — as well as Glean agents and external tools brought in through the Glean MCP Gateway. The exact set of tools available depends on your Glean configuration and the connecting host.
If you're building an LLM-based application instead of using an MCP host, the Glean MCP server is a good fit when you want tool-based access to capabilities such as search, chat, and document retrieval. For direct, programmatic access to Glean beyond these tools, use the Glean REST APIs. For guidance on choosing between these interfaces, see Choosing the right Glean interface.
MCP Configurator
Before the MCP Configurator is available, a Glean Administrator must enable at least one Glean MCP server.
Users can access the MCP Configurator for host-specific setup instructions:
Access the MCP Configurator
The MCP Configurator provides tailored connection instructions, configuration snippets, and OAuth setup for each supported host application.
To access: Select your profile icon → Your settings → Install tab → MCP Configurator section
Install via MCP Configurator
Follow these steps to connect your MCP host to Glean using the MCP Configurator. The configurator provides host‑specific instructions and URLs.
Navigate to the MCP Configurator
To access the MCP Configurator:
- Select your profile icon in the lower left corner of the home page
- Select **Your settings**
- Navigate to the Install tab
- Access the MCP Configurator section
Pick your host
Select the host application you use (e.g., Cursor, VS Code, Claude Desktop, etc).
Connect with OAuth or copy the server URL
When available, click Connect with OAuth. For hosts that require manual entry, copy the provided server URL and paste it into your host’s MCP settings.
Sign in to Glean
Complete sign-in with your organization’s SSO when prompted. The host will receive OAuth tokens to access Glean’s MCP server.
Verify the connection
Ask your assistant to “Search Glean for …” or “Read this document in Glean …” to confirm the connection works.
mcp-remote) to reach Glean’s remote HTTP MCP server.Supported hosts
We also support other MCP-compatible applications that are not listed here. You'll typically configure these applications using the URL of your Glean MCP server, e.g. https://tenant_id-be.glean.com/mcp/[your-mcp-server-name]. Copy your full backend URL from app.glean.com/admin/about-glean under Server instance (QE), and replace https://tenant_id-be.glean.com with it.
Examples by Role
Looking for specific examples of what you can do with Glean's MCP server? Check out our role-based guides with real prompts you can use:
Engineering
Debug errors, review PRs, understand code history
Product Management
Draft PRDs, track projects, analyze feedback
Support
Triage tickets, find solutions, draft responses
Sales
Research accounts, prepare for calls, track deals
Data Analytics
Query databases, identify trends, generate reports
Operations
IT troubleshooting, HR policies, meeting prep
Troubleshooting
Assistant not using Glean?
- Be explicit: “Use Glean to …”
- Check the host is connected via the Configurator
Missing results or context?
- Verify the relevant connectors are enabled
- Remember: results respect your permissions in Glean
Host-specific issues?
- Some hosts require bridges (e.g., stdio via mcp-remote) or have limited tools. See host setup guides from the Supported hosts section
Tips for effective prompts
To help your AI assistant choose the right tools, be explicit about the tool and input:
- "search Glean for …" when you need enterprise search
- "fetch the document …" when you have a URL or ID
See general guidance on tool selection patterns in your host's documentation.