MCP Setup & Auth
Generate an API key and connect your AI agent to Velocity.
Generate an API Key
Navigate to API Keys
Go to Settings → API Keys in your Velocity workspace.
Create a new key
Click New API Key. Give it a descriptive name like “Claude MCP” and select the scopes you need. For full MCP access, enable issues:read,issues:write, projects:read, and projects:write.
Copy the key
The full API key (prefixed with vel_mcp_) is shown once. Copy it immediately — it cannot be retrieved later. The key is stored as a SHA-256 hash.
Configure Claude Code
Add the Velocity MCP server to your Claude Code configuration:
{
"mcpServers": {
"velocity": {
"url": "https://app.velocity.dev/api/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer vel_mcp_your_key_here",
"X-Workspace-Slug": "your-workspace"
}
}
}
}Configure Claude Desktop
For Claude Desktop, add the server to your claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"velocity": {
"url": "https://app.velocity.dev/api/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer vel_mcp_your_key_here",
"X-Workspace-Slug": "your-workspace"
}
}
}
}Configure Cursor
In Cursor, open settings and navigate to the MCP section. Add a new server with:
- Name: Velocity
- URL:
https://app.velocity.dev/api/mcp - Headers: Authorization and X-Workspace-Slug as above
Authentication
The MCP server authenticates using the Authorization: Bearer header. The API key is validated against SHA-256 hashes stored in the database. Each key has scoped permissions — the server will reject requests that exceed the key's authorized scopes.
Rate Limits
MCP connections are rate-limited to 300 requests per minute per API key. This uses a sliding window algorithm. If you exceed the limit, requests return a 429 status with a Retry-After header.
Create a dedicated API key for each AI agent with the minimum required scopes. Avoid sharing keys between agents or using workspace admin keys for MCP.