Setting up IDEs (desktop clients)

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If you're using a local development environment such as VS Code, Cursor, or another IDE that supports the Message Control Protocol (MCP), this guide will walk you through connecting your editor to the Atlassian Remote MCP Server.

This setup uses a Node.js based proxy tool called mcp-remote, which handles authentication and communication with the server.

Before you begin

Ensure the following are installed or accessible:

• Node.js v18 or later

• An Atlassian Cloud site with Jira and/or Confluence

• A supported IDE (for example, VS Code, Cursor)

• A modern browser to complete the OAuth flow

Installation and configuration

1. Open your terminal

2. Run the following command to start the proxy and begin authentication:

   npx -y mcp-remote https://mcp.atlassian.com/v1/sse

   Note: If this command doesn't work due to a version-related issue, try specifying an older version of mcp-remote. The example below uses version 0.1.13, but you may use another version if needed:

   npx -y mcp-remote@0.1.13 https://mcp.atlassian.com/v1/sse

1. A browser window will open. Log in using your Atlassian credentials and approve the required permissions.

2. Once authorized, return to your IDE and configure the MCP server settings. For example, in VS Code:

   "mcp.servers": { "atlassian": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.atlassian.com/v1/sse"] } }

3. Save and reload your IDE’s MCP extension or plugin.

Tips for a successful setup

• Keep your terminal session running while using the IDE

• If your token expires, re-run the mcp-remote command

• Make sure your IDE’s MCP tooling is installed and enabled

Example actions you can try

• Search Jira: “Find all issues assigned to me in the last 7 days”

• Create a Confluence page: “Create a page titled ‘Engineering Roadmap Q4’”

• Cross-reference: “Link the two most recent bugs to the 'Sprint 45' page”

Need help? Contact Atlassian Support or return to the getting started guide.