MCP Integration
AI Gateway Beta
MCP
Claude Code is Anthropic’s official CLI that brings Claude’s capabilities to the terminal and development workflow. With the Orq MCP integration, access all Orq.ai features directly through Claude Code’s conversational interface.Prerequisites
- Claude Code CLI installed
- Active Orq.ai account
- Orq.ai API key
Installation
Add the Orq MCP server to Claude Code with a single command:ORQ_API_KEY environment variable before running the command:Verify Installation
Check that the Orq MCP is installed:orq in the list of available MCP servers.
Available Commands
Once integrated, you can ask Claude Code to perform these operations:Agents
Agents
Create an agent with custom instructions and toolsGet agent configuration for [agent-key]Update agent [agent-key] with new instructions or modelConfigure agent with evaluators and guardrailsInvoke agent [agent-key] with input [message]Retrieve agent response [response-id]
Deployments
Deployments
Create a deployment called [deployment-key]Get deployment configuration for [deployment-key]
Skills
Skills
Create a skill called [skill-key]List all skills in my workspaceGet skill [skill-key]Update skill [skill-key]Delete skill [skill-key]
Analytics
Analytics
Get analytics overview for my workspaceShow me workspace metrics for the last 7 daysQuery analytics filtered by deployment ID
Datasets
Datasets
Create a dataset called "customer-queries"List all datapoints in dataset [dataset-key]Add datapoints to dataset [dataset-key]Update datapoint [datapoint-id]Delete specific datapoints in dataset [dataset-key]Delete dataset [dataset-key]
Experiments
Experiments
Create an experiment from dataset [dataset-key]List all experiment runsExport experiment run [run-id] as CSVRun experiment and auto-evaluate results
Evaluators
Evaluators
Get evaluator configuration for [evaluator-key]Create an LLM-as-a-Judge evaluator for toneCreate a Python evaluator to check response lengthAdd evaluator to experiment [experiment-key]Update evaluator [evaluator-key] with a new promptUpdate Python evaluator [evaluator-key] with revised code
Traces
Traces
List traces from the last 24 hoursShow me traces with errorsGet span details for trace [trace-id]Find the slowest traces from todayShow all traces for thread [thread-id]
Models
Models
List all available chat modelsList all available embedding modelsInvoke model [model-id] with prompt [message]
Search
Search
Search for datasets named "customer"Find experiments in project [project-id]List directories in project [project-id]
Documentation
Documentation
Search the Orq.ai docs for [topic]
Managing Entities
Managing Entities
Delete agent [agent-key]Delete experiment [experiment-key]Delete evaluator [evaluator-key]Delete prompt [prompt-key]Delete knowledge base [knowledge-base-key]
delete_dataset to delete a dataset along with all its datapoints.Usage Examples
Create an Experiment
- Use
search_entitiesto find the “customer-queries” dataset - Use
create_experimentwith the specified name and dataset ID - Configure task columns with GPT-5.6 Sol and Claude Sonnet 5 models
- Return the experiment ID and configuration details
Query Trace Analytics
- Calculate the time range for the last 24 hours
- Use
list_traceswith error status filter - Analyze the error data
- Provide a summary of total error count, error types and frequencies, affected traces, and time distribution
Create a Synthetic Dataset
- Generate 50 synthetic customer questions about e-commerce products
- Use
create_datasetto create a new dataset named “Product Questions” - Use
create_datapointsto add all 50 questions to the dataset - Confirm creation with the dataset ID and summary
Performance Analysis
- Use
query_analyticswith a 7-day time range - Analyze average latency trends over time
- Review token usage patterns and cost variations
- Compare error rate changes across the week
- Provide insights on model performance comparisons and trends
Complete Experiment Creation
- Read and parse the CSV file
- Use
create_datasetto create a new dataset with an auto-generated name - Use
create_datapointsto add all 100 customer queries from the CSV - Use
create_llm_evalto create an LLM-as-a-Judge evaluator for tone - Use
create_llm_evalagain to create an LLM-as-a-Judge evaluator for accuracy - Use
create_experimentwith the dataset ID and auto-run enabled - Configure two task columns (one for GPT-5.6 Sol, one for Claude Sonnet 5)
- Execute the experiment automatically via the auto-run option
- Summarize the results with evaluation scores for both models
Trace Investigation
- Calculate yesterday’s date range
- Use
list_traceswith latency sorting (descending) and limit of 10 - Use
list_spansto retrieve span information for each trace - Analyze the execution patterns and span durations
- Provide performance insights identifying bottlenecks
- Suggest optimization opportunities based on the data
Troubleshooting
Authentication Errors
Authentication Errors
- Verify the API key is valid:
echo $ORQ_API_KEY - Check the API key has the necessary permissions
- Re-add the MCP with the correct API key
Connection Issues
Connection Issues
- Verify the endpoint URL is correct
- Check internet connectivity
- Try removing and re-adding the integration
Tool Not Found
Tool Not Found
- Get MCP server details:
claude mcp get orq - Verify the MCP is properly installed:
claude mcp list
Plugins
Theorq-ai/assistant-plugins marketplace exposes three plugins for Claude Code. Add the marketplace once, then install whichever plugins you need:
orq-skills already bundles the MCP server. Don’t install orq-mcp alongside it or the MCP will be registered twice.Skills
Skills extend Claude Code with pre-built agentic workflows for the full Build, Evaluate, Optimize lifecycle. See the Skills page for the full reference.Installation
MCP server only
If you only want the Orq MCP server without the skills bundle, installorq-mcp instead:
Session tracing
Theorq-trace plugin captures every Claude Code session as a hierarchical trace in Orq.ai: useful for reviewing past coding sessions, sharing context with teammates, or analyzing tool-call patterns across runs.
