--- title: "Connect an AI assistant" description: "Connect ChatGPT, Claude, Grok or a coding assistant to the Tarkle MCP server with browser sign-in or an API key from Settings, API." --- > Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://tarkle.com/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Connect an AI assistant The Tarkle MCP server lets an AI assistant upload files to your Tarkle workspace and create public share links, acting as you. This page explains the two ways to connect, what to prepare, how to make an API key and how to test the connection. ## What you need You need a Tarkle account. The assistant acts as you, limited to what your role in each workspace allows. A tool that uploads or shares files is refused in a workspace where your role cannot upload or share files. The `tarkle_list_workspaces` tool shows your role in each workspace and whether you can upload and share there. To make an API key you must be an owner or an admin of your organization, because Settings, API is shown only to them. ## Choose how to connect There are two ways in. - **Browser sign-in, no key.** ChatGPT, Claude and Grok add Tarkle as a custom connector with the server address. You then sign in to Tarkle in the browser and approve access. Steps are in [ChatGPT, Claude and Grok](/docs/mcp/connect/chat-assistants). - **API key.** Coding assistants such as Claude Code and Codex send an API key in an `Authorization` header. Steps are in [Coding assistants](/docs/mcp/connect/coding-assistants). Use browser sign-in for a hosted chat app. Use an API key for a coding assistant or any other client that can send a custom header. ## Server address The server address is `https://mcp.tarkle.com/mcp`. It uses streamable HTTP. An agent can read the setup steps as a plain file at `https://tarkle.com/install.md`. ## Create an API key 1. Open **Settings, API** at `https://tarkle.com/dashboard/settings/api`. The **API keys** tab is open. 2. Click **Create**. 3. Enter a **Name** for the key. 4. Under **Access**, choose **All workspaces** or **Only selected workspaces**. If you choose the second, pick the workspaces the key may reach. 5. Click **Create** again to make the key. The key is shown once. Click it to copy. An owner or admin can copy it again later from the key's menu with **Copy token**. The same menu has **Rename** and **Delete**. A key has no expiry date and no list of permissions to pick. It can read and change everything in Tarkle for the workspaces it may reach, and it acts as the person who made it. Purchases are the one thing a key cannot do. A key works until it is deleted, and **Delete** stops it at once. A key limited to selected workspaces reaches only those workspaces. Through the MCP server, the other workspaces do not appear in its list, and a call that names one of them returns `Workspace not found.` Such a key also cannot create a workspace. A key with the **Legacy** badge was made before API keys had full access. It keeps its old, limited permissions and cannot be copied. It cannot connect to the MCP server either. Create a new key for full access. ## Add the key to your assistant For a coding assistant, send the key in the `Authorization` header in this form: ``` Authorization: Bearer ``` Replace `` with the key you copied. Each assistant has its own setup command or file, and they are listed on [Coding assistants](/docs/mcp/connect/coding-assistants). A key can use every tool in the server, subject to your role in each workspace. ## Test the connection Once the assistant is connected, ask it: **List my Tarkle workspaces.** The assistant calls `tarkle_list_workspaces` and answers with each workspace's name, your role there, whether you can upload and share, and its workspace id. If the list does not come back, see [Troubleshooting](/docs/mcp/troubleshooting). ## What the assistant can do The server offers tools for files and folders, uploads, public share links, file requests, brand pages, contacts, team folders and workspace members. The full list is in [Tools](/docs/mcp/tools). Tools that publish something, invite a person or change someone's access ask for confirmation first. The first call changes nothing and describes the action. The assistant then asks you, and only a second call with the confirmation code does it. For example, the invite tool is described as "Invite a person to the workspace by email (asks for confirmation first)." How access and confirmations work is explained in [Authorization](/docs/mcp/authorization). For file sizes and how large uploads work, see [Uploads](/docs/mcp/uploads). The key itself is described in [API keys](/docs/get-started/api-keys). Source: https://tarkle.com/docs/mcp/connect/index.mdx