Connecting an MCP Client

Stride's MCP server gives an agent the same claim and complete loop as the REST API, as six tools: stride_next_task, stride_claim_task, stride_complete_task, stride_get_task, stride_list_tasks and stride_add_comment. Your hooks still run on your machine, as Understanding Claim/Complete Workflow explains.

Everything else, such as creating tasks and goals, stays on the REST API.

The MCP server uses the same API tokens as the REST API; Configuring API Authentication shows how to create one. A board token works on its board. A workspace token also needs the board's ID in an X-Stride-Board header on each tool call.

When Stride's plans are switched on, the board has to be in an Organization. On a free board every call returns error -32001, and the REST API keeps working. Free and Paid Boards explains plans.

Put your token in an environment variable, then add the server:

export STRIDE_API_TOKEN="paste-your-token-here"
claude mcp add --transport http stride https://www.stridelikeaboss.com/api/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer ${STRIDE_API_TOKEN}"

To share the setup with a project, add a .mcp.json at its root. Claude Code fills in ${STRIDE_API_TOKEN} from your environment, so the token itself is never committed:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "stride": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://www.stridelikeaboss.com/api/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${STRIDE_API_TOKEN}"
      }
    }
  }
}

In Claude Code, run /mcp: Stride should be connected with six tools.

Other clients work if they speak Streamable HTTP and can send an Authorization header. The server answers each POST with JSON and offers no event stream, so a client that needs one won't connect. The MCP reference has the details.