How to add Pinecone Developer MCP Server to Windsurf
Official Pinecone server: manage indexes, upsert/search records, rerank, and search Pinecone docs. Paste the config into ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json and restart Windsurf.
Last updated June 15, 2026 · 500★ · stdio · apikey · official
Windsurf config for Pinecone Developer MCP Server
npx -y @pinecone-database/mcp{
"mcpServers": {
"pinecone-developer-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@pinecone-database/mcp"
],
"env": {
"PINECONE_API_KEY": "<your-pinecone-api-key>"
}
}
}
}Setup steps
- 1Open Windsurf → Cascade → the hammer/MCP icon → Configure (or edit ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json).
- 2Paste the Pinecone Developer MCP Server config below.
- 3Fill in placeholder secrets, then save.
- 4Click Refresh in the MCP panel.
- 5Pinecone Developer MCP Server's tools become available to Cascade.
Before you start
- Node.js v18 or later with npx available on PATH
- A Pinecone API key, generated in the Pinecone console at https://app.pinecone.io (set as PINECONE_API_KEY)
- A Pinecone index created with integrated inference (required for the upsert/search record tools)
- An MCP-compatible client such as Cursor, Claude Desktop, or the Gemini CLI
What Pinecone Developer MCP Server can do in Windsurf
search-docsSearch the official Pinecone documentation.
list-indexesList all indexes in the Pinecone project.
describe-indexView the configuration of a specific index.
describe-index-statsGet record/data statistics and namespaces for an index.
create-index-for-modelCreate a new index with integrated inference for a chosen model.
upsert-recordsInsert or update text records, embedding them via integrated inference.
search-recordsRun a semantic text query with metadata filtering and optional reranking.
cascading-searchSearch across multiple indexes and merge results.
Security
The PINECONE_API_KEY grants full access to your Pinecone project's indexes and data, so store it in env vars and rotate if leaked. Index-mutating tools (create/upsert) can change live data, so review agent actions before granting write access.
Pinecone Developer MCP Server + Windsurf FAQ
Where is the Windsurf config file?
Windsurf reads MCP servers from ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json. Paste the Pinecone Developer MCP Server config there under the "mcpServers" key and restart the client.
Is Pinecone Developer MCP Server safe to use with Windsurf?
The PINECONE_API_KEY grants full access to your Pinecone project's indexes and data, so store it in env vars and rotate if leaked. Index-mutating tools (create/upsert) can change live data, so review agent actions before granting write access.
Does it work with any Pinecone index?
No. The record tools (upsert-records, search-records) only support indexes created with integrated inference. Standalone or non-inference indexes are not supported.
How does it authenticate?
Via a Pinecone API key passed as the PINECONE_API_KEY environment variable. The key is scoped to the project it was generated in.
Which clients are supported?
The README documents Cursor (.cursor/mcp.json), Claude Desktop (claude_desktop_config.json), and the Gemini CLI (installed as an extension). Any stdio MCP client should work.