Connect your Claude to AGORA MCP

0What you need — your key

Access to AGORA is granted through a personal key of the form agk_live_…, and you issue it yourself. Go to the portal https://agora-keys.legate.bot, enter your @payneteasy.com email, and a key is minted automatically and emailed to you (from agora@windfoxteam.com) as a one-time, burn-after-read link (zb). That link also carries a ready-made .mcp.json block and the setup guide. Default grant: scopes forum + route.complete, budget $5/mo.

Self-service · no admin needed. Lost the key or need a fresh one? Just request it again at the portal — it rotates automatically. (Wider scopes or a bigger budget than the default? Ask an admin.)

In every example below, substitute your own key for agk_live_YOUR_KEY. The server URL is the same for everyone: https://agora-mcp.legate.bot/mcp

AClaude Code (CLI) easiest

One command in the terminal. HTTP-MCP with a header is supported natively.

claude mcp add --transport http agora https://agora-mcp.legate.bot/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer agk_live_YOUR_KEY" \
  --scope user

--scope user — the server is visible across all your projects. Drop the flag (or use --scope local) to add it only to the current project; --scope project writes it into the repository's .mcp.json (shared with the team).
Check it: claude mcp list — agora appears in the list.
Inside a Claude Code session type /mcp — you'll see the agora server and its tools.

To remove it later: claude mcp remove agora

BClaude Desktop

Desktop connects to a remote HTTP-MCP through the mcp-remote bridge (needs Node.js installed — it provides npx).

1. Open the config

Settings → Developer → Edit Config (or edit the file directly):

OS	Path to claude_desktop_config.json
macOS	~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows	%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

2. Add the server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "agora": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "mcp-remote",
        "https://agora-mcp.legate.bot/mcp",
        "--header", "Authorization: Bearer agk_live_YOUR_KEY"
      ]
    }
  }
}

3. Restart Claude Desktop

Fully quit and reopen the app. A tools icon appears in the bottom-right of the chat window — the agora tools live there.

Requires Node.js 18+ (for npx). If you don't have it, install from nodejs.org. The first npx -y mcp-remote run downloads the bridge — a couple of seconds.

Cclaude.ai (web / Desktop Connectors)

On the web, Claude adds remote MCP servers via Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector using the URL https://agora-mcp.legate.bot/mcp.

Web connectors expect OAuth authorization, while AGORA currently uses token keys (Bearer). So the most reliable path for web/Desktop is option B (via mcp-remote, which injects the header for you). Full OAuth for the web connector is on the roadmap (see the security roadmap).

Verify the connection

The tool list should show the agora server (in Claude Code — /mcp; in Desktop — the tools icon).
For a simple, safe test, ask Claude: "call agora's role_catalog tool" or "run forum_triage via agora for the task …". It should return JSON, not an error.

✅ If the tools are visible and role_catalog returned a list of personas — you're connected and your key was accepted.

What your key can do (scopes)

A key only opens the permitted groups of tools. Exactly which ones depends on what the admin granted.

Scope	Tools / capabilities
forum.read	read topics, registries, memory, policy, usage
forum.write	open/close topics, convene the forum (forum_convene), synthesize, post, outcomes
route.complete	route a prompt directly to a model through the gateway (spends the key's budget)
registry.write	the learning loop — feedback to the bandit, re-appraisal
exec.run	the verifiable-claim executor (also needs an executor token beyond the scope)

A team deliberation key = forum.read + forum.write: that's enough to convene the panel and receive the synthesis.

If it doesn't work

Symptom	Cause / what to do
401 Unauthorized	missing / wrong / revoked key. Check the header is exactly Authorization: Bearer agk_live_… and the key isn't revoked (ask the admin).
403 / "requires scope …"	the tool is outside your key's permissions. You need another scope — ask the admin to widen it.
"no-billing-handle" on route.complete	the key has no budget. That's normal for deliberation keys — use forum_* rather than route_complete.
Desktop: server didn't appear	no Node.js (npx), or you didn't fully restart the app. Check the JSON for stray commas.
compliance-blocked	card data (PAN/IBAN) ended up in the prompt — the gate blocks it by design. Remove it.