Connect an MCP server to Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode (exact steps)

A developer published a step-by-step guide for connecting a single remote MCP server, SVG Lab's Design Engine at https://svglab.app/mcp, to five AI clients: Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode. The walkthrough gives exact CLI commands and config files for each client, covers OAuth sign-in and a bearer-token fallback using an `svl_` key, and includes a test prompt that verifies the connection by having the assistant design a 64x64 paper plane icon and return a project link.

Every AI app has its own way to add an MCP server, and the docs for each live in a different place. This is the short version: the same remote server, five clients, the exact steps for each. The worked example is the SVG Lab MCP at https://svglab.app/mcp , which houses SVG Lab's Design Engine and lets the AI you connect design app screens, icons, illustrations and charts. The steps below come from SVG Lab's own setup guide, read on 2026-10-01. SVG Lab , paste https://svglab.app/mcp . claude mcp add --transport http --scope user svglab https://svglab.app/mcp Then type /mcp , select svglab, pick Authenticate, sign in and press Approve. You need Developer mode Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise or Education . codex mcp add svglab --url https://svglab.app/mcp Or in ~/.codex/config.toml : mcp servers.svglab url = "https://svglab.app/mcp" Then authenticate on the SVG Lab row, approve, and start a new thread. ~/.cursor/mcp.json or .cursor/mcp.json in a project : { "mcpServers": { "svglab": { "url": "https://svglab.app/mcp" } } } Open Cursor Settings, find svglab in the MCP list, sign in, press Approve, and use it in Agent mode. ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json : { "mcp": { "svglab": { "type": "remote", "url": "https://svglab.app/mcp", "enabled": true } } } Then run opencode mcp auth svglab , approve, and restart OpenCode or start a new session. Paste this into a new chat: Use the SVG Lab MCP server svglab . First check my SVG Lab account status and tell me which account you are connected to and whether design access is on. Then create a new SVG Lab project called "Setup test", design a simple 64 by 64 paper plane icon in it, and give me the link to the project. If the assistant names your account, makes the icon the first step can take 10 to 30 seconds and hands back a project link, you are connected. If a client cannot do the OAuth sign-in, generate a key account menu, SVG Lab MCP, Generate key; it starts with svl and is shown once and send it as a bearer header: claude mcp add --transport http --scope user svglab https://svglab.app/mcp \ --header "Authorization: Bearer svl YOUR KEY" The same guide also covers VS Code with GitHub Copilot, Windsurf and Gemini CLI. Every SVG Lab account gets 100 free requests to try the SVG Lab MCP, once. The full guide, with a comparison table, the common slips and an FAQ, is on the SVG Lab blog: How do you connect an MCP server to Claude or ChatGPT? https://svglab.app/blog/how-to-connect-an-mcp-server-to-claude-chatgpt-cursor