AI Tools

Connect Claude Desktop

Use Recursiv from inside the Claude Desktop app. No key, no terminal, no install.

Once Recursiv is connected to Claude Desktop, you build and deploy real apps just by chatting with Claude. Connecting takes about two minutes — no terminal, no coding — and you only do it once.

You’ll need: the Claude Desktop app and a Recursiv account (just an email and a 6-digit code — sign up at recursiv.io).

1. Add Recursiv as a connector

  1. Open Claude Desktop and go to Settings → Connectors.

  2. Click Add custom connector.

  3. Paste this address and confirm:

    https://api.recursiv.io/mcp

2. Sign in

Claude opens a Recursiv sign-in in your browser. Log in (email + a 6-digit code, or Google), then click Allow.

That’s the whole setup. No key to copy, nothing to install, no config file to edit.

3. Check that it worked

Start a new chat and type:

“List my Recursiv projects.”

If a small box pops up asking permission to use a Recursiv tool, click Allow. If Claude answers with your account info, you’re connected.

Now build something

Just describe what you want, in plain English:

  • “Build me an app where my team can post updates and comment on them.”
  • “Add a sign-in screen.”
  • “Deploy it and give me the link.”

Recursiv creates the project, database, and code for you, hosts it, and hands back a public link. No GitHub account, no terminal, no code required.

If something goes wrong

The connector won’t add, or sign-in fails. Make sure you’re in the Claude Desktop app, not claude.ai in a web browser, and that you’re on a recent version (custom connectors are a newer feature). Sign in at recursiv.io once in your browser first, then try adding the connector again.

Claude says it can’t see any Recursiv tools. Fully quit Claude Desktop (not just close the window) and reopen it, then start a new chat.

Prefer to set it up manually?

If your client doesn’t support custom connectors, or you want the local dev tunnel so platform agents can reach a dev server on your machine, you can run the connector locally with an API key instead.

  1. Create a key at recursiv.io/account/api-keys (it starts with sk_live_).

  2. Install Node.js (the LTS button).

  3. In Claude Desktop, go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config and add:

    1{
    2  "mcpServers": {
    3    "recursiv": {
    4      "command": "npx",
    5      "args": ["-y", "@recursiv/mcp"],
    6      "env": { "RECURSIV_API_KEY": "PASTE_YOUR_KEY_HERE" }
    7    }
    8  }
    9}

  4. Save, then fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop.

See MCP for the full local-connector reference.