Installation

1. Create an API key

Open Settings -> Developer and press Create API key. Scope it to the workspace you want Claude to work in. Copy the key (shown once) - it looks like pgb_....

Creating a workspace-scoped API key in Settings, Developer

Treat the key like a password. A scoped key only ever touches its one workspace.

2. Connect - pick your tool

Pick your tool. Every tab talks to the same server with the same key - only the config file location differs. Claude.ai (last tab) signs in with OAuth and needs no key at all.

CLI + VS Code extension

1.Create or open .mcp.json in your project root

2.Paste this and swap pgb_... for your key:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pugbase": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://pugbase.io/api/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer pgb_..." }
    }
  }
}

Or run one command in a terminal instead:

claude mcp add --transport http pugbase https://pugbase.io/api/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer pgb_..."

3.Restart Claude Code completely, then check that the pugbase server lists its tools. Type /mcp to confirm pugbase is connected.

Each tool reads its own config file. To point a tool at another workspace, change the key in that tool's file - editing another tool's file has no effect.

Not connecting, or reading the wrong workspace?

Fully restart the editor after adding - a reload is sometimes not enough. A server added mid-session stays "not connected" until the editor reloads its config.
Already have another PugBase connection enabled? Disable it before adding this one. Two PugBase connections expose the same tool names, so Claude may call the wrong one - e.g. a hosted connector pointing at a different workspace.
Check the workspace. Each server reports the workspace it is bound to and shows as pugbase (workspace name). Ask Claude to run list_workspaces - it should return this workspace. If it returns a different one, you are on the wrong connection.
Terminal (Claude Code) keeps reading an OLD workspace no matter what is in .mcp.json? An earlier claude mcp add pugbase ... is shadowing it: Claude Code layers config as local > project > user, and a leftover entry in another scope beats the project file every time. Run claude mcp list to see which entry is live, remove the stale ones with claude mcp remove pugbase -s local and claude mcp remove pugbase -s user, keep exactly one, then start a new session.
Resumed sessions remember the old workspace. claude -c / --resume carries the previous conversation - including the old connection's workspace binding - so Claude keeps acting on the workspace it knew, even after you switch keys. After changing the key or workspace, always start a fresh session.

Plan limits

Connecting Claude Code (and any MCP client) is free on every tier. Plans differ only in how many API keys you can have active at once - i.e. how many machines / integrations connect in parallel.

	Free	Pro	Max
Connect Claude (MCP + Directory)
API keys	2	10	50