PubNub MCP Server

Name: PubNub MCP Server
Author: pubnub

by pubnubversion 2.3.2i★ –iRuns on your computer

Registry nameio.github.pubnub/mcp-server

Install

Overview

Description from the maker (original English)

PubNub Model Context Protocol MCP Server for Cursor and Claude

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

These three are never merged into one score: opinions, measurements and popularity are different things.

User voiceiNo reviews yetReviews open together with accounts in a later step
Our basic checksi1 of 1 passedChecked from public information; code not scanned yet
UsageiNot measured yet★ –

What you can do with it

We have not written a plain-language summary for this one yet. Below are the facts we read from the registry.

Connection: Runs on your computer
Transport: stdio
Category: Other
You need to fill in: PUBNUB_API_KEY, PUBNUB_PUBLISH_KEY, PUBNUB_SUBSCRIBE_KEY, PUBNUB_PASSWORD

Install

Pick the AI app you use, then copy the settings.

Before you install

Basic checks: 1 of 1 passed
Runs on your computer with your user’s permissions (files, network, apps).
You fill in yourself: PUBNUB_API_KEY, PUBNUB_PUBLISH_KEY, PUBNUB_SUBSCRIBE_KEY, PUBNUB_USER_ID, PUBNUB_EMAIL, PUBNUB_PASSWORD

Values marked secret are keys to your account. Never share them or paste them into a chat.

You need

npmNode.js installed (for the npx command)

Which app do you use?

ClaudeClaude CodeCursorVS CodeChatGPT

Pick your app above. We remember it, so next time the button says “Install in …”.

Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config, and paste this into claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pubnub": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@pubnub/mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "PUBNUB_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_PUBLISH_KEY": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_SUBSCRIBE_KEY": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_USER_ID": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_EMAIL": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_PASSWORD": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Run this in your terminal

claude mcp add pubnub --env PUBNUB_API_KEY=your-value --env PUBNUB_PUBLISH_KEY=your-value --env PUBNUB_SUBSCRIBE_KEY=your-value --env PUBNUB_USER_ID=your-value --env PUBNUB_EMAIL=your-value --env PUBNUB_PASSWORD=your-value -- npx -y @pubnub/mcp

Fill in the empty values before running it.

Open in Cursor

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pubnub": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@pubnub/mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "PUBNUB_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_PUBLISH_KEY": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_SUBSCRIBE_KEY": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_USER_ID": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_EMAIL": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_PASSWORD": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

Open in VS Code

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .vscode/mcp.json in your project

{
  "servers": {
    "pubnub": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@pubnub/mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "PUBNUB_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_PUBLISH_KEY": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_SUBSCRIBE_KEY": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_USER_ID": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_EMAIL": "your-value",
        "PUBNUB_PASSWORD": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

This one runs on your computer, and ChatGPT can only connect to servers on the internet. Pick another app.

Your choice stays on this device in a cookie; no account needed.

Values you fill in

PUBNUB_API_KEY secret env
Your PubNub API Key. Required for all operations related to your account/keyset
PUBNUB_PUBLISH_KEY secret env
Optional PubNub publish key for real-time operations
PUBNUB_SUBSCRIBE_KEY secret env
Optional PubNub subscribe key for real-time operations
PUBNUB_USER_ID env
Optional variable that can be provided to change the User ID for the SDK (real-time) operations (default: pubnub-mcp)
PUBNUB_EMAIL env
(Deprecated - use API Key instead) Your PubNub account email. Required for all operations related to your account/keyset
PUBNUB_PASSWORD secret env
(Deprecated - use API Key instead) Your PubNub account password. Required for all operations related to your account/keyset

These settings are generated from the maker’s registry entry. If the README says otherwise, follow the README.

What it can do

Runs on your computer; the tool list appears in your AI app after you install it.

Basic checksi

We check information anyone can see; we have not read the code. Checks that do not apply are left out of the count. · Checked Nov 6, 2026

✓ Pass
Maker matches the repo
The registry name was verified with the GitHub account pubnub, which owns the repo
… Not checked yet
Still maintained
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
… Not checked yet
Has a licence
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
– Not applicable
Endpoint responds
This one runs on your computer; there is no internet endpoint
– Not applicable
Sign-in with OAuth
Runs on your computer and uses local settings instead
… Not checked yet
No hidden instructions in tool descriptions
Runs on your computer; we can only read tool lists from internet endpoints

Compared with others in Otheri

More stars than 0% of the other 32509 servers in this category
Published to the registry more recently than 4% of the other 32509 servers in this category
Basic checks equal to or better than 100% of the other 32509 servers in this category

Compared with every active server in this category in the registry. Stars count only when the publisher owns the repo.

Common questions

Is PubNub MCP Server safe?

It passed 1 of 1 applicable basic checks. We have not read the code. Before adding a key or token, see what access the server asks for and use a key with only the permissions you need.

What keys or codes does it need?

