Installation & Setup

Q: Can I use both MCP and Dashboard?

Yes, the same API key works for both. Agents, scenarios, and test results are shared across both interfaces.

Q: Which IDEs are supported?

Claude Desktop, Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, and any MCP-compatible client that supports Streamable HTTP transport.

Connect your development environment to Invarium in under 2 minutes.

Key Takeaways

✓Two paths: MCP server for IDE integration, or Dashboard for web-based usage
✓MCP setup: add a JSON config block to your IDE settings — takes under 2 minutes
✓Dashboard setup: create account at app.invarium.dev, generate API key
✓Same API key works for both MCP and Dashboard

Why It Matters

Installation connects your development environment to Invarium’s behavioral QA engine, enabling you to test, audit, and score your AI agents without leaving your IDE or adding any dependencies to your project.

How to Set Up

Dashboard Setup

The web dashboard at app.invarium.dev gives you full access to Invarium without any local installation.

Create your account

Go to app.invarium.dev and click Create Account. You can sign up with:

Email and password — enter your full name, email, and a password
Google — one-click sign-in with your Google account
GitHub — one-click sign-in with your GitHub account

After signing up, you will be taken to your dashboard.

Generate an API key

Navigate to Settings in the sidebar, then select the API Keys tab.

Enter a name for your key (e.g., “development” or “ci-pipeline”)
Click Generate New Key
Copy the key immediately — it starts with inv_ and will not be shown again

⚠️

Store your API key securely. Do not commit it to version control or share it publicly.

Invarium Settings — API Keys tab

You are now ready to create agents, generate test scenarios, and run tests from the dashboard.

MCP IDE Integration

Invarium’s MCP server is hosted at mcp.invarium.dev — no local installation required. Add the server URL and your API key to your IDE’s MCP configuration.

Before you start: You need an API key. If you do not have one yet, create an account and generate a key from Settings > API Keys.

Cursor

Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json (create the file if it does not exist):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "invarium": {
      "url": "https://mcp.invarium.dev/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer inv_your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Replace inv_your_key_here with your actual API key.

Restart Cursor. The server appears in Settings > MCP Servers when connected.

Claude Code

Run this command in your terminal:

claude mcp add --transport http invarium https://mcp.invarium.dev/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer inv_your_key_here"

Replace inv_your_key_here with your actual API key.

Claude Code will automatically connect to the Invarium MCP server on your next session.

Windsurf

Add to your Windsurf MCP configuration file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "invarium": {
      "url": "https://mcp.invarium.dev/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer inv_your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Replace inv_your_key_here with your actual API key.

Restart Windsurf for the configuration to take effect.

Verify the connection

After configuring your IDE, verify the connection by asking your IDE assistant:

"Use invarium_connect to verify my connection."

You should see output confirming your account and workspace, along with a project setup summary:

Connected to Invarium ✓
Account: you@example.com
Workspace: my-workspace

Project setup:
  config.json: created
  invarium_trace.py: installed
  .gitignore: added .invarium/

On first run, invarium_connect creates the .invarium/ directory in your project with your API key config and the behavioral trace library. This directory is automatically added to .gitignore.

If you get an authentication error, double-check that:

Your API key is correct and starts with inv_
The key is at least 32 characters
The Authorization header uses the Bearer prefix
You restarted your IDE after changing the config

Troubleshooting

”Authentication required”

Your API key is missing or not set. Verify that:

The Authorization header is set in your MCP config with the format Bearer inv_xxxxx
The key starts with inv_ and is at least 32 characters
You restarted your IDE after changing the configuration

”Invalid API key”

The key format is correct but the server rejected it. The key may have been revoked. Generate a new one at app.invarium.dev/settings/api-keys.

Server not appearing in IDE

Check your MCP config file for valid JSON syntax (a missing comma or bracket is the most common cause)
Verify the URL is exactly https://mcp.invarium.dev/mcp
Restart your IDE after adding the configuration

Connection timeout

Check your internet connection
Try again in a few minutes — the server may be restarting

FAQ

Can I use both MCP and Dashboard?

Yes. The same API key works for both interfaces. Agents, scenarios, and test results are shared — anything you create from your IDE appears in the dashboard and vice versa.

Which IDEs are supported?

Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, and any MCP-compatible client that supports Streamable HTTP transport. The MCP server is hosted — no local dependencies or installations required.

What is Invarium Quickstart