Zendesk Developer MCP server

Zendesk Developer APIs enable building custom applications, extensions, and integrations on the Zendesk platform. An MCP server for Zendesk Developer lets AI agents create and manage Zendesk apps, deploy to the marketplace, configure app installations, and extend Zendesk functionality.

Setting up an MCP server

This article covers the standard steps for creating an MCP server in AI Gateway and connecting it to an AI client. The steps are the same for every integration — application-specific details (API credentials, OAuth endpoints, and scopes) are covered in the individual application pages.

Before you begin

You'll need:

• Access to AI Gateway with permission to create MCP servers
• API credentials for the application you're connecting (see the relevant application page for what to collect)

Create an MCP server

Find the API in the catalog

1. Sign in to AI Gateway and select MCP Servers from the left navigation.
2. Select New MCP Server.
3. Search for the application you want to connect, then select it from the catalog.

Configure the server

1. Enter a Name for your server — something descriptive that identifies both the application and its purpose (for example, "Zendesk Support — Prod").
2. Enter a Description so your team knows what the server is for.
3. Set the Timeout value. 30 seconds works for most APIs; increase to 60 seconds for APIs that return large payloads.
4. Toggle Production mode on if this server will be used in a live workflow.
5. Select Next.

Configure authentication

Enter the authentication details for the application. This varies by service — see the Authentication section of the relevant application page for the specific credentials, OAuth URLs, and scopes to use.

Configure security

1. Set any Rate limits appropriate for your use case and the API's own limits.
2. Enable Logging if you want AI Gateway to record requests and responses for auditing.
3. Select Next.

Deploy

Review the summary, then select Deploy. AI Gateway provisions the server and provides a server URL you'll use when configuring your AI client.

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Connect to an AI client

Once your server is deployed, you'll need to add it to the AI client your team uses. Select your client for setup instructions:

• Claude Desktop
• Claude Code
• Cursor
• VS Code
• Windsurf

Tips

• You can create multiple MCP servers for the same application — for example, a read-only server for reporting agents and a read-write server for automation workflows.
• If you're unsure which OAuth scopes to request, start with the minimum read-only set and add write scopes only when needed. Most application pages include scope recommendations.
• You can edit a server's name, description, timeout, and security settings after deployment without redeploying.

Authentication

Zendesk Developer uses OAuth 2.0 authentication. Create an OAuth application in the Zendesk Developer Portal (under My Apps) and obtain a Client ID and Client Secret. The OAuth endpoints are subdomain-specific: https://{subdomain}.zendesk.com/oauth/authorizations/new for authorization and https://{subdomain}.zendesk.com/oauth/tokens for token exchange. Key scopes are apps:read (read app data), apps:write (manage apps), installations:read (view installations), and installations:write (manage installations). The Apps API base URL is https://{subdomain}.zendesk.com/api/apps.

Available tools

The Zendesk Developer MCP server provides tools for managing apps, app installations, configurations, and app marketplace operations.

App Management

Tool	Description
create_app	Create a new Zendesk app
get_app	Retrieve app details by ID
update_app	Update app metadata and configuration
delete_app	Delete an app
list_apps	List all apps with filtering

App Installations

Tool	Description
create_installation	Install an app on a Zendesk instance
get_installation	Retrieve installation details
update_installation	Update installation configuration
delete_installation	Uninstall an app
list_installations	List installed apps

App Configuration

Tool	Description
get_app_manifest	Retrieve app manifest configuration
update_app_settings	Update app-specific settings
get_app_settings	Retrieve current settings
list_secure_settings	List configured secure settings

App Marketplace

Tool	Description
publish_app	Submit app to Zendesk marketplace
get_app_status	Check marketplace approval status
list_app_versions	List published versions
create_app_version	Release a new version

Webhook & Integration

Tool	Description
create_webhook	Create app-related webhooks
list_webhooks	List webhook configurations
get_webhook	Retrieve webhook details
update_webhook	Modify webhook settings

Tips

Thoroughly test the app in a development Zendesk instance before publishing to the marketplace to identify compatibility issues.

Use get_app_status to monitor marketplace review progress — approval typically takes several days.

Communicate changes before deployment, as apps installed via create_installation take effect immediately for all users and may impact support operations.

Store sensitive data like API keys in secure settings rather than in manifest or public configuration.

Never include secrets in manifest or public configuration even if they're base64 encoded — use secure settings instead.

Increment the version number when releasing app updates to track which version is deployed.

Test backward compatibility with existing installations before releasing updates to ensure existing users don't experience breaking changes.