Install for ChatGPT Desktop

Complete guide to install and configure ContextForge MCP on ChatGPT Desktop app.

Claude Desktop (macOS)Cursor IDE Windsurf IDE

Prerequisites

Node.js 18 or higher
Download from nodejs.org
ChatGPT Desktop App
Download from openai.com/chatgpt/desktop (macOS or Windows)
ChatGPT Plus, Team, or Enterprise
MCP support requires a paid ChatGPT plan
ContextForge Account
Create a free account

Step 1: Install ContextForge MCP

Open your terminal and run:

npm install -g contextforge-mcp

Step 2: Get Your API Key

Log into your ContextForge dashboard and go to API Keys to generate a key. Copy it for the next step.

Step 3: Configure ChatGPT Desktop

Option A: Via Settings UI

Open ChatGPT Desktop
Go to Settings (gear icon)
Navigate to Features > MCP Servers
Click Add Server
Enter server name: contextforge
Enter command: contextforge-mcp
Add environment variable: CONTEXTFORGE_API_KEY with your API key

Option B: Via JSON Config

Edit the ChatGPT MCP config file directly:

# macOS
~/Library/Application Support/com.openai.chat/mcp.json

# Windows
%APPDATA%\com.openai.chat\mcp.json

Add the following configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "contextforge": {
      "command": "contextforge-mcp",
      "env": {
        "CONTEXTFORGE_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Note: Replace your-api-key-here with your actual API key from your dashboard

3. Restart ChatGPT Desktop

Close and reopen ChatGPT Desktop for the changes to take effect. You should see ContextForge tools available in your conversations.

Using ContextForge in ChatGPT

Once configured, ContextForge tools are automatically available in your ChatGPT conversations:

# Save knowledge to memory
"Remember this API endpoint documentation..."

# Query your memory
"What do we know about the authentication flow?"

# Create tasks
"Create a task: Fix the login bug"

# List your tasks
"Show my pending tasks"

Note: ChatGPT supports MCP tools but not MCP resources or prompts. All ContextForge features work via tools, so you get full functionality.

Troubleshooting

command not found: contextforge-mcp

Desktop apps sometimes don't inherit your shell PATH. Use the full path:

# Find the full path
which contextforge-mcp

# Use it in your config
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "contextforge": {
      "command": "/usr/local/bin/contextforge-mcp",
      "env": {
        "CONTEXTFORGE_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Tools not appearing in chat

Make sure you have a ChatGPT Plus, Team, or Enterprise plan. MCP is not available on the free tier. Also verify the server shows as connected in Settings > Features > MCP Servers.

Authentication errors

Verify your API key is correct and hasn't expired. You can generate a new key from your dashboard.