Metadata API Developer Guide

Introduction to Metadata API
Using Metadata API
Metadata API Context MCP Tool (Beta)
Quick Start: Metadata API Context MCP Tool
Prerequisites: Set Up Salesforce Hosted MCP Servers (Beta)
Step 1: Configure a MCP Client
Step 2: Test Your Connection to the MCP Server
Step 3 [Optional]: Configure a Rule
Reference
Appendices
PDF

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Step 1: Configure a MCP Client

Configure a client to connect to MCP servers hosted in your Salesforce org. In this quick start guide, we provide guidance on how to configure Agentforce Vibes, Cursor, and Claude.

Configure Agentforce Vibes

The Agentforce Vibes extension is an AI-powered developer tool that's available as an easy-to-install Visual Studio Code extension.
  1. Install the Agentforce Vibes VS Code Extension
  2. From the VS Code Activity Bar, click the Agentforce icon (Graphic of Vibe Codey).
  3. To open the MCP Servers interface, click the icon (Graphic of Servers) in the top-right corner of the Agentforce panel.
    The MCP Servers interface is divided into three main tabs:
    • Marketplace: Discover and install pre-configured MCP servers (if enabled).
    • Remote Servers: Connect to existing MCP servers via URL endpoints.
    • Installed: Manage your connected MCP servers.
  4. In the MCP interface, click the Remote Servers tab.
  5. To open up the a4d_mcp_settings.json file, select Edit Configuration.
  6. Update the a4d_mcp_settings.json file and include this code. 
    1
2      {
3    "mcpServers": {
4        "salesforce-api-context": {
5            "command": "npx",
6            "args": [
7                "-y",
8                "mcp-remote@0.1.18",
9                "https://api.salesforce.com/platform/mcp/v1-beta.2/platform/salesforce-api-context",
10                "8080",
11                "--static-oauth-client-info",
12                "{\"client_id\":\"CONSUMER-KEY\",\"client_secret\":\"\"}"
13            ]
14        }
15    }
16}
  7. Replace placeholder values in the a4d_mcp_settings.json file.
    1. Replace CONSUMER-KEY with the consumer key that you saved from your external client app setup.
    2. If you're connecting to a scratch or sandbox org, change the URL to https://api.salesforce.com/platform/mcp/v1-beta.2/sandbox/platform/salesforce-api-context.
Agentforce attempts to connect to the server and display the connection status. Verify the connection using the status indicators. For more details, review the Managed Connected Servers, or the Troubleshoot Connection Issues sections in Connect to Remote MCP Servers in the Agentforce Vibes Extension Guide.

Configure Cursor in Developer Mode

Cursor is an AI-driven coding editor that supports MCP.
  1. Select Cursor | Settings | Cursor Settings | MCP
  2. Click New MCP Server.
    This creates a file called mcp.json.
  3. Replace the contents of mcp.json file with this code. 
    1
2      {
3    "mcpServers": {
4        "salesforce-api-context": {
5            "command": "npx",
6            "args": [
7                "-y",
8                "mcp-remote@0.1.18",
9                "https://api.salesforce.com/platform/mcp/v1-beta.2/platform/salesforce-api-context",
10                "8080",
11                "--static-oauth-client-info",
12                "{\"client_id\":\"CONSUMER-KEY\",\"client_secret\":\"\"}"
13            ]
14        }
15    }
16}
  4. Replace placeholder values in the mcp.json file.
    1. Replace CONSUMER-KEY with the consumer key that you saved from your external client app setup.
    2. If you're connecting to a scratch or sandbox org, change the URL to https://api.salesforce.com/platform/mcp/v1-beta.2/sandbox/platform/salesforce-api-context.

You can now test the client's connection to the MCP server.

  1. From Cursor, select Settings, and then select Cursor Settings.
  2. From the Cursor Settings page, select MCP & Integrations.
  3. In the MCP Tools section, locate salesforce_api_context. Confirm that get_metadata_api_context is enabled.

Configure Claude Desktop in Developer Mode

Claude is an AI assistant that you configure to connect to Salesforce Hosted MCP Servers. Configure Claude using a special Claude Desktop Extensions file.
  1. Download salesforce-hosted-mcp-servers.mcpb from this GitHub repository. This is the extension file for Salesforce Hosted MCP Servers.
  2. Double-click the salesforce-hosted-mcp-servers.mcpb file. The Claude desktop client opens and shows the Salesforce extension.
  3. Click Install.
  4. In Server Name, enter platform/salesforce-api-context.
  5. In Consumer Key, paste the consumer key that you saved from the external client app, then click Save.

    A toggle to enable the extension appears.

  6. Enable the extension using the toggle.
    If you encounter an error, quit and restart Claude.
You can now test the client's connection to the MCP server.