MCP 101

What Supernova MCP is, why to use it, and how to connect.

What is Supernova MCP?

Supernova MCP is a hosted server that gives AI tools secure access to your design system. You add one URL, sign in with your Supernova account, and the AI works with your documentation, tokens, components, skills, and files.

There are two connections:

  • Editor MCP — read and write a design system. For Contributors and above.
  • Consumer MCP — read a context, and send feedback. The only option for Viewers.

Why use it?

  • Edit from Cursor, Claude, or ChatGPT — Editor MCP writes documentation, tokens, skills, and contexts from the AI tool you already use
  • Live source of truth — assistants look up tokens and docs as they are now, not as they were in training data
  • Scoped knowledge — Consumer MCP connects to a context, so each team only sees the docs, tokens, and skills you packaged for them
  • One setup — add the server once, then pick a design system or a context when you sign in

What can you do with it?

  • Draft and update documentation, tokens, components, and contexts (Only on Editor MCP)
  • Write and update skills (Only on Editor MCP)
  • Search and read design system documentation
  • Look up tokens, components, and assets while implementing UI
  • Follow skills and files you maintain in Supernova
  • Send feedback when a context is missing or outdated

Editor vs Consumer

Compare

Editor MCP

Consumer MCP

Who it’s for

Contributors, editors, and admins who maintain and grow the design system.

All end users of your design system.

What they can do

Read and write in the design system — docs, tokens, components, contexts, skills, and more.

Read and search published data in context and submit feedback.

How to connect

You need a Supernova account and an MCP-capable AI tool such as Cursor, Claude, ChatGPT, VS Code, or Codex.

Add this URL as a custom MCP connector, then sign in in the browser:


                                                        
                                                        
                                                            https://mcp.supernova.io/mcp
                                                        
                                                            

When you sign in, you will be prompted to pick:

  • design system (Editor MCP) - available for Contributor and above
  • or a context (Consumer MCP) - read-only access, available to all workspace members

If your team uses SSO, connecting through MCP adds you to the workspace if you weren’t there already.

Next steps to explore