What is Pica Mcp

pica-mcp is a Model Context Protocol Server designed for Pica, developed using TypeScript. It facilitates communication between various applications through a standardized protocol.

Use cases

Use cases for pica-mcp include sending emails, managing calendar events, interacting with Google Sheets, and retrieving data from databases like PostgreSQL, among others.

How to use

To use pica-mcp, install the necessary dependencies with ‘npm install’, build the server using ‘npm run build’, and configure it in the Claude Desktop application by adding the server configuration to the appropriate config file based on your operating system.

Key features

Key features of pica-mcp include support for the Model Context Protocol, easy integration with Pica, automatic rebuilding during development, and debugging tools via the MCP Inspector.

Where to use

pica-mcp can be utilized in various fields such as application development, automation, and integration tasks where multiple services need to communicate seamlessly.

Pica MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that integrates with the Pica API platform, enabling seamless interaction with various third-party services through a standardized interface. Features enhanced intent detection, improved security, and robust code generation capabilities.

Setup Video: https://youtu.be/JJ62NUEkKAs

Demo Video: https://youtu.be/0jeasO20PyM

Features

🔧 Tools

• list_user_connections_and_available_connectors - List all available connectors and active connections
• get_available_actions - Get available actions for a specific platform
• get_action_knowledge - Get detailed information about a specific action including API documentation
• execute_action - Execute API actions immediately with full parameter support
• generate_action_config_knowledge - Generate secure, production-ready request configurations for code integration

📚 Resources

• pica-platform://{platform} - Browse available actions for a platform
• pica-connection://{platform}/{key} - View connection details
• pica-action://{actionId} - Get detailed action information with knowledge base

Key Capabilities

🎯 Smart Intent Detection

The server automatically detects whether you want to:

• Execute actions immediately: “read my emails”, “send this message now”
• Generate integration code: “write code to send emails”, “create a UI for messaging”

🔒 Enhanced Security

• Never exposes secrets in generated code
• Uses environment variables: PICA_SECRET, PICA_[PLATFORM]_CONNECTION_KEY
• Sanitized request configurations for production use

🌐 Multi-Language Support

Generate production-ready code in:

• TypeScript/JavaScript
• Python
• Go, PHP, and more
• Auto-detects language from context or asks user

⚡ Production-Ready Code Generation

• Real, working HTTP requests (no demo code)
• Proper error handling and type definitions
• Clean, maintainable code structure
• Environment variable best practices

Installation

npm install @picahq/pica-mcp

Deployment Options

Deploy to Vercel

You can deploy this MCP server to Vercel for remote access:

1. Install dependencies including Vercel adapter:

   npm install @vercel/mcp-adapter zod
   

2. Deploy to Vercel:

   vercel
   

3. Configure your MCP client to use the remote server:

   • For Cursor: https://your-project.vercel.app/api/mcp
   • For Claude/Cline: Use npx mcp-remote https://your-project.vercel.app/api/mcp

See DEPLOYMENT.md for detailed Vercel deployment instructions.

Usage

As a Standalone Server

npx @picahq/pica-mcp

In Claude Desktop

To use with Claude Desktop, add the server config:

On MacOS: ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

On Windows: %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pica": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@picahq/pica-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "PICA_SECRET": "your-pica-secret-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

In Cursor

In the Cursor menu, select “MCP Settings” and update the MCP JSON file to include the following:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pica": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@picahq/pica-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "PICA_SECRET": "your-pica-secret-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Using Docker

Build the Docker Image:

docker build -t pica-mcp-server .

Run the Docker Container:

docker run -e PICA_SECRET=your_pica_secret_key pica-mcp-server

Installing via Smithery

To install pica for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:

npx -y @smithery/cli install @picahq/pica --client claude

Usage Examples

🚀 Execute Actions Immediately

Natural Language:

“Read my last 5 emails from Gmail”

What happens:

1. Server detects execution intent
2. Finds Gmail connection
3. Executes action immediately
4. Returns actual email data

🔧 Generate Integration Code

Natural Language:

“Create a React UI and write the code to send emails using Gmail”

What happens:

1. Server detects code generation intent
2. Gets Gmail send email action knowledge
3. Generates sanitized request configuration
4. AI creates production-ready React + API code
5. Uses environment variables for security

Intent Detection Guide

The server automatically detects your intent based on natural language:

✅ Execute Immediately

• “Read my emails”
• “Send this message now”
• “Get my GitHub repositories”
• “Create a new Slack channel”
• “Delete this file”

✅ Generate Code

• “Write code to read emails”
• “Create a UI for messaging”
• “Build an app that syncs data”
• “Show me how to implement this”
• “Generate integration code”

❓ When Unclear

The server will ask: “Would you like me to execute this action now, or generate code for you to use?”

🔐 Required Environment Variables

# Always required
PICA_SECRET=your-pica-secret-key

# Required when generating code for specific platforms
PICA_GMAIL_CONNECTION_KEY=your-gmail-connection-key
PICA_SLACK_CONNECTION_KEY=your-slack-connection-key
# etc.

API Reference

Tools

execute_action

Execute a specific action immediately and return actual results. Use ONLY when the user wants immediate action execution.

When to use: “send this email now”, “get my data”, “create this item”

Parameters:

• actionId (string, required): Action ID
• connectionKey (string, required): Connection key
• method (string, required): HTTP method
• path (string, required): API path
• data (object, optional): Request body
• pathVariables (object, optional): Path variables for URL templating
• queryParams (object, optional): Query parameters
• headers (object, optional): Additional headers
• isFormData (boolean, optional): Send as multipart/form-data
• isFormUrlEncoded (boolean, optional): Send as URL-encoded

Returns:

• result: Actual API response data
• requestConfig: Sanitized request configuration (no secrets)

generate_action_config_knowledge

Generate secure request configuration for building real integration code. Use when the user wants to build apps, write code, or create integrations.

When to use: “write code”, “build an app”, “create a UI”, “show me how to implement”

Parameters:

• platform (string, required): Platform name
• action (object, required): Action object with _id and path
• method (string, required): HTTP method
• connectionKey (string, required): Connection key
• language (string, optional): Programming language
• data (object, optional): Request body
• pathVariables (object, optional): Path variables for URL templating
• queryParams (object, optional): Query parameters
• headers (object, optional): Additional headers
• isFormData (boolean, optional): Send as multipart/form-data
• isFormUrlEncoded (boolean, optional): Send as URL-encoded

Returns:

• requestConfig: Sanitized request configuration with environment variables
• environmentVariables: Required environment variables and descriptions
• actionKnowledge: API documentation and parameter details
• codeGenerationInstructions: Guidelines for creating production code
• exampleUsage: Code structure example

Error Handling

The server implements comprehensive error handling:

• ✅ Connection validation before action execution
• ✅ Path variable validation and substitution
• ✅ Missing parameter detection with helpful error messages
• ✅ Graceful handling of API failures
• ✅ Detailed error messages for debugging
• ✅ Security validation for generated configurations

Security

• 🔐 API keys passed via environment variables only
• 🛡️ Connections validated before use
• 🔒 All requests include proper authentication headers
• 🚫 Secrets never exposed in generated code or responses
• ✅ Request configurations sanitized for production use
• ⚡ Platform-specific environment variable naming
• 🔍 Sensitive headers filtered from responses
• 🛡️ Input validation and sanitization
• 🔐 Secure authentication patterns enforced
• ❌ No hardcoded API keys or credentials
• ✅ Production-ready code generation
• 🔒 Environment variable validation on startup

License

GPL-3.0

Support

For support, please contact [email protected] or visit https://picaos.com