connect-glean

name

connect-glean

description

Help the user connect a Glean MCP server so the Glean skills have tools to call — use when setting up Glean for the first time, adding another Glean server, checking whether Glean is connected, or troubleshooting missing Glean tools. Trigger phrases include "set up Glean", "connect Glean", "configure Glean MCP", "add a Glean server", "is Glean connected", "check Glean status", "Glean isn't working", "no Glean tools", "the Glean tools aren't showing up", "I installed the Glean plugin but nothing happens". Don't use it for actual enterprise queries once connected (use the using-glean skill); this skill only sets up and verifies the connection.

Connect Glean

The Glean plugin ships skills and agents but does not bundle an MCP server — the skills call whatever Glean MCP tools the host exposes. If no Glean MCP server is connected, the skills have nothing to call. This skill connects one, or verifies and troubleshoots an existing connection. Follow the section for the user's host.

When this applies

• First-time setup — the Glean plugin is installed but no Glean tools appear.
• Adding another server — e.g. a second backend or a code-search server.
• Status / troubleshooting — "is Glean connected?", "no Glean tools showing".

What you need first (all hosts)

Gather these once, then apply them in the host-specific step:

1. Server URL — the Glean backend, found at https://app.glean.com/admin/about-glean. Looks like https://acme-be.glean.com or https://be-4f5226e2.glean.com.
2. Server name — organization-specific, from the user's Glean admin. Often default.
3. Friendly name — what to call it in the host. Use glean for a single server, or glean-<server-name> when adding several (e.g. glean-default, glean-code).

The MCP endpoint is always <server-url>/mcp/<server-name>. It is a remote HTTP server, and the host prompts for OAuth on first tool use — there is no API key to paste. Restart the host after configuring.

Claude Code

Run:

claude mcp add <friendly-name> <server-url>/mcp/<server-name> --transport http --scope user

Verify with claude mcp list (look for a glean.com/mcp URL). Restart Claude Code; authenticate on first use.

Cursor

Add an entry to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "<friendly-name>": {
      "url": "<server-url>/mcp/<server-name>"
    }
  }
}

Restart Cursor; authenticate via OAuth on first use.

Other hosts

Any MCP-capable host can use Glean: register <server-url>/mcp/<server-name> as a remote HTTP MCP server in that host's MCP configuration, then restart and authenticate on first use. Consult the host's own MCP setup docs for where its config lives and the exact field names.

Checking status / troubleshooting "no Glean tools"

If the Glean skills run but report missing tools, the host has no Glean MCP server connected for the current session:

1. Confirm a server is configured (Claude Code: claude mcp list; other hosts: check the MCP config above for a glean.com/mcp URL).
2. If none, run the host setup above.
3. If configured but tools are still missing: restart the host, then trigger OAuth by running any Glean tool once.

Glean developer docs server (separate, optional)

The glean-dev-docs plugin uses a different, public server — no URL, server name, or auth needed:

• Claude Code: claude mcp add glean-dev-docs https://developers.glean.com/mcp --transport http --scope user
• Other hosts: register https://developers.glean.com/mcp as a remote HTTP MCP server (no OAuth required).

Related skills

• using-glean — once connected, drives enterprise search, Q&A, and synthesis.