
How to add Cloudinary Asset Management MCP (Official) to Windsurf
Official Cloudinary server to upload, transform, and manage media assets via natural language. Paste the config into ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json and restart Windsurf.
Last updated June 15, 2026 · 30★ · stdio · apikey · official
Windsurf config for Cloudinary Asset Management MCP (Official)
npx -y --package @cloudinary/asset-management-mcp -- mcp start{
"mcpServers": {
"cloudinary-asset-management-mcp-official": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"--package",
"@cloudinary/asset-management-mcp",
"--",
"mcp",
"start"
],
"env": {
"CLOUDINARY_API_KEY": "<your-api-key>",
"CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET": "<your-api-secret>",
"CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME": "<your-cloud-name>"
}
}
}
}Setup steps
- 1Open Windsurf → Cascade → the hammer/MCP icon → Configure (or edit ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json).
- 2Paste the Cloudinary Asset Management MCP (Official) config below.
- 3Fill in placeholder secrets, then save.
- 4Click Refresh in the MCP panel.
- 5Cloudinary Asset Management MCP (Official)'s tools become available to Cascade.
Before you start
- Node.js 18+ and npm (for the local npx-based install)
- A Cloudinary account
- Cloudinary credentials — cloud name, API key, and API secret — found in the Cloudinary Console under Settings > API Keys / Security (often supplied as a single CLOUDINARY_URL: cloudinary://api_key:api_secret@cloud_name)
- An MCP-capable client such as Claude Desktop or Cursor
What Cloudinary Asset Management MCP (Official) can do in Windsurf
uploadUpload images, videos, and raw files to Cloudinary, optionally into folders and with tags
search / list assetsAdvanced search and filtering by tags, folders, type, and asset properties
manage assetsRename, update metadata and tags, and delete assets; retrieve detailed asset info
transformDedicated transformation tools that generate accurate transformation URLs and create derived assets
folders & tagsOrganize assets with folder structures and tag management
archive / download linksGenerate archives and download links for collections of assets
Security
The API secret grants full read/write to your media library and can delete or overwrite assets; treat it like a production credential and prefer a scoped key. Consider testing against a non-production cloud first.
Cloudinary Asset Management MCP (Official) + Windsurf FAQ
Where is the Windsurf config file?
Windsurf reads MCP servers from ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json. Paste the Cloudinary Asset Management MCP (Official) config there under the "mcpServers" key and restart the client.
Is Cloudinary Asset Management MCP (Official) safe to use with Windsurf?
The API secret grants full read/write to your media library and can delete or overwrite assets; treat it like a production credential and prefer a scoped key. Consider testing against a non-production cloud first.
How do I authenticate?
With your Cloudinary cloud name, API key, and API secret — typically passed as a single CLOUDINARY_URL (cloudinary://api_key:api_secret@cloud_name) in the server's environment.
Can I use it without installing anything locally?
Yes. Cloudinary hosts a remote MCP endpoint at https://asset-management.mcp.cloudinary.com/mcp that you can connect to instead of running it via npx.
Does it modify originals or just generate URLs?
Transformation tools generate transformation URLs and can create derived assets; your original uploaded assets remain intact in your environment.