# brilliant-directories-mcp

An MCP server that lets an AI agent work with your Brilliant Directories site: members, posts, leads, reviews, pages and forms over the REST API.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI · ★ 18
- Author: brilliantdirectories
- License: MIT · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/brilliantdirectories/brilliant-directories-mcp
- Updated: 2026-10-17
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/brilliant-directories-mcp

## What it does

The server hooks into a BD site with an API key and exposes tools for every resource the REST API covers: members, single- and multi-image posts, leads, reviews, top and sub categories, email templates, pages, 301 redirects, smart lists, widgets, menus, forms, tags and membership plans.

Two paths exist. The simple one points at the hosted address `https://brilliantmcp.com` and passes `X-Api-Key` and `X-BD-Site-URL` as headers, so no Node.js is involved. The advanced one spawns the package through `npx` on your own machine, and that does need Node.js installed first. Either way, quit the AI app completely and start it again: MCP configs load only on a fresh launch, not on save.

Fresh BD API keys arrive locked down. Only member read and write are on; everything else answers with a 403 until you switch on Advanced Endpoints under Permissions in the Developer Hub. That is the usual reason an agent can list members yet fails to create a page, and fixing it needs no new key. You can also untick every `delete` action there, so the agent still reads and updates but destructive calls get rejected. Give the site URL in its canonical form, with `https://` and no trailing slash, or the connection quietly fails.

## Requirements
- Needs: Node.js (commands run via npx)
- Environment variables: `BD_API_KEY`, `BD_SITE_URL` — keys and tokens: ask the human for the values, never commit them or put them in shared files.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add brilliant-directories-mcp -e BD_API_KEY=<BD_API_KEY> -e BD_SITE_URL=<BD_SITE_URL> -- npx -y brilliant-directories-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add brilliant-directories-mcp --env BD_API_KEY=<BD_API_KEY> --env BD_SITE_URL=<BD_SITE_URL> -- npx -y brilliant-directories-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "brilliant-directories-mcp": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "brilliant-directories-mcp"
            ],
            "env": {
                "BD_API_KEY": "<BD_API_KEY>",
                "BD_SITE_URL": "<BD_SITE_URL>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "brilliant-directories-mcp": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "brilliant-directories-mcp"
            ],
            "env": {
                "BD_API_KEY": "<BD_API_KEY>",
                "BD_SITE_URL": "<BD_SITE_URL>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add -e BD_API_KEY=<BD_API_KEY> -e BD_SITE_URL=<BD_SITE_URL> brilliant-directories-mcp npx -y brilliant-directories-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values

## When to use it
- pull the member list from the site without opening the admin panel
- create or edit a page and an email template through the API
- triage incoming leads and reviews from a chat window
- set up menus, forms and widgets in batches
- trim a key to the endpoints it needs and block deletes

## Example prompts
- List the newest leads from my Brilliant Directories site, sorted by date.
- Create a landing page titled “Fall Promo” and save it.
- Show every membership plan and tell me which ones are active.

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