MCP Connectors
BetaPlug a tool server in once and the model can use its tools in every chat — Tarqa runs them for you.
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is a standard way for a server to offer tools to an AI model: "search this wiki", "query this database", "create a ticket". Add the server's URL once, and every chat in your workspace can use its tools. When the model needs one, Tarqa calls it for you, gives the result back to the model, and you see the final answer.
Custom functions vs MCP Connectors
The Playground has two ways to give the model tools:
| Custom functions | MCP Connectors | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs the tool | You: run it and paste the result back | Tarqa, automatically |
| Where it lives | Only the current Playground session | Saved in your workspace, used in every chat |
| Good for | Testing function calling for your own app's code | Giving the model real tools right now |
| Set up in | Playground → Functions (under the message box) | Build → MCP Connectors |
Want the model to actually do things without copy-pasting? Use MCP Connectors. Custom functions are covered in Tool calling.
Add your first connector (2 minutes)
- 1Open MCP ConnectorsIn the dashboard, open Build → MCP Connectors and click Add connector. Pick the right workspace first: a connector added in a team workspace is shared with that team.
- 2Name it and paste the server URLAny name works. For a free test server with no sign-up, use DeepWiki:
https://mcp.deepwiki.com/mcp. It answers questions about public GitHub repos. - 3Choose authenticationDeepWiki needs none, so leave it on No auth. For servers that need a key or a login, see the options below.
- 4Click "Add & discover tools"Tarqa connects and lists the tools it found (DeepWiki has 3). If something's wrong you'll see the error right away. You can re-check any time with Test.
- 5Ask a question in the PlaygroundTry: "Use DeepWiki to explain what the modelcontextprotocol/typescript-sdk repo does." You'll see a Tool call card, then a Result card, then the answer.
Authentication options
| Option | Use it when | What you enter |
|---|---|---|
| No auth | The server is public | Nothing |
| Header / bearer | The server gave you an API key or token | Header name (usually Authorization) and value, e.g. Bearer sk-... |
| OAuth (client credentials) | Machine-to-machine access; nobody signs in | Token URL, client ID, client secret, optional scope |
| OAuth (sign in) | You log in to the service as yourself | Authorize URL, token URL, client ID and secret. Save, then click Connect and sign in. |
Secrets are stored encrypted and never shown again after you save them.
Using it
- Playground: connectors are used automatically. Each tool call shows as a card in the chat.
- API:
/v1/chat/completionsuses your personal connectors. To use a team's, add the headerX-Team-ID: <team id>. You don't sendtools; the model calls them on the server and you get only the final answer. - The model can call several tools at once and go back and forth up to 5 rounds per reply.
- Turn a connector off (instead of deleting it) to hide its tools for a while.
curl -X POST "https://api.tarqaai.com/api/v1/chat/completions" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
"messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Use DeepWiki: what does vercel/next.js use for routing?"}]
}'Personal vs team connectors
| Personal workspace | Team workspace | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can use it | Only you | Every active team member |
| Who can add, edit, delete | You | Team owners and admins |
| Shows up in the other workspace? | No | No |
If you change a connector's server URL, its saved key or OAuth login is wiped, so re-enter it in the same edit. This stops anyone from pointing a shared connector (and its secret) at a different server.
Pro plan users and anyone in a Team or Enterprise workspace. Tool calls are billed like any other chat tokens; there's no extra fee for the connector.
Troubleshooting
Test fails or shows an error
/mcp or /sse), the auth option, and that the key is still valid. Tarqa tries the modern Streamable HTTP protocol first and falls back to the older SSE protocol automatically."…cannot target private or internal addresses" / "…must use HTTPS"
localhost and private network addresses are blocked for security, and the URL must be https://. The server has to be reachable on the public internet.