You need to fill in: PUBNUB_API_KEY, PUBNUB_PUBLISH_KEY, PUBNUB_SUBSCRIBE_KEY, PUBNUB_PASSWORD

Does it run on my computer or in the cloud?

It runs on your computer. Your AI app starts it when needed, and data does not pass through the maker’s servers (unless it calls an online service itself).

Is it still maintained?

The GitHub repo last changed –, and the latest version (2.3.2) reached the registry 8 months ago.

Which apps can use it?

Apps that support MCP, such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code. You also need Node.js on your computer.

What can I use instead?

In the same category: Spec Driven Development, Remote Desktop Commander, Fomu MCP

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README from the maker

Open the README

Copied from the maker’s repo as written. PopNx MCP has not reviewed or endorsed it. HTML, images and scripts are removed. Links lead off this site.

PubNub MCP Server

A hosted Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that exposes PubNub SDK documentation and PubNub API resources to LLM-powered tools. This improves the LLM AI Agent's ability to understand and interact with PubNub's SDKs and APIs. Uses HTTP transport with OAuth authentication.

Features

📚 Comprehensive SDK Documentation - Access detailed documentation, code examples, and implementation guides for 20+ programming languages including JavaScript, Python, Java, Swift, Kotlin, C#, Ruby, Go, and more
🏗️ Application & Keyset Management - Create, configure, and manage PubNub applications and keysets with features like message persistence, file sharing, presence tracking, and app context
💬 Real-time Communication - Send and receive messages across channels, implement live chat, notifications, and real-time updates with support for both messages and lightweight signals
👥 User & Channel Management - Manage user profiles, channel metadata, and membership relationships with full CRUD operations for building community and social features. In addition, there is an option to view & manage user profiles, channels and memberships in PubNub Admin Portal (this requires Manage Premium).
📍 Presence & Activity Tracking - Monitor real-time user presence, see who's online in channels, and track user activity across your application
📊 Real-time Decisioning & Analytics - Trigger the right action when it matters, measure its impact, and adjust as conditions change -- all in real-time. Requires Illuminate.
📈 Channel, User & Message Analytics - Spot patterns in aggregated app activity, from top channels and country breakdowns to new vs. recurring users and device distribution, to understand engagement, usage, and performance. In addition, limited metrics are available for viewing in PubNub Admin Portal without Manage Premium; full analytics require Manage Premium.
🔍 Usage & Monitoring — Track billable usage across apps and keysets, review current and historical consumption, and export reports to understand cost drivers.
🔧 Multi-Platform Integration - Works with Cursor, Visual Studio Code, Claude Code, and other MCP-compatible AI assistants
⚡ Developer Experience - Built with TypeScript for type safety, includes testing infrastructure

Quick Start

The hosted server is managed by PubNub and provides the easiest way to get started — no installation required, and authentication is handled automatically via OAuth. If your AI tool doesn't support remote MCP servers, use the locally installed version (npx @pubnub/mcp@latest) instead.

Note: To switch to the hosted server (https://mcp.pubnub.com), remove the old local configuration from your AI client first, then follow the setup steps below.

Hosted PubNub MCP Server

Connect your AI assistant to https://mcp.pubnub.com — no installation required. Authentication is handled automatically via OAuth.

VS Code

Click the button above, then select Open in Visual Studio Code. Back in VS Code, click Install, then select the organization you want to authorize and click Allow access.

Alternatively, add the following to your VS Code settings.json manually:

"mcp": { "servers": { "pubnub": { "url": "https://mcp.pubnub.com" } } } }

Learn more in VS Code documentation

Cursor

Click the button above, then select Open Cursor. In Cursor, click Install, select the organization you want to authorize, and click Allow access. Navigate to Cursor Settings → Tools & MCP to verify PubNub is enabled.

Alternatively, add the following to .cursor/mcp.json (or ~/.cursor/mcp.json for global configuration) manually:

"mcpServers": { "pubnub": { "url": "https://mcp.pubnub.com" } } }

When you save the file, a notification is displayed. Click Enable to activate the MCP server. Learn more in Cursor documentation

Claude Code

In the terminal, run:

claude mcp add --scope user --transport http pubnub https://mcp.pubnub.com

Then run claude to open Claude Code and enter /mcp. Select pubnub, then authenticate, and click Allow access to complete authorization. Learn more in Claude Code documentation

Claude Desktop

Note: The following instructions apply to Pro and Max plans. For Enterprise plans, the setup is configured by your organization administrator. Refer to Anthropic's documentation for details.

In Claude Desktop, navigate to Customize → Connectors.
Click + and select Add custom connector.
Enter https://mcp.pubnub.com as the connector URL.
Complete the OAuth login when prompted.

