Windsurf reads MCP settings from a dedicated global config file, so one Zephex entry can cover every repo you open on that machine.
OVERVIEW
Windsurf differs from repo-local editors because the MCP config is global. For Zephex, the reliable setup is the stdio block below running `npx -y zephex` with `ZEPHEX_API_KEY` in the env block.
CONFIG FILE LOCATION
Create this file: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json. Create the parent folders first if they do not exist.
Paste the JSON into the global Windsurf config file.
Replace `mcp_sk_your_key_here` with the real key from Dashboard -> API Keys.
{ "mcpServers": { "zephex": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "zephex"], "env": { "ZEPHEX_API_KEY": "mcp_sk_your_key_here" } } }}Check the Windsurf MCP UI before asking for code changes so you know the server itself loaded correctly.
Windsurf often still has the old process in memory. Fully quit the app, reopen it, and start a new session instead of reusing the old one.
Double-check that the config uses `command`, `args`, and `env` exactly as shown instead of the older HTTP fields.
Validate ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json. Trailing commas and comments are common causes, especially when copying from a formatted example.
Confirm the config file is at ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json on the same machine running Windsurf. A file in the repo root or a different user home directory will be ignored.
If the editor still does not connect, return to Quickstart or check Connection Issues.