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Tailwind API

MCP Server Setup

This guide walks you through setting up the Tailwind MCP Server with your AI assistant.

Prerequisites

  • Node.js 18 or later installed
  • A Tailwind account with API access
  • Your Tailwind API key
  • Claude Desktop, Cursor, or another MCP-compatible client

Installation

  1. Locate your Claude Desktop config file

    • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
    • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

  2. Edit the configuration

    Open the file and add the Tailwind MCP server:

    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "tailwind": {
          "command": "npx",
          "args": ["-y", "@tailwindapp/mcp-server"],
          "env": {
            "TAILWIND_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
          }
        }
      }
    }

  3. Restart Claude Desktop

    Quit and reopen Claude Desktop to load the new configuration.

  4. Verify the connection

    Ask Claude: “What Pinterest accounts do I have connected to Tailwind?”

    If configured correctly, Claude will list your accounts.

Configuration Options

Environment Variables

VariableRequiredDescription
TAILWIND_API_KEYYesYour Tailwind API key
TAILWIND_API_URLNoCustom API URL (for development)

Full Configuration Example

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tailwind": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@tailwindapp/mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "TAILWIND_API_KEY": "tw_live_abc123...",
        "TAILWIND_API_URL": "https://api-v1.tailwind.ai"
      }
    }
  }
}

Troubleshooting

”Server not found” or connection errors

  1. Verify Node.js is installed: node --version
  2. Check that npx is available: npx --version
  3. Ensure your API key is correct
  4. Restart your AI assistant application

”Unauthorized” errors

  1. Verify your API key is valid in Tailwind settings
  2. Check the key hasn’t been revoked
  3. Ensure the key is correctly copied without extra spaces

Server starts but no tools appear

  1. Wait a few seconds - the server needs to initialize
  2. Try asking about your accounts to trigger the connection
  3. Check your client’s MCP server logs for errors

Viewing Server Logs

Logs are available at:

  • macOS: ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp-*.log
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\logs\mcp-*.log

Verifying Your Setup

Once configured, try these commands to verify everything works:

  1. Check accounts: “List my Pinterest accounts”
  2. View boards: “What boards do I have on [account name]?”
  3. See scheduled posts: “Show me my queued posts”
  4. Create a test draft: “Create a draft pin with the image https://example.com/test.jpg”

Security Best Practices

  1. Use environment variables - Never hardcode API keys in shared configs
  2. Rotate keys periodically - Generate new keys every few months
  3. Use separate keys - Create dedicated keys for the MCP server
  4. Monitor usage - Check your API usage in Tailwind settings

Next Steps