Observe MCP Server

Add OpenTelemetry tracing to Python AI agents. Supports LangGraph, LlamaIndex, CrewAI, OpenAI SDK.

Local serverstdioPython

What is the Observe MCP server?

Connect Observe to Claude, Cursor or any other MCP client and it stops being a tab you switch to. Add OpenTelemetry tracing to Python AI agents. Supports LangGraph, LlamaIndex, CrewAI, OpenAI SDK. The observe mcp server is what makes that connection.

What the server does

An MCP server that automatically instruments Python AI agents with the ioa-observe-sdk — adding OpenTelemetry-based tracing, metrics, and logs with zero manual effort.

Available tools

The toolset is worth reading before you wire it up, because it tells you what the integration is really for:

  • Cursor — The Cursor tool exposed by this server
  • Windsurf — The Windsurf tool exposed by this server

Installation

observe-instrument-mcp on PyPI is all you need. Most clients run it directly, so configuration is a few lines and a restart.

Credentials and setup notes

Configuration is passed through the environment: ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, OPENAI_API_KEY, GEMINI_API_KEY, GROQ_API_KEY. Treat anything key-shaped as a real credential — scope it to the minimum the server needs, and rotate it if it ever lands in a shared config.

Where it fits

Among the AI and media services options, the useful question is rarely "what can it do" but "what does it cost you to run" — permissions, credentials, and how much of your context its toolset consumes. Observe's toolset — Cursor, Windsurf — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by alanzha2; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

SyncDev reviews every entry in this directory against the project's own documentation before publishing, and revisits them as servers change.

Worth knowing first

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • Keep per-call confirmation enabled while you learn its behaviour; it is the cheapest safeguard you have.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
CursorThe Cursor tool exposed by this server.
WindsurfThe Windsurf tool exposed by this server.

How to install the Observe MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "observe-instrument": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["observe-instrument-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "OPENAI_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "GEMINI_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "GROQ_API_KEY": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
ANTHROPIC_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
OPENAI_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
GEMINI_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
GROQ_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes

Example prompts to try

  • Use Observe to Cursor.
  • Use Observe to Windsurf.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Observe to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 2 tools (Cursor, Windsurf) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Observe directly.