> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.poly.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Builder MCP

> Build, test, and deploy PolyAI agents from your IDE or MCP client, without calling the API directly.

**Builder MCP** is PolyAI's authenticated [MCP](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) server for building agents. Connect an MCP client — [Claude Code](https://www.claude.com/product/claude-code), [Cursor](https://cursor.com), [Claude Desktop](https://claude.ai/download), or [Codex](https://developers.openai.com/codex/cli/) — and you can create, test, and deploy PolyAI agents from your IDE without calling the [REST API](/api-reference/introduction) yourself. When the client connects, it discovers the available tools and their input schemas.

<iframe src="https://www.loom.com/embed/12af169c4b8240c3ab4625e4119e3113?hideEmbedTopBar=true" title="Loom video player" frameborder="0" className="w-full aspect-video rounded-xl" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen />

## Builder MCP vs Agent Studio MCP integrations

The two point in opposite directions:

|                            | **Builder MCP**                         | **Agent Studio MCP integrations**                               |
| -------------------------- | --------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Direction**              | An MCP client connects **in** to PolyAI | Your PolyAI agent connects **out** to a third-party server      |
| **Who acts as the client** | Your IDE / AI coding tool               | Your live PolyAI agent                                          |
| **What it's for**          | Build, test, and deploy agents          | Give a live agent extra tools during a conversation             |
| **Docs**                   | This page                               | [Agent Studio MCP integrations](/mcp/agent-studio-integrations) |

## What you can do

Builder MCP exposes PolyAI's platform as tools grouped into three areas:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Agents" icon="robot">
    Create agents, edit behavior and knowledge, manage branches, variants, connectors, and phone numbers.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Data" icon="database">
    Retrieve conversations and transcripts to test and inspect agent behavior.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Alerts" icon="bell">
    Create alert rules and read active alerts to monitor deployed agents.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

See [Capabilities](/mcp/builder/capabilities) for the full tool list.

## Why use it

* **No API plumbing.** The client reads each tool and its schema from the server, so you don't hand-write requests, hosts, or headers.
* **Conversational workflows.** Ask your assistant to branch an agent, update its greeting, test it, and publish to staging, and it runs the tool calls in order.
* **Full deployment lifecycle.** Variants, environments, and deployments are available as tools. See the [walkthrough](/mcp/builder/walkthrough).
* **One API key.** A single [workspace-scoped key](/mcp/authentication) authenticates every tool.

## Get started

<Steps>
  <Step title="Authenticate">
    Create a [workspace-scoped API key](/mcp/authentication).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect your client">
    Add Builder MCP in one command. See [Quickstart](/mcp/quickstart).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build, test, deploy">
    Follow the [end-to-end walkthrough](/mcp/builder/walkthrough).
  </Step>
</Steps>