{

"group": "MCP Server",

"pages": ["mcp-introduction", "mcp-tools", "mcp-agent-rules"]

},

{

"source": "/guides/cursor-rules",

"destination": "/mcp-agent-rules"

},

{

"source": "/agents/rules/overview",

"destination": "/mcp-agent-rules"

},

title: "Agent rules"

sidebarTitle: "Agent rules"

description: "Learn how to use the Trigger.dev agent rules with the MCP server"

tag: "new"

Trigger.dev agent rules are comprehensive instruction sets that guide AI assistants to write optimal Trigger.dev code. These rules ensure your AI assistant understands best practices, current APIs, and recommended patterns when working with Trigger.dev projects.

Install the agent rules with the following command:

npx trigger.dev@latest install-rules

We provide five specialized rule sets, each optimized for different aspects of Trigger.dev development:

| Rule set | Tokens | Description | GitHub |

|:---------|:-------|:------------|:------------|

| **Basic tasks** | 1,200 | Essential rules for writing basic Trigger.dev tasks and fundamental patterns | [View](https://github.com/triggerdotdev/trigger.dev/blob/main/rules/4.0.0/basic-tasks.md) |

| **Advanced tasks** | 3,000 | Comprehensive rules for complex workflows, error handling, and advanced task patterns | [View](https://github.com/triggerdotdev/trigger.dev/blob/main/rules/4.0.0/advanced-tasks.md) |

| **Scheduled tasks** | 780 | Specialized guidance for cron jobs, scheduled workflows, and time-based triggers | [View](https://github.com/triggerdotdev/trigger.dev/blob/main/rules/4.0.0/scheduled-tasks.md) |

| **Configuration** | 1,900 | Complete guide for trigger.config.ts setup, environment configuration, and project structure | [View](https://github.com/triggerdotdev/trigger.dev/blob/main/rules/4.0.0/config.md) |

| **Realtime** | 1,700 | Using Trigger.dev Realtime features and frontend integration patterns | [View](https://github.com/triggerdotdev/trigger.dev/blob/main/rules/4.0.0/realtime.md) |

For Claude Code users, we provide a subagent called `trigger-dev-expert` that's an expert at writing well-structured Trigger.dev code.

The subagent is available as an option when running the rules installation command. Select "Claude Code" as your client and choose to include the subagent when prompted.


Activate the subagent in your prompts by requesting it explicitly:

use the trigger-dev-expert subagent to create a trigger.dev job that accepts a video url, processes it with ffmpeg to extract the audio, runs the audio through a text-to-speech API like openai, and then uploads both the transcription and the audio to s3

The subagent works best when combined with the appropriate rule sets installed alongside it, providing both high-level architectural guidance and detailed implementation knowledge.

The Trigger.dev rules work across a wide range of AI coding assistants and editors:

| Client | Rule activation | Docs |

|:--------|:----------------|:--------------|

| **Cursor** | Automatic when working in trigger directories | [Link](https://docs.cursor.com/en/context/rules#rules/) |

| **Claude Code** | Context-aware activation + custom subagent | [Link](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code) |

| **VSCode Copilot** | Integration with GitHub Copilot chat | [Link](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/overview) |

| **Windsurf** | Automatic activation in Trigger.dev projects | [Link](https://docs.windsurf.com/windsurf/cascade/memories#rules) |

| **Gemini CLI** | Command-line integration | [Link](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs) |

| **Cline** | Automatic context detection | [Link](https://github.com/cline/cline) |

| **Sourcegraph AMP** | Code intelligence integration | [Link](https://sourcegraph.com/docs) |

| **Kilo** | Custom rule integration | [Link](https://kilocode.ai/docs/advanced-usage/custom-rules) |

| **Ruler** | Rule management | [Link](https://github.com/intellectronica/ruler) |

| **AGENTS.md** | Universal format for OpenAI Codex, Jules, OpenCode, etc. | |

Different AI tools handle rules differently:

- **Automatic Activation**: Cursor, Windsurf, VSCode Copilot, and Cline automatically apply relevant rules when working in Trigger.dev projects or when `trigger.config.ts` is detected

- **Context-Aware**: Claude Code intelligently applies rules based on the current context and file types

- **Manual Integration**: AGENTS.md clients and others append rules to configuration files for manual activation

Trigger.dev rules are regularly updated to reflect new features, API changes, and best practices. The CLI includes automatic update detection.

When running `npx trigger.dev@latest dev`, you'll receive notifications when newer rule versions are available with a simple update command.

Update rules anytime with:

npx trigger.dev@latest install-rules

The update process replaces existing rules without creating duplicates, keeping your configuration files clean and organized.

- **Current API patterns**: Access the latest Trigger.dev APIs and features

- **Performance optimizations**: Benefit from improved patterns and practices

- **Deprecated pattern avoidance**: Prevent AI assistants from generating outdated code

- **New feature support**: Immediate access to newly released capabilities

1. Install the rules:

npx trigger.dev@latest install-rules

2. Follow the prompts to install the rules for your AI client.

3. Consider installing the `trigger-dev-expert` subagent if using Claude Code.

- [Install the MCP server](/mcp-introduction) for complete Trigger.dev integration

- [Explore MCP tools](/mcp-tools) for project management and task execution

title: "MCP Introduction"

sidebarTitle: "Introduction"

description: "Learn how to install and configure the Trigger.dev MCP Server"

tag: "new"

The Trigger.dev MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server enables AI assistants to interact directly with your Trigger.dev projects. It provides a comprehensive set of tools to:

