MCP ExplorerExplorer

Tulip Mcp

@tulipon 5 days ago
2 Apache-2.0
FreeCommunity
AI Systems
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for a Tulip instance

Overview

What is Tulip Mcp

The Tulip MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables comprehensive access to the Tulip API, allowing large language models (LLMs) to interact with various functionalities of the Tulip manufacturing platform, including data management, machine monitoring, and user management.

Use cases

It can be used for automating manufacturing processes, managing user roles and permissions, accessing and manipulating data tables, configuring station interfaces, and monitoring machine activities, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and data-driven decision-making in manufacturing environments.

How to use

To use the Tulip MCP Server, clone the repository, install dependencies, configure your environment variables including your Tulip API credentials, and start the server. The server implements the Model Context Protocol, allowing it to interact with any compatible MCP client through standard input/output.

Key features

Key features include 71 tools organized into categories like Stations & Interfaces, Users & Access Control, Tables & Records, Machines, Apps & Content, and Utilities. It also supports customization of enabled tools through environment variables, allowing for specific operations to be activated based on user needs.

Where to use

The server is suitable for environments that utilize the Tulip manufacturing platform. It’s ideal for manufacturers looking to integrate API capabilities into their operations for better data management, automation, and user access control across various manufacturing stations and machines.

Content

Tulip MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides comprehensive access to the Tulip API, enabling LLMs to interact
with the Tulip manufacturing platform functionality including tables, records, machines, stations, interfaces, users,
and more.

✨ Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have Node.js installed on your system. This is required to run the server.

🚀 Getting Started

This guide will walk you through running the server and connecting it to an MCP client like Cursor or Claude Desktop.

1. Configure Your Credentials

Create a file named .env in a folder of your choice. Copy and paste the following, replacing the placeholders with your actual Tulip credentials.

  • Your TULIP_BASE_URL is the URL you use to access Tulip (e.g., https://my-company.tulip.co).
  • Your TULIP_WORKSPACE_ID is in your Tulip URL after /w/ (for most users, this is DEFAULT).
TULIP_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
TULIP_API_SECRET=your_api_secret_here
TULIP_BASE_URL=https://your-instance.tulip.co
TULIP_WORKSPACE_ID=your_workspace_id_here_if_using_account_api_key

⚠️ Important: The TULIP_WORKSPACE_ID is only required if you are using an Account API key (obtained from Account Settings). If you are using a Workspace API key (obtained from Workspace Settings), you can leave this field empty.

2. Run the Server

Open your terminal or command prompt, navigate to the folder containing your .env file, and run:

npx @tulip/mcp-server

The server will start and is now ready to be connected to an MCP client.

🔌 Connecting to an MCP Client

When using a client, the server is run in a different environment where it may not find your .env file automatically. To solve this, you must provide the full path to your .env file using the --env flag.

Guide: Finding Your .env File Path
  1. Navigate to the folder where you created your .env file.
  2. On Windows: Right-click the .env file while holding down the Shift key, then select “Copy as path”.
  3. On macOS: Right-click the .env file, hold down the Option key, then select “Copy .env as Pathname”.
  4. You will use this copied path in the client configuration below.
Guide: Claude Desktop
  1. From the Claude Desktop menu bar, select Settings… > Developer > Edit Config.
  2. This will open the claude_desktop_config.json file.
  3. Add the server configuration inside the mcpServers object. You must replace "C:\\path\\to\\your\\.env" with the actual path you copied.
    {
  "mcpServers": {
    "tulip-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@tulip/mcp-server",
        "--env",
        "C:\\path\\to\\your\\.env"
      ]
    }
  }
}
  4. Save the file and restart Claude Desktop.

For more details, see the official Claude Desktop MCP Quickstart.

Guide: Cursor

For the easiest setup, click the button below. This will pre-fill the command.

Install MCP Server

After clicking the button, you must replace the placeholder text (REPLACE_WITH_YOUR_ENV_FILE_PATH_HERE) with the full path to your .env file that you copied earlier.

🛠️ Developer Guide

This section contains more advanced configuration features.

Tool Selection Configuration

By default, the server enables only read-only tools and table tools for safety. You can customize which tools are available using the ENABLED_TOOLS environment variable in your .env file.

The ENABLED_TOOLS variable accepts a comma-separated list that can include:

  • Individual tool names: Specific tools like listStations
  • Categories: Security-based groupings (read-only, write, admin)
  • Types: Resource-based groupings (table, machine, user, app, interface, station, station-group, utility)

Examples

# Enable specific tools only
ENABLED_TOOLS=listTables,getTable,listStations,listInterfaces

# Enable by security category
ENABLED_TOOLS=read-only,write

# Enable by resource type
ENABLED_TOOLS=table,station,interface

# Mixed approach (recommended)
ENABLED_TOOLS=read-only,interface,station,user

# Enable everything (use with caution)
ENABLED_TOOLS=read-only,write,admin

API Documentation

For detailed tool documentation including complete parameter lists, examples, and required permissions, generate the TOOLS.md file by running npm run docs.

How to Get Tulip API Credentials

  1. Log in to your Tulip instance.
  2. Navigate to Settings > API Tokens.
  3. Create a new API token. Give it a name (e.g., “MCP Server”).
  4. Make sure to grant it the necessary permissions (scopes). A good starting set for read-only access is:
    stations:read,users:read,tables:read,machines:read,apps:read,urls:sign
  5. Copy the API Key and Secret and paste them into your .env file.

⚠️ Important: The TULIP_WORKSPACE_ID is only required if you are using an Account API key (obtained from Account Settings). If you are using a Workspace API key (obtained from Workspace Settings), you can leave this field empty.

Tools

No tools

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