Cursor

This guide will walk you through installing Cursor, the AI-powered code editor, and configuring it to work with the WhoisXML API MCP Server.

What is Cursor?

Cursor is an AI-first code editor built on VS Code that integrates powerful AI capabilities—including native support for Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers—directly into your coding workflow. It offers:

AI-powered code completion and generation
Natural language code editing
Built-in chat with AI assistant
Native MCP server support
Full VS Code compatibility

System Requirements

Before installing Cursor, ensure your system meets these requirements:

Operating Systems: Windows 10+, macOS 10.15+, Linux (Ubuntu 18.04+)
Hardware: Minimum 4GB RAM (8GB recommended)
Storage: At least 1GB available disk space
Network: Active internet connection for AI features
Optional: Node.js 22+ LTS (required for some MCP servers)

Installing Cursor

Step 1: Download Cursor

Visit the Cursor website:
- Go to cursor.com
- Click "Download for [Your OS]"
Download the installer:
- macOS: Download the .dmg file
- Windows: Download the .exe installer
- Linux: Download the .AppImage or .deb package

Step 2: Install the Application

macOS Installation

Open the downloaded .dmg file
Drag Cursor to your Applications folder
Launch Cursor from Applications or Spotlight

Windows Installation

Run the downloaded .exe file
Follow the installation wizard
Launch Cursor from the Start menu or desktop shortcut

Linux Installation

Using .deb package (Ubuntu/Debian):

sudo dpkg -i cursor-*.deb
sudo apt-get install -f  # Fix any dependency issues

Using .AppImage:

chmod +x cursor-*.AppImage
./cursor-*.AppImage

Step 3: Initial Setup

Launch Cursor for the first time
Import VS Code settings (optional) - Cursor can import your existing VS Code configuration
Sign up/Sign in to enable AI features (requires account)
Choose your AI model preferences in settings

Setting Up WhoisXML API MCP Server

Cursor provides excellent support for MCP servers with both one-click installation and manual configuration options.

Prerequisites

A valid WhoisXMLAPI account and API token
Cursor successfully installed and configured

Option 1: One-Click Installation (Recommended)

Cursor provides convenient one-click installation links for MCP servers:

Using Docker (Recommended): Add WhoisXMLAPI to Cursor
Using npx: Add WhoisXMLAPI to Cursor
Using Binary: Add WhoisXMLAPI to Cursor

Update the API Token

After clicking the install link, you'll need to update the WHOISXMLAPI_TOKEN environment variable with your actual API token.

Option 2: Manual Configuration

You can configure MCP servers in Cursor using either the GUI or by manually editing configuration files.

Using Cursor Settings (Recommended)

Open Cursor Settings
- Press the cog at the top right part of the editor, right next to the panel toggles.
- Click "MCP & Integrations" in the left sidebar
- Click "New MCP Server - Add a Custom MCP Server"
Configure the server
- This opens the global mcp.json configuration file
- Add your server configuration (see examples below)

Manual File Configuration

Create a mcp.json file in one of these locations:

Project-specific: .cursor/mcp.json in your project root
Global: ~/.cursor/mcp.json in your home directory

Using Docker (Recommended):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whoisxmlapi": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--rm",
        "-i",
        "--env", "WHOISXMLAPI_TOKEN",
        "whoisxmlapidotcom/mcp-whoisxmlapi:v1"
      ],
      "env": {
        "WHOISXMLAPI_TOKEN": "your-api-token-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Using npx (No installation required):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whoisxmlapi": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@whoisxmlapidotcom/mcp-whoisxmlapi"],
      "env": {
        "WHOISXMLAPI_TOKEN": "your-api-token-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Using Binary:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whoisxmlapi": {
      "command": "/path/to/mcp-whoisxmlapi",
      "env": {
        "WHOISXMLAPI_TOKEN": "your-api-token-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Restart and Verify

Restart Cursor after making configuration changes
Check for MCP integration - you should see MCP tools available in the AI chat

Test the connection by asking Cursor's AI:

Can you look up the WHOIS information for example.com?

Using Cursor with WhoisXMLAPI

Once configured, you can use Cursor's AI features with WhoisXMLAPI tools:

AI Chat Integration

# Ask Cursor's AI assistant
"What can you tell me about the domain google.com using WHOIS data?"

"Check the DNS history for github.com"

"Find the IP geolocation for 8.8.8.8"

Code Generation with Context

# Generate code that uses domain intelligence
"Write a Python script that checks if a domain is legitimate using WHOIS and threat intelligence data"

"Create a function that analyzes DNS records for security issues"

Advanced Configuration

Multiple MCP Servers

You can configure multiple MCP servers alongside WhoisXMLAPI:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whoisxmlapi": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", "--rm", "-i",
        "--env", "WHOISXMLAPI_TOKEN",
        "whoisxmlapidotcom/mcp-whoisxmlapi:v1"
      ],
      "env": {
        "WHOISXMLAPI_TOKEN": "your-api-token-here"
      }
    },
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
        "~/Documents",
        "~/Projects"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. MCP Server Not Loading

# Check if MCP server is accessible
docker run --rm whoisxmlapidotcom/mcp-whoisxmlapi:v1 --help

# Or test with npx
npx -y @whoisxmlapidotcom/mcp-whoisxmlapi --help

2. Authentication Issues

# Verify API token is set
echo $WHOISXMLAPI_TOKEN

# Test API token directly
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" https://whoisxmlapi.com/api/v1/whois

3. Cursor Not Recognizing MCP Server

Check JSON syntax in mcp.json
Verify file permissions
Restart Cursor completely
Check Cursor's output panel for errors

4. One-Click Install Not Working

Ensure you have the latest version of Cursor
Try manual configuration instead
Check if your system blocks the cursor:// protocol

5. Too many tools installed

Cursor has a limit of 40 tools.
You can disable tools to reduce the number of tools installed.
Disabling a tool will toggle it off temporarily, and it doesn't require a restart.