Learn more in Claude Desktop documentation

Codex

In the terminal, run:

codex mcp add pubnub --url https://mcp.pubnub.com

Then run codex mcp login pubnub to authenticate, select the organization you want to authorize, and click Allow access. Learn more in Codex documentation

Codex Desktop

Navigate to Settings → MCP servers and click + Add server.
Select Streamable HTTP as the transport type.
Enter https://mcp.pubnub.com as the server URL.
Follow the OAuth login prompt to complete authorization.

Learn more in Codex Desktop documentation

Gemini CLI

In the terminal, run:

gemini mcp add pubnub --scope user --transport http https://mcp.pubnub.com

Then run gemini to open Gemini CLI and run /mcp auth pubnub to authenticate. Learn more in Gemini CLI documentation

OpenCode

Add the following to ~/.config/opencode/config.json:

"mcp": { "pubnub": { "type": "remote", "url": "https://mcp.pubnub.com", "enabled": true } } }

Then run opencode mcp auth pubnub to authenticate. Learn more in OpenCode documentation

Local PubNub MCP Server

If your AI tool doesn't support remote MCP servers, run the server locally with:

npx @pubnub/mcp@latest

API Key

Before you begin, we highly recommend creating a Service Integration in the PubNub Admin Portal and providing your API key to the MCP server. While some basic features will work without it, adding an API key unlocks much more functionality. Alternatively, refer to Local server configuration for instructions on configuring the server to work with a single PubNub keyset.

The installation process for an MCP server depends on the AI assistant you're using. For the standard setup, you'll need Node.js (v20.0.0 or higher).

VS Code

Just click the link above, then select "Open in Visual Studio Code" on the page that appears. Back in VS Code, click "Install". You'll be prompted to enter your PubNub API Key. Once provided, your MCP server is ready to use. For additional configuration options, refer to Local server configuration.

Cursor

Click the link above, then select "Open Cursor" on the page that appears. Back in Cursor, there's a "Install MCP Server?" prompt. Make sure to provide the value for variable holding your PubNub API Key. Once you do, click "Install". Your MCP server is now ready to use. For additional configuration options, refer to Local server configuration.

Claude Code

With Claude Code installed run this command to have the MCP added to your configuration. Make sure to replace the value of :

claude mcp add pubnub --env PUBNUB_API_KEY=<your-api-key> --scope user --transport stdio -- npx -y @pubnub/mcp@latest

Server is added in the "User" scope which means it will be available across all projects. For additional configuration options, refer to Local server configuration.

Codex

With Codex installed run this command to have the MCP added to your configuration. Make sure to replace the value of :

codex mcp add pubnub --env PUBNUB_API_KEY=<your-api-key> -- npx -y @pubnub/mcp@latest

For additional configuration options, refer to Local server configuration.

Gemini CLI

Gemini CLI does not support automatic MCP installations. You'll have to manually edit your settings.json file and add the section below. Make sure to replace the value of :

"mcpServers": {

"pubnub": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "@pubnub/mcp@latest" ], "env": { "PUBNUB_API_KEY": " " } } }

For additional configuration options, refer to the Local server configuration section in the PubNub documentation.

Development

Prerequisites

Node.js 22.23.4, 24.22.1, or 26.12.1, or a later release on those lines

Running locally

npm install

npm run dev

Environment variables

Variable	Description	Required
`PORT`	HTTP server port (default: 3000)	No
`MCP_OAUTH_ENABLED`	Enable OAuth authentication	Yes (for production)
`OAUTH_ISSUER`	OAuth authorization server URL	When OAuth enabled
`OAUTH_CLIENT_ID`	OAuth client ID	When OAuth enabled
`OAUTH_CLIENT_SECRET`	OAuth client secret	When OAuth enabled
`ADMIN_API_RESOURCE_URL`	Admin API resource identifier	When OAuth enabled
`MCP_RESOURCE_URL`	MCP resource URL	When OAuth enabled
`MCP_CLOUD_MODE`	Cloud deployment mode	No
`MCP_SESSION_SUPPORT`	Enable session persistence	No
`ADMIN_API_V2_URL`	Override Admin API v2 endpoint	No
`PUBNUB_ORIGIN`	Override PubNub origin	No
`SDK_DOCS_API_URL`	Override docs API endpoint	No

Testing

npm run test:unit

Only the beginning is shown; read the rest in the repo

PubNub MCP Server

Overview

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

What you can do with it

Install

Before you install

Values you fill in

What it can do

Basic checksi

Maker matches the repo

Still maintained

Has a licence

Endpoint responds

Sign-in with OAuth

No hidden instructions in tool descriptions

Compared with others in Otheri

Common questions

Alternatives

Spec Driven Development

Remote Desktop Commander

Fomu MCP

README from the maker

PubNub MCP Server

Features

Quick Start

Hosted PubNub MCP Server

VS Code

Cursor

Claude Code

Claude Desktop

Codex

Codex Desktop

Gemini CLI

OpenCode

Local PubNub MCP Server

API Key

VS Code

Cursor

Claude Code

Codex

Gemini CLI

Development

Prerequisites

Running locally

Environment variables

Testing