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Custom MCP servers

Add your own MCP servers to Terno AI so the Terno agent can use their tools.

Connect any Model Context Protocol server to Terno, and the Terno agent can use its tools in your chats.

  1. Click Configure MCP on the home screen, or open Add Data Connectors and choose the Custom MCP tab.

    Custom MCP tab with + Custom MCP and Import by JSON buttons

  2. Click + Custom MCP. To paste an existing MCP config instead, click Import by JSON.

  3. Fill in the server details:

    • Name and an optional Description.
    • Transport Type: SSE or Streamable HTTP for remote servers, or STDIO for a local command.
    • Server URL: for SSE, the server must provide GET /sse and POST /messages endpoints.
    • Authentication: None, Bearer Token, API Key (sent in the X-Api-Key header unless you choose another), or OAuth 2.0 (tokens refresh automatically).
    Add MCP Server form with name, transport type, server URL and authentication

  4. Click Add Server.

Import by JSON

Section titled “Import by JSON”

Click Import by JSON and paste a config you already use in Claude Desktop, Cursor, or VS Code.

Import by JSON dialog with a config box and File-Based Credentials

Terno accepts any of these shapes:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": { "url": "https://api.example.com/mcp" },
    "files": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/data"] }
  }
}
  • mcpServers, servers, or a plain map of server names.
  • Remote servers use url (also serverUrl, httpUrl, or sseUrl). A plain url is treated as Streamable HTTP. Use sseUrl, or set "type": "sse", for an SSE server.
  • Local servers use command, args, and env.

File-based credentials: some servers need a file path in an environment variable, such as GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS. Click Add File under File-Based Credentials, enter the variable name, and paste the file’s contents or upload the file.

File-Based Credentials with a variable name field and a box for the file contents

Using the tools

Section titled “Using the tools”

Once added, Terno can use the server’s tools in any chat in your workspace. They appear as mcp__<server>__<tool>, so you can tell which server a tool comes from. Ask naturally, for example “Using the GitHub tools, list open pull requests”.

Manage servers

Section titled “Manage servers”

Servers you add are yours. You and members of your workspace’s Org Admin group can edit, turn off, or delete them from the Custom MCP tab. Secrets such as tokens and API keys are stored encrypted.