> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.xpander.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# OpenAPI Spec to MCP Tool

> Transform any OpenAPI specification into a working MCP server with custom authentication and tools selection.

<Info>
  **Time to complete:** 5 minutes\
  **What you'll get:** A custom MCP server from your OpenAPI spec + MCP client integration ready to use
</Info>

Turn any OpenAPI/Swagger specification into a fully functional MCP server with AI-optimized tools. Perfect for connecting private APIs and custom services to your MCP clients.

## Quick OpenAPI-to-MCP Process

<Steps>
  <Step title="Upload OpenAPI Specification" titleIcon="upload">
    Go to the [Connectors page](https://app.xpander.ai/connectors) in the xpander.ai console.

    1. Click **"+ Create new connector"**
    2. Upload your OpenAPI/Swagger specification file (JSON or YAML)
    3. Provide a name and description for your connector
    4. Don't forget the server URL, especially if your original spec doesn't have one.

    <Tip>Your OpenAPI spec gets automatically analyzed by the connector generator agent!</Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Authentication" titleIcon="key">
    Set up authentication for your API:

    **For API Key authentication:**

    1. Select **"API Key"** as the authentication method
    2. Specify the key location (header, query parameter, etc.)
    3. Enter your API key or leave it for later configuration

    **Other supported methods:**

    * OAuth 2.0
    * Bearer tokens
    * Basic authentication
    * No authentication
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review Generated Tools" titleIcon="wrench">
    The connector generator analyzes your API and creates AI-optimized tools:

    * **Function descriptions** optimized for LLM understanding
    * **Parameter validation** based on your schema
    * **Response formatting** for better AI consumption
    * **Error handling** built-in
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create MCP Server" titleIcon="server">
    Navigate to **MCP Servers** section in the console:

    1. Click **"New MCP Server"**
    2. Give your MCP server a descriptive name
    3. Go to the **Tools** tab, and click **+ Add tools**
    4. **Select tools** from your newly generated connector
    5. Click **Update changes**
    6. Go to the **Connect** tab to get your MCP Server URL, and one-line commands to hook up your MCP server to your favorite MCP client.

    <Success>Your MCP server is now live and ready!</Success>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect MCP Clients" titleIcon="link">
    Add your MCP server to your favorite MCP client using the connection details provided:

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/xpanderai-099931d1/n6VCWf7BN-U716ow/static/images/screenshots/mcp-server-connect.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=n6VCWf7BN-U716ow&q=85&s=886347d754bf902eca98727a8e304927" alt="MCP Server Connect" width="1572" height="998" data-path="static/images/screenshots/mcp-server-connect.png" />
    </Frame>

    **For other MCP clients**: Use the provided URL and authentication details.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What You Just Built

🎉 **A complete MCP integration** with:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="AI-Optimized Tools" icon="brain">
    Functions described in LLM-friendly language for better tool selection
  </Card>

  <Card title="Automatic Authentication" icon="shield">
    API keys and auth handled transparently in the background
  </Card>

  <Card title="Schema Validation" icon="shield-check">
    Request/response validation based your OpenAPI specification
  </Card>

  <Card title="Instant Availability" icon="bolt">
    Ready to use in Claude Desktop and other MCP clients immediately
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Example: Connecting a Weather API

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Sample OpenAPI Spec">
    Here's a simple weather API spec that would generate weather tools:

    ```yaml theme={"dark"}
    openapi: 3.0.0
    info:
      title: Weather API
      version: 1.0.0
    servers:
      - url: https://api.weather.com/v1
    paths:
      /current:
        get:
          summary: Get current weather
          parameters:
            - name: location
              in: query
              required: true
              schema:
                type: string
              description: City name or coordinates
          responses:
            '200':
              description: Current weather data
    security:
      - apiKey: []
    components:
      securitySchemes:
        apiKey:
          type: apiKey
          in: header
          name: X-API-Key
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Generated MCP Tools">
    The connector generator would create:

    * **get\_current\_weather(location)** - Gets current weather for a location
    * **Optimized description**: "Retrieves real-time weather conditions including temperature, humidity, and conditions for any city or coordinates"
    * **Auto-validation**: Ensures location parameter is provided
    * **Error handling**: Graceful handling of API errors with helpful messages
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Usage in Claude">
    Once connected, you can ask Claude:

    * "What's the weather like in San Francisco?"
    * "Compare the weather in New York vs London"
    * "Is it a good day for outdoor activities in Seattle?"

    Claude will automatically use your weather API through the MCP server!
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Step: Self-Deploy Your MCP Server

Your MCP server runs on xpander.ai's cloud, but you can also deploy it to your own infrastructure:

* **[Self-deploy to K8s Cluster](/Examples/5-minute-wins/k8s-self-deploy)** - Run your MCP servers on your own Kubernetes infrastructure
* **Full control** over data and scaling
* **Enterprise security** with your own network policies

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="OpenAPI spec not uploading">
    * Ensure your spec is valid JSON/YAML
    * Check for syntax errors with a tool like Swagger Editor
    * File size should be under 10MB
    * Make sure all required fields are present
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="MCP client can't connect">
    * Verify the MCP URL is copied correctly
    * Check your MCP client configuration syntax
    * Restart your MCP client after configuration changes
    * Ensure your API keys are properly configured
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Tools not working as expected">
    * Review the generated tool descriptions and edit if needed
    * Check API authentication is properly configured
    * Verify your API endpoints are accessible from xpander.ai
    * Test individual tools in the xpander.ai console first
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>