Add Zephex in Kiro → MCP Servers (+ Add), run npx -y zephex setup, or paste mcp.json with url https://zephex.dev/mcp. Prefer hosted HTTP; stdio npx is fallback only.
Official Kiro IDE MCP documentation: Kiro IDE MCP docs
Without MCP, your agent guesses project layout and misses supply-chain risk. Zephex connects one hosted endpoint so every session gets the same ten tools — no per-machine npm installs, no version drift across the team.
HTTP and stdio setups both need a key from your Zephex dashboard. OAuth-only flows (ChatGPT, Claude.ai web) sign you in in the browser instead — skip this section for those.
Matches the published CLI (mcp-proxy/src/commands/setup.ts). One command signs you in, writes the correct transport, and verifies 10 tools.
Account teardown: logout vs disconnect · Connect MCP walkthrough
Search docs for “where is my MCP file” — the answer is always: run list first, then open the path it prints.
Documented paths: Same as Kiro CLI (~/.kiro/settings/mcp.json)
Kiro IDE uses the same mcp.json shape as Kiro CLI.
Runs the same code as mcp-proxy/src/commands/setup.ts — OAuth in browser, creates a CLI key, writes your editor config, verifies tools.
npx -y zephex setup --kiroSkip browser OAuth — paste a key from zephex.dev/dashboard/keys. Must start with mcp_prod_, mcp_dev_, or mcp_sk_.
npx -y zephex setup --kiro --api-key mcp_prod_your-key-heremcpServers command/args/env: Transport: stdio (see Same as Kiro CLI (~/.kiro/settings/mcp.json)).
{ "mcpServers": { "zephex": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "zephex"], "env": { "ZEPHEX_API_KEY": "mcp_sk_your_key_here" } } }}After CLI install, fully restart the app if tools do not appear. Manual JSON/TOML blocks below are equivalent — use them when CLI commands are unavailable.
Full comparison: HTTP vs stdio · npx zephex reference
Kiro’s MCP Servers UI accepts the same JSON as other AWS Kiro docs: url https://zephex.dev/mcp plus Authorization Bearer. Workspace and global servers can both exist — know which one you edited.
Replace mcp_sk_your_key_here with your key from Dashboard → API Keys. Copy the full key once at creation — paste into Authorization: Bearer … for HTTP configs, or into ZEPHEX_API_KEY for stdio/npx configs.
mcpServers with url and Authorization Bearer — recommended.
{ "mcpServers": { "zephex": { "url": "https://zephex.dev/mcp", "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer mcp_sk_your_key_here" } } }}Use when HTTP fails; key in env.ZEPHEX_API_KEY. Remove url-based zephex if you switch to this.
{ "mcpServers": { "zephex": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "zephex"], "env": { "ZEPHEX_API_KEY": "mcp_sk_your_key_here" } } }}Tip
Kiro launch/deeplink installs may omit headers — paste the full JSON block manually if tools fail auth.
Note
Kiro IDE config differs from Kiro CLI (~/.kiro/settings/mcp.json). Use the IDE MCP UI path shown in Kiro docs.
Run these in a terminal when the editor UI is unclear — catches stale npm, wrong transport, and project shadows.
npx -y zephex@latest listnpx -y zephex@latest doctornpx -y zephex@latest repair# Fully quit the editor (Cmd+Q / Alt+F4), reopen, start a new agent sessionAfter saving your config, confirm Zephex is connected before you rely on it in real work.
Questions people ask when Kiro IDE does not show Zephex tools — indexed for docs search.
How do I connect Zephex to kiro-ide?
Fastest: npx -y zephex setup --kiro (browser sign-in, writes config, verifies 10 tools). Or paste manual config on this page, save, fully quit the app, reopen.
Where did setup save my kiro-ide MCP config?
Run npx -y zephex@latest list — it prints every config path on this machine that references Zephex.
kiro-ide works in terminal but not in the editor
GUI apps often lack nvm/fnm PATH. Run npx -y zephex@latest repair, ensure Node is on system PATH, fully quit the editor.
How do I disconnect Zephex from kiro-ide?
mcpcli disconnect --kiro — revokes key and strips config.
You do not call tools yourself — ask your agent in plain language. Try these once Zephex is connected:
“Kiro IDE: check_test for adding spec-driven tests to our service.”
Kiro spec workflow plus MCP scope for file focus.
“get_project_context on the workspace with Kiro MCP enabled.”
Stack snapshot for spec + implementation alignment.
“find_code hook implementations in our Kiro agent project.”
Search agent extension code.
“check_package on AWS SDK minor bump before merge.”
Registry check in IDE chat.
“explain_architecture for event-driven Lambdas in this repo.”
Diagram for serverless layouts.
“audit_headers on the API Gateway custom domain we deploy to.”
AWS URL header audit.
Kiro spec-driven workflows still need github: or an absolute path for get_project_context when the workspace root is ambiguous.
These situations usually mean the setup cannot work until you fix the underlying issue:
Not connected
url + Authorization headers; set disabled: false if present.
0 tools
Remove any stdio/command zephex entry.
Auth failed
Bearer + space + full mcp_sk key.
Wrong scope
Check workspace vs global MCP in Kiro UI.
Spec tools empty
Pass github: or absolute path for repo-backed tools.
Kiro MCP Servers UI — ten Zephex tools when connected:
get_project_context
Reads your project structure, dependencies, scripts, env vars, and framework markers in one call. Replaces manually opening package.json, tsconfig, and multiple config files at the start of every session.
read_code
AST-based code extraction: pass a symbol name and get the implementation without reading entire files. Supports symbol lookup, batched file reads, and structural outlines for large files.
find_code
Ranked search across the repo for definitions, usages, and patterns. Faster than blind grep when the agent does not know where a symbol lives.
check_package
Live registry lookup for npm, PyPI, Cargo, and Go modules. Surfaces typosquat risk, maintainer changes, and suspicious version jumps before you run install.
explain_architecture
Generates Mermaid diagrams for auth flows, service boundaries, and module dependencies so the agent reasons about structure instead of guessing.
check_test
Turns a task description into the smallest file set to read or edit, with risk ratings and caller impact notes.
audit_headers
Grades a deployed URL for CSP, HSTS, TLS, cookies, and redirects. Returns fix snippets for common hosts (Vercel, Cloudflare, Nginx).
keep_thinking
Structured multi-step debugging: tracks hypotheses and conclusions so long investigations do not loop.
Zephex_dev_info
Expert patterns for authentication, databases, frontend frameworks, deployment, and mobile stacks when the agent needs vetted guidance.
project_memory
Persists decisions, gotchas, and conventions per project in ~/.zephex/memory (SQLite FTS5). recall before unfamiliar areas; remember after discoveries. Local stdio only on npx zephex.