How to add Sequential Thinking to Cursor
Structured step-by-step reasoning tool for breaking problems into revisable thought sequences. Paste the config into ~/.cursor/mcp.json and restart Cursor.
Last updated June 15, 2026 · 62k★ · stdio · no auth · official
Cursor config for Sequential Thinking
npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking{
"mcpServers": {
"sequential-thinking": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking"
]
}
}
}Setup steps
- 1Open Cursor → Settings → MCP → Add new MCP server (or edit ~/.cursor/mcp.json directly).
- 2Paste the Sequential Thinking config below into the "mcpServers" object.
- 3Fill in placeholder secrets, then save.
- 4Cursor reloads MCP servers automatically — check Settings → MCP for a green status dot.
- 5Ask Cursor to use one of Sequential Thinking's tools to confirm it's connected.
Before you start
- Node.js with npx (for the npm package), OR
- Docker installed and running (to use the mcp/sequentialthinking image)
- No API key or network access required
What Sequential Thinking can do in Cursor
sequentialthinkingRecord one reasoning step with thought, thoughtNumber, totalThoughts, and nextThoughtNeeded; supports optional isRevision/revisesThought, branchFromThought/branchId, and needsMoreThoughts for revision and branching
Security
Runs entirely locally with no network access or stored data, so the attack surface is minimal. The only risk is the usual one of executing an npm package, so pin to the official scope.
Sequential Thinking + Cursor FAQ
Where is the Cursor config file?
Cursor reads MCP servers from ~/.cursor/mcp.json. Paste the Sequential Thinking config there under the "mcpServers" key and restart the client.
Is Sequential Thinking safe to use with Cursor?
Runs entirely locally with no network access or stored data, so the attack surface is minimal. The only risk is the usual one of executing an npm package, so pin to the official scope.
Does it need an API key or internet access?
No. It is a self-contained local reasoning tool — no credentials, no network calls, no external services.
What tool does it actually expose?
A single tool, `sequentialthinking`, which records one reasoning step per call with parameters like thoughtNumber, totalThoughts, and nextThoughtNeeded, plus optional revision and branching fields.
How do I stop it from printing thoughts to the console?
Set the environment variable DISABLE_THOUGHT_LOGGING=true in the server's env block to disable the formatted thought logging.