MCP: connect an AI assistant

Hosted MCP (recommended)Copy Anchor Link

Connect to https://api.playaos.app/mcp using Streamable HTTP. No package installation is required. Create a free PlayaOS account first. OAuth-capable clients discover the authorization server and walk you through sign-in and consent.

The hosted server accepts a client-bound OAuth token or a personal pk_user_* key, created on your personal developer dashboard. A camp API key (pk_live_*) does not authenticate this endpoint.

ChatGPTCopy Anchor Link

1. Open Settings → Apps → Advanced settings and enable developer mode. Availability depends on your plan and workspace permissions.
2. Create an app with the URL https://api.playaos.app/mcp and select OAuth.
3. Scan tools, sign in to PlayaOS, complete consent, and finish creating the app.
4. Enable the app in a conversation and ask it to read your packing list.

See OpenAI's developer mode and MCP apps guide for current workspace controls.

ClaudeCopy Anchor Link

1. Open Customize → Connectors in Claude (older clients expose this under Settings), then choose Add custom connector.
2. Name it PlayaOS and enter https://api.playaos.app/mcp.
3. Connect and complete the PlayaOS sign-in and consent flow.
4. Enable the connector in your conversation, then ask it to read your packing list.

See Anthropic's custom connector guide for plan availability and organization settings.

For Claude Code:

claude mcp add --transport http playaos https://api.playaos.app/mcp

Run /mcp to complete OAuth authentication before asking it to use PlayaOS tools.

VS CodeCopy Anchor Link

1. Run MCP: Add Server from the Command Palette.
2. Choose an HTTP server and enter https://api.playaos.app/mcp.
3. Name it PlayaOS, choose the configuration location, and start it.
4. Complete the OAuth sign-in when prompted, enable its tools in agent chat, and ask for your packing list.

Use the VS Code MCP server guide for current configuration formats and trust controls.

Clients without OAuthCopy Anchor Link

Configure the same remote endpoint with the header below. Substitute a personal key and keep it out of source control and logs:

Authorization: Bearer pk_user_YOUR_PERSONAL_KEY

Copy an agent setup prompt, or generate a personal key to get a prompt with the key filled in.

Access and tool discoveryCopy Anchor Link

The hosted gift layer includes Burning Man events and art, packing sources, your personal packing list, the marketplace, and camp discovery. Public data is free, but every caller needs an account.

Camp tools resolve your membership and role for the selected organization. Use playaos_my_camps to discover camps, then pass the chosen org to camp tools. Admin operations are permission-gated; connecting an assistant never grants extra camp access. Confirm intended writes before executing them.

Use the client's tool listing to discover the current capabilities instead of relying on a fixed tool count. REST operations are documented in the API Reference, and camp keys use the canonical scope list.

Local camp integration (stdio)Copy Anchor Link

@playaos/mcp also provides a local stdio server for a camp integration. This is a different authentication path: it uses an org pk_live_* API key, with only the scopes the integration needs.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playaos-camp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "--package=@playaos/mcp", "playaos-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "PLAYAOS_API_KEY": "pk_live_YOUR_CAMP_KEY",
        "PLAYAOS_API_URL": "https://your-camp.playaos.app"
      }
    }
  }
}

PLAYAOS_API_URL is the camp portal origin used by the local server's camp actions. It is not the hosted /mcp endpoint. Store this config privately. The npm package and hosted transport metadata are listed in server.json.

TroubleshootingCopy Anchor Link

• 401 before sign-in: expected. The hosted server advertises its protected-resource metadata in WWW-Authenticate; let your client complete OAuth or supply a personal key.
• 401 with a camp key on the hosted endpoint: use a personal key or OAuth. Camp keys belong to the local camp integration and REST API.
• 403 on a camp tool: check the signed-in account's camp membership and role; reconnecting does not elevate access.
• OAuth discovery: the resource metadata is at https://api.playaos.app/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource/mcp. Follow its authorization_servers entry rather than hardcoding the issuer.