What is the key difference between Magic Insights and Codesurface?

Magic Insights belongs to the Developer Tools category with cloud HTTP/SSE execution, while Codesurface belongs to the Developer Tools category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Magic Insights or Codesurface in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Magic Insights and Codesurface free or paid?

Magic Insights operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Codesurface operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Magic Insights lists 13 tools with 0 views and 2 GitHub stars. Codesurface lists 5 tools with 0 views and 21 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Magic Insights and Codesurface together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

How do I install Magic Insights or Codesurface in Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf?

Both servers follow the standard Model Context Protocol configuration format. Simply copy the JSON block from the configuration section above and paste it into your AI client's mcpServers configuration object (for instance in claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json ), then completely restart or refresh the application.

Are Magic Insights and Codesurface free to use, or do they require API keys?

Magic Insights is listed under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . Codesurface operates under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . If environment variables are required (such as API keys), be sure to define them under the env key in your MCP client's configuration file.

Can I run both Magic Insights and Codesurface at the same time in my AI client?

Yes! MCP clients support multi-server orchestration. You can include both magic-insights and codesurface as distinct keys inside the single mcpServers object in your configuration file. Your AI assistant will automatically select and call the appropriate tool from either server during chat sessions.

Which MCP server has higher directory engagement and quality ratings?

On AllMCPs, Magic Insights has a Quality Score of 51 /100 ( Good ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 2 GitHub stars. Codesurface holds a Quality Score of 53 /100 ( Good ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 21 GitHub stars.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Magic Insights vs Codesurface

In-depth architectural comparison of the Magic Insights and Codesurface MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Magic Insights

Developer Tools · Remote HTTP/SSE

Quality: 51/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Codesurface

Developer Tools · Local stdio

Quality: 53/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Magic Insights if you need specialized Developer Tools tools running via a hosted cloud SSE transport. Choose Codesurface if your workspace requires Developer Tools integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Magic Insights when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
You prefer remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: get_workspace, list_studies, get_study.

Explore Magic Insights Details

Choose Codesurface when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: search, get_signature, get_class.

Explore Codesurface Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	M Magic Insights Developer Tools	C Codesurface Developer Tools
Summary	Query your customer feedback: studies, themes, suggestions, tags, and sentiment trends.	Indexes your codebase's public API and serves it via compact MCP tool responses.
Category & Scope	Developer Tools	Developer Tools
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Magic Insights Tools (13)

get_workspace

One-call overview: plan, study count, connected platforms, tags, total feedback, date range, overall sentiment.

list_studies

List all studies with description and date range.

get_study

A study's summary, generated report, and top themes (with sentiment, ids, and example feedback).

list_topics

A study's topics and the themes grouped under each.

get_theme_feedback

All feedback under one theme, most relevant first.

list_suggestions

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Magic Insights Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "magic-insights": {
      "url": "https://modelcontextprotocol.io"
    }
  }
}

Codesurface Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "codesurface": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "codesurface",
        "--project",
        "/path/to/your/src"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Magic Insights is categorized under Developer Tools and uses a remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport. In contrast, Codesurface belongs to Developer Tools using local stdio subprocess. Select Magic Insights when you need capabilities focused on developer tools and Codesurface when you require tools for developer tools.

More alternatives to Magic Insights More alternatives to Codesurface Developer Tools category hub Canonical compare URL