Outset — Claude Code MCP server: what it does, how to install
Connects an AI agent to Outset for building studies, launching recruitment, and querying interview results. It uses a remote MCP server.
claude mcp add --transport http mcp https://api.outset.ai/mcp/What Outset does
Outset connects an AI agent to the Outset research platform through a remote MCP server. The agent can create and edit studies, including projects, sections, questions, screeners, display rules, quotas, and concepts. It can also request reports, answers, topline findings, category summaries, and highlight clips.
The server supports recruitment setup with sample size, reward, and demographic filters, then can launch the recruitment flow. Launching may incur fees and requires the separate studies:launch scope. OAuth scopes and organization roles are enforced on the server.
Nothing runs on your machine. The client connects to https://api.outset.ai/mcp/ over Streamable HTTP and authenticates with OAuth 2.1 using PKCE. The repository contains directory and plugin manifests; the actual MCP server stays remote.
What it helps with
- build a study with questions and screeners
- set recruitment filters and sample size
- launch participant recruitment with a reward
- query reports and topline findings
- inspect workspaces and project context
Example prompts for the agent
- Create a study about the new product with sections, questions, and a screener.
- Set up recruitment with the required sample size, reward, and demographic filters.
- Query the report, answers, and topline findings for this study.
How to install Outset
Platform CLI: remote server
claude mcp add --transport http mcp https://api.outset.ai/mcp/Platform CLI: remote server
codex mcp add outset --url https://api.outset.ai/mcp/Config file
{
"mcpServers": {
"outset": {
"url": "https://api.outset.ai/mcp/"
}
}
}Config file
{
"servers": {
"outset": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://api.outset.ai/mcp/"
}
}
}Platform CLI: remote server
gemini mcp add -t http outset https://api.outset.ai/mcp/Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about Outset
How do I install Outset in Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add --transport http mcp https://api.outset.ai/mcp/, then sign in to your Outset account through OAuth.
What does Outset do?
Outset gives an agent access to study workflows: it can create and edit research projects, configure recruitment, launch studies, and query results.
Does Outset run locally?
No local server process is needed. The client connects to https://api.outset.ai/mcp/ over Streamable HTTP and uses OAuth 2.1 with PKCE.
