Kuali Connector: Guides: other clients

ChatGPT isn't one of them

ChatGPT (chatgpt.com, the ChatGPT desktop app) only supports hosted MCP servers reachable at a public HTTPS URL — it can't launch a local binary. The Kuali Connector is a local MCP server. Use OpenAI Codex CLI instead if you want an OpenAI model driving Kuali today, or see the FAQ.

OPENAI CODEX CLI

Codex CLI

kuali mcp setup --profile myschool --client codex

Writes ~/.codex/config.toml. Existing entries are preserved.

Test it from within a Codex session with a prompt like "list the first five apps in Kuali."

GOOGLE GEMINI CLI

Gemini CLI

kuali mcp setup --profile myschool --client gemini-cli

Writes ~/.gemini/settings.json.

GITHUB COPILOT CLI

Copilot CLI

kuali mcp setup --profile myschool --client copilot-cli

Writes ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json.

VS CODE

VS Code with Copilot Chat

kuali mcp setup --profile myschool --client vscode

Writes .vscode/mcp.json in the current directory.

This one is project-local rather than user-global, so you can scope the Connector to the repo you're working in. Open VS Code in that folder and Copilot Chat will pick it up.

MANUAL CONFIG

Any other local-MCP client

The Connector runs as a local MCP server over stdio. For a client that doesn't have a built-in helper but does support launching a local stdio MCP server, add an entry like this to the client's server list:

{

"mcpServers": {

"kuali": {

"command": "/usr/local/bin/kuali",

"args": ["mcp", "--profile", "myschool"]

}

Adjust command to the absolute path of your kuali binary (which kuali on macOS/Linux, where kuali on Windows). args accepts the same flags as the standalone kuali mcp command:

Flag

What it does

--profile <name>

Which configured profile to use.

--tools read-only

--insecure

Skip TLS verification. Local/dev instances only.

--timeout <seconds>

Per-command timeout. Default 30.

Don't pass credentials as env vars in the MCP config

Setting KUALI_API_KEY or KUALI_API_URL in the MCP server's environment overrides profile resolution entirely, which defeats named profiles and per-profile read-only setups. Store keys with kuali setup (or kuali auth login --profile <name> if the profile already exists) instead — the Connector looks them up at start.

VERIFY