- Search Trigger.dev documentation

- Initialize new Trigger.dev projects

- List and manage your projects and organizations

- Get task information and trigger task runs

- Deploy projects to different environments

- Monitor run details and list runs with filtering options

The easiest way to install the Trigger.dev MCP Server is using the interactive installation wizard:

npx trigger.dev@latest install-mcp

This command will guide you through:

1. Selecting which MCP clients to configure

2. Choosing installation scope (user, project, or local)

3. Automatically configuring the selected clients

The `install-mcp` command supports the following options:

- `-p, --project-ref <project ref>` - Scope the MCP server to a specific Trigger.dev project by providing its project ref

- `-t, --tag <package tag>` - The version of the trigger.dev CLI package to use for the MCP server (default: latest or v4-beta)

- `--dev-only` - Restrict the MCP server to the dev environment only

- `--yolo` - Install the MCP server into all supported clients automatically

- `--scope <scope>` - Choose the scope of the MCP server: `user`, `project`, or `local`

- `--client <clients...>` - Choose specific client(s) to install into

- `--log-file <log file>` - Configure the MCP server to write logs to a file

- `-a, --api-url <value>` - Configure a custom Trigger.dev API URL

- `-l, --log-level <level>` - Set CLI log level (debug, info, log, warn, error, none)

You can use the MCP server without authentication with the `search_docs` tool, but for any other tool call you will need to authenticate the MCP server via the same method as the [Trigger.dev CLI](/cli-login-commands).The first time you attempt to use a tool that requires authentication, you will be prompted to authenticate the MCP server via the MCP client.

Install for all supported clients:

npx trigger.dev@latest install-mcp --yolo

Install for specific clients:

npx trigger.dev@latest install-mcp --client claude-code cursor --scope user

Install with development environment restriction:

npx trigger.dev@latest install-mcp --dev-only --project-ref proj_abc123

The Trigger.dev MCP Server supports the following clients:

| Client | Scope Options | Configuration File | Documentation |

| -------------------- | -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |

| **Claude Code** | user, project, local | `~/.claude.json` or `./.mcp.json` (project/local scope) | [Claude Code MCP Docs](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/mcp) |

| **Cursor** | user, project | `~/.cursor/mcp.json` (user) or `./.cursor/mcp.json` (project) | [Cursor MCP Docs](https://docs.cursor.com/features/mcp) |

| **VSCode** | user, project | `~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/mcp.json` (user) or `./.vscode/mcp.json` (project) | [VSCode MCP Docs](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/chat/mcp-servers) |

| **Zed** | user | `~/.config/zed/settings.json` | [Zed Context Servers Docs](https://zed.dev/docs/context-servers) |

| **Windsurf** | user | `~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json` | [Windsurf MCP Docs](https://docs.codeium.com/windsurf/mcp) |

| **Gemini CLI** | user, project | `~/.gemini/settings.json` (user) or `./.gemini/settings.json` (project) | [Gemini CLI MCP Tutorial](https://medium.com/@joe.njenga/gemini-cli-mcp-tutorial-setup-commands-practical-use-step-by-step-example-b57f55db5f4a) |

| **Charm Crush** | user, project, local | `~/.config/crush/crush.json` (user), `./crush.json` (project), or `./.crush.json` (local) | [Charm MCP Docs](https://github.com/charmbracelet/mcp) |

| **Cline** | user | `~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/saoudrizwan.claude-dev/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json` | [Cline MCP Docs](https://github.com/saoudrizwan/claude-dev#mcp) |

| **OpenAI Codex CLI** | user | `~/.codex/config.toml` | See OpenAI Codex CLI documentation for MCP configuration |

| **Sourcegraph AMP** | user | `~/.config/amp/settings.json` | [Sourcegraph AMP MCP Docs](https://docs.sourcegraph.com/amp/mcp) |

| **opencode** | user, project | `~/.config/opencode/opencode.json` (user) or `./opencode.json` (project) | [opencode MCP Docs](https://opencode.ai/docs/mcp-servers/) |

If your client isn't directly supported by the installer, you can configure it manually. The MCP server uses the following configuration:

**Server Name:** `trigger`

**Command:** `npx`

**Arguments:** `["trigger.dev@latest", "mcp"]`

{

"mcpServers": {

"trigger": {

"command": "npx",

"args": ["trigger.dev@latest", "mcp"]

}

}

}

[mcp_servers.trigger]

command = "npx"

args = ["trigger.dev@latest", "mcp"]

You can add these optional arguments to customize the server behavior:

- `--log-file <path>` - Log to a specific file

- `--api-url <url>` - Use a custom Trigger.dev API URL

- `--dev-only` - Restrict to dev environment only

- `--project-ref <ref>` - Scope to a specific project

To restrict the MCP server to only work with the development environment:

{

"mcpServers": {

"trigger": {

"command": "npx",

"args": ["trigger.dev@latest", "mcp", "--dev-only"]

}

}

}

To scope the server to a specific project:

{

"mcpServers": {

"trigger": {

"command": "npx",

"args": ["trigger.dev@latest", "mcp", "--project-ref", "proj_your_project_ref"]

}

}

}

After installation, restart your MCP client and look for a server named "trigger". The server should connect automatically and provide access to all Trigger.dev tools.

Once installed, you can start using the MCP server by asking your AI assistant questions like:

- `"Search the trigger docs for a ffmpeg example"`

- `"Initialize trigger.dev in my project"`

- `"Get all tasks in my project"`

- `"Trigger my foobar task with a sample payload"`

- `"Get the details of the latest run for my foobar task"`

- `"List all runs for my foobar task"`

- `"Deploy my project to staging"`

- `"Deploy my project to production"`

- [Explore available MCP tools](/mcp-tools)