ORQ_API_KEY in the environment so the plugin can ship spans to the workspace. Sessions appear under Traces once the next session starts.
Commands
Quick slash-command actions available in Claude Code:Available Skills
Triggered by describing what you need. Claude Code picks the right skill automatically.Telemetry only
Keep Claude Code on the Anthropic login and still send traces to Orq.ai. Three setups do this; they differ in scope and in what they capture.orq connect and orq launch are documented in the Orq CLI reference, including the credential each resolves and how orq disconnect undoes a connect. Pass --no-otel to orq launch claude when the session should stay uncaptured.
Whatever the route, the stored copy is governed by the trace settings rather than the setup: Trace scrubbing selects which fields a stored trace keeps, and Trace data masking masks content through the security parameter.
AI Gateway
Beta Route Claude Code model requests through the Orq.ai AI Gateway. Set an Orq.ai API key asORQ_API_KEY, then choose the credential to use for model requests.
Use the workspace’s provider configuration
Use the Orq.ai API key as the model client’s credential:x-orq-integration-anthropic with the integration id or its exact display name. See Provider integrations.
Use a Claude subscription
Sign in to Claude Code with a Claude subscription. Keep that login for Anthropic and send the Orq.ai key separately:claude setup-token and set the resulting token as CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN before launching Claude Code. Keep ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN and ANTHROPIC_API_KEY unset so they do not replace the subscription credential.
Use an Anthropic API key
Set an Anthropic API key asANTHROPIC_API_KEY and keep the Orq.ai key in the custom header:
Route to AWS Bedrock or Vertex AI
Claude Code sends bare model names, such asclaude-haiku-5-5, for background tasks and for model aliases without an override. The AI Gateway resolves a bare name to anthropic/… whenever Anthropic serves that model, never to its AWS Bedrock or Vertex AI offering. On a workspace that serves Claude through AWS Bedrock or Vertex AI, pin the main model and every alias to the workspace’s model ids. Otherwise helper requests go to Anthropic, or are rejected when the workspace or API key does not allow Anthropic models.
Deploy the configuration as managed settings so it applies to every session and overrides user and project settings. Save it as managed-settings.json in /Library/Application Support/ClaudeCode/ on macOS, /etc/claude-code/ on Linux and WSL, or C:\Program Files\ClaudeCode\ on Windows, or deliver it through an MDM policy. Server-managed settings from the claude.ai console do not apply: Claude Code skips them when ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL points to a gateway. See Anthropic’s managed settings guide.
- AWS Bedrock
- Vertex AI
- Model ids: replace the examples with models the workspace enables. For a private model, such as an AWS Bedrock application inference profile, use its
<workspace>@aws/<model>id; see Referencing private models.ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODELalso sets the model for background tasks. SetANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_FABLE_MODELthe same way when the workspace enables a Fable model. - Provider variables: never combine
CLAUDE_CODE_USE_BEDROCKorCLAUDE_CODE_USE_VERTEXwith the AI Gateway. They make Claude Code call AWS Bedrock or Vertex AI in that provider’s own request format, and/v3/anthropicaccepts only Anthropic Messages requests. The empty values clear a stale shell export. - Tool search:
ENABLE_TOOL_SEARCHloads MCP tool definitions on demand; see Enable MCP tool search. - Experimental betas: keep
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_EXPERIMENTAL_BETASout of every settings file and shell profile. It disables tool search and server-side auto mode checks, so Claude Code sends separate, billable classifier requests and shows the classifier billing notice; see Use server-side auto mode checks. - Credentials: keep Orq.ai API keys out of the shared file. Each developer sets
ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKENand an emptyANTHROPIC_API_KEYas in Use the workspace’s provider configuration.
/status in a new session and check that Setting sources lists the managed settings.
