---
title: "Using the MCP Server"
description: "Connect Reactive Resume to AI tools like Claude Desktop, Cursor, and Codex using the Model Context Protocol"
---

The Reactive Resume MCP server lets you manage and modify your resumes through any MCP-compatible AI tool — Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex, and more. It connects to the Reactive Resume API and exposes tools for listing, reading, and patching resumes using natural language.

## What is MCP?

The [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) is a standard that lets LLM-powered tools connect to external services. Instead of being limited to the built-in chat UI, you can use any MCP client to interact with your resumes.

## Prerequisites

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create an API key">
    Follow the [Using the API](/guides/using-the-api) guide to create an API key in your Reactive Resume dashboard.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Install Node.js">
    The MCP server requires [Node.js](https://nodejs.org) version 18 or later.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Install dependencies">
    From the Reactive Resume repository root, install dependencies (the MCP server uses the main project's dependencies):

    ```bash
    cd /path/to/reactive-resume
    pnpm install
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Running the MCP server

The server is a single TypeScript entry point and is run with **tsx** (no build step). From the repository root:

```bash
npx tsx /path/to/reactive-resume/mcp/index.ts
```

The working directory must be the **repository root** so that `node_modules` (and thus `@modelcontextprotocol/sdk`) is resolved. Configure your MCP client with `cwd` set to the repo path.

## Configuration

### Claude Desktop

Add the following to your `claude_desktop_config.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "reactive-resume": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["tsx", "/path/to/reactive-resume/mcp/index.ts"],
      "cwd": "/path/to/reactive-resume",
      "env": {
        "REACTIVE_RESUME_API_KEY": "your-api-key",
        "REACTIVE_RESUME_URL": "https://rxresu.me"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

<Info>
  Replace `/path/to/reactive-resume` with the actual path to your cloned repository, and `your-api-key` with the API key you created.
</Info>

### Cursor

Add the following to `.cursor/mcp.json` in your project or home directory:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "reactive-resume": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["tsx", "/path/to/reactive-resume/mcp/index.ts"],
      "cwd": "/path/to/reactive-resume",
      "env": {
        "REACTIVE_RESUME_API_KEY": "your-api-key",
        "REACTIVE_RESUME_URL": "https://rxresu.me"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## Available Tools

The MCP server exposes three tools:

| Tool | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `list_resumes` | List all your resumes with their IDs, names, tags, and status |
| `get_resume` | Get the full data of a specific resume by ID |
| `patch_resume` | Apply JSON Patch operations to modify a resume |

## Available Resources

| Resource | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `resume://{id}` | The full resume data as a readable JSON resource |
| `resume://schema` | The ResumeData JSON schema for understanding the data structure |

## Usage Examples

Once your MCP client is connected, you can use natural language to interact with your resumes:

### Browsing

- "List my resumes"
- "Show me my resume named 'Software Engineer'"
- "What skills are listed on my resume?"

### Editing

- "Update my name to Jane Doe"
- "Change my headline to Senior Software Engineer"
- "Add TypeScript to my skills with an Advanced proficiency level"
- "Add a new experience entry for my role as Staff Engineer at Acme Corp from Jan 2024 to Present"
- "Remove the third item from my skills section"

### Styling

- "Change the template to bronzor"
- "Set the primary color to blue"
- "Hide the interests section"

<Tip>
  The AI will use `get_resume` to inspect your current resume before making changes with `patch_resume`. This ensures the correct JSON paths are used.
</Tip>

## Self-Hosting

If you're running a self-hosted Reactive Resume instance, set `REACTIVE_RESUME_URL` to your instance URL:

```json
{
  "env": {
    "REACTIVE_RESUME_API_KEY": "your-api-key",
    "REACTIVE_RESUME_URL": "https://resume.example.com"
  }
}
```

## Environment Variables

| Variable | Required | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `REACTIVE_RESUME_API_KEY` | Yes | — | API key from Reactive Resume settings |
| `REACTIVE_RESUME_URL` | No | `https://rxresu.me` | Base URL of the Reactive Resume instance |
| `TRANSPORT` | No | `stdio` | Transport mode: `stdio` or `http` |
| `PORT` | No | `3100` | Port for streamable HTTP transport |

## Troubleshooting

| Issue | Solution |
| --- | --- |
| "REACTIVE_RESUME_API_KEY is required" | Set the `REACTIVE_RESUME_API_KEY` environment variable in your MCP client configuration |
| "API error (401)" | Your API key is invalid or expired. Create a new one in the dashboard |
| "API error (404)" | The resume ID doesn't exist. Use `list_resumes` to find valid IDs |
| "API error (403)" | The resume is locked. Unlock it in the Reactive Resume dashboard |
| Connection refused | Check that `REACTIVE_RESUME_URL` is correct and the instance is running |
| Module not found / Cannot find package | Ensure `cwd` is the repository root so the main project's `node_modules` is used |