Connect AI agents to the Exa MCP server

Setup

1. Install the SDK

   • Node.js
   • Python

   npm install @scalekit-sdk/node dotenv

2. Set your credentials

   Add your Scalekit credentials to your .env file. Find values in app.scalekit.com > Developers > API Credentials.

   SCALEKIT_ENVIRONMENT_URL=<your-environment-url>
   SCALEKIT_CLIENT_ID=<your-client-id>
   SCALEKIT_CLIENT_SECRET=<your-client-secret>

3. Create the Exa MCP connection

   In AgentKit > Connections, create an Exa MCP connection. The name you give it is the connection_name your code passes. See Configure connections.

   Console steps with screenshots

   Register your Exa API key with Scalekit so it can authenticate and proxy requests on behalf of your users. Exa MCP uses API key authentication.

   1. Generate an Exa API key

      • Sign in to dashboard.exa.ai/api-keys. Under Management, click API Keys.

      • Click + Create Key, enter a name (e.g., Agent Auth), and confirm.

      • In the Secret Key column, click the eye icon to reveal the key and copy it. Store it somewhere safe — you will not be able to view it again.

      

   2. Create a connection in Scalekit

      • In Scalekit dashboard, go to AgentKit > Connections > Create Connection. Find Exa MCP and click Create.

      • Note the Connection name — you will use this as connection_name in your code (e.g., examcp).

   3. Add a connected account

      Connected accounts link a specific user identifier in your system to an Exa API key. Add one in the dashboard to test. In production, each user adds their own through the authorization link: they enter their credentials on the page it opens.

      In the dashboard, to test

      • Open the connection you created and click the Connected Accounts tab → Add account.

      • Fill in:

        • Your User’s ID — a unique identifier for this user in your system (e.g., user_123)
        • API Key — the Exa API key you copied in step 1

      • Click Save.

      From your backend, if your app already has the credentials

      For example, when users enter them on a settings page in your app:

      • Node.js
      • Python

      1
      import { ConnectorStatus } from '@scalekit-sdk/node'
      2
      
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      const authorizationDetails = {
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        details: {
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          case: 'staticAuth',
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          value: { details: { api_key: 'your-exa-api-key' } },
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        },
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      };
      9
      
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      let { connectedAccount } = await scalekit.actions.upsertConnectedAccount({
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        connectionName: 'examcp',
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        identifier: 'user_123',
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        authorizationDetails,
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      });
      15
      
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      // Make sure the account is ACTIVE before the first tool call.
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      if (connectedAccount?.status !== ConnectorStatus.ACTIVE) {
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        ({ connectedAccount } = await scalekit.actions.upsertConnectedAccount({
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          connectionName: 'examcp',
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          identifier: 'user_123',
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          authorizationDetails,
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        }));
      23
      }

4. Authorize a user and make your first call

   • Node.js
   • Python

   1
   import { ScalekitClient } from '@scalekit-sdk/node'
   2
   import 'dotenv/config'
   3
   import { createInterface } from 'node:readline/promises'
   4
   
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   const scalekit = new ScalekitClient(
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     process.env.SCALEKIT_ENVIRONMENT_URL,
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     process.env.SCALEKIT_CLIENT_ID,
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     process.env.SCALEKIT_CLIENT_SECRET,
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   )
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   const actions = scalekit.actions
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   const connector = 'examcp'
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   const identifier = 'user_123'
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   // Generate an authorization link for the user
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   const { link } = await actions.getAuthorizationLink({ connectionName: connector, identifier })
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   console.log('Authorize Exa MCP:', link)
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   const rl = createInterface({ input: process.stdin, output: process.stdout })
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   await rl.question('Press Enter after authorizing...')
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   rl.close()
   21
   
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   // Make your first call
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   const result = await actions.executeTool({
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     connector,
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     identifier,
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     toolName: 'examcp_web_fetch_exa',
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     toolInput: { urls: [] },
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   })
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   console.log(result)

   npx tsx quickstart.mts

   Each user opens the link once and enters their Exa credentials there. If your app already has a user's credentials, add the account from your backend instead, as the console steps above show. See Authorize a user for the full flow and statuses.