Enable MCP tool search
Claude Code disables MCP tool search by default whenANTHROPIC_BASE_URL points to a custom host. After configuring the AI Gateway, enable tool search to load MCP tool definitions on demand:
ENABLE_TOOL_SEARCH=true. Use a compatible Claude model and check the Anthropic tool search configuration for model requirements.
To persist the setting, merge this env setting into ~/.claude/settings.json, preserving existing entries, then start a new session:
true for on-demand loading. The auto setting loads tool definitions upfront until they reach 10% of the model’s context window, which is 100,000 tokens for a 1M-token model. Remove CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_EXPERIMENTAL_BETAS from shell and settings configuration; contact the administrator if a managed policy sets it.
In the new session, run /mcp to confirm the server is connected and /context to inspect MCP tool loading. Ask Claude Code to list the available Orq.ai models, then ask a follow-up that uses the result. Verify the tool search, actual MCP call, and follow-up all succeed; the context display alone does not verify tool execution.
Deferred MCP tool loading and execution were validated with Claude Code 2.1.301, using Claude Opus 5.5 through Anthropic and AWS Bedrock. Context savings depend on the configured tools. For Claude Desktop, use the separate Desktop tool-search setting.
Use server-side auto mode checks
In auto mode, Claude Code can request safety checks as part of model responses, avoiding separate, billable classifier requests. Orq.ai forwards these requests and results, including streaming results, through the AI Gateway. Availability of this compatibility depends on the upstream provider, model, region, and credentials. After configuring the gateway connection, remove overrides that disable server-side checks and start a fresh session:env settings in ~/.claude/settings.json and project settings too. Contact the administrator if a managed policy sets them. ENABLE_TOOL_SEARCH controls MCP tool loading separately; it does not enable classifier checks.
Run /status in the new session and inspect Auto mode server. Enabled means server-side checks are deciding actions; Disabled means the session uses client-side classification. Server-side checks do not change billing for regular model usage.
Setting CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_MODE_SERVER=0 suppresses the eligibility notice by always using client-side classifier requests. This does not remove charges for those requests. See Anthropic’s classifier billing guide.
Choose the prompt cache TTL
Claude Code sets the TTL of the cache breakpoints it sends. Control it in the sameenv block:
Add request metadata
Tag requests withANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_HEADERS. Separate headers with newlines and keep x-orq-api-key when using an Anthropic credential:
Troubleshooting
High context usage before the first prompt
High context usage before the first prompt
ENABLE_TOOL_SEARCH=true, keep experimental betas enabled, and check that permissions do not deny ToolSearch. Inspect /context with the same model, MCP servers, Skills, and conversation when comparing usage. Tool search reduces MCP schema loading; system prompts, built-in tools, and conversation history also consume context.Auto mode still shows the classifier billing notice
Auto mode still shows the classifier billing notice
/status, the Claude Code version, the exact model ID, the provider region, and the values of CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_MODE_SERVER and CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_EXPERIMENTAL_BETAS with support, including whether each is unset. Do not include API keys. The notice can indicate either missing gateway pass-through or unavailable upstream checks; a gateway upgrade alone does not establish session eligibility.Background requests reach Anthropic on an AWS Bedrock or Vertex AI workspace
Background requests reach Anthropic on an AWS Bedrock or Vertex AI workspace
claude-haiku-5-5 resolves to anthropic/…. Pin ANTHROPIC_MODEL, ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL, ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL, and ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL to the workspace’s model ids, as in Route to AWS Bedrock or Vertex AI.Claude Code calls Anthropic directly instead of Orq.ai
Claude Code calls Anthropic directly instead of Orq.ai
ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL to https://my.orq.ai/v3/anthropic in the terminal that launches Claude Code, then start a new session.Authentication fails with an Anthropic credential
Authentication fails with an Anthropic credential
x-orq-api-key. Send the Anthropic credential through the selected setup above. When using a subscription, unset ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN and ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, then run /status to check the active Claude login.Requests not appearing in Orq.ai Traces
Requests not appearing in Orq.ai Traces
ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL is set to https://my.orq.ai/v3/anthropic. Requests sent to Anthropic’s own endpoint bypass the AI Gateway and produce no Traces.Verification
Check a multi-turn session: a single response does not exercise tool search or prompt caching. Start a new Claude Code session with an MCP server connected, such as the Orq MCP:- Send a prompt that needs an MCP tool, such as
List the available Orq.ai models. Confirm the transcript shows a tool search followed by the MCP tool call. - Send a follow-up that uses the result, such as
Which of those models support tool calling?. - In Traces, check that every request uses a model id set in
ANTHROPIC_MODELor anANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_*_MODELvariable. On an AWS Bedrock or Vertex AI workspace, ananthropic/…id means a model is not pinned. - Open the follow-up’s trace. A
gen_ai.usage.prompt_tokens_details.cached_tokensvalue greater than zero shows that the follow-up read the prefix cached by the first turn. See Cache usage in Traces.