Strapi
Connect Strapi to read, write and publish your content, upload media, manage locales and end users, and work with any content type on your site.
You paste two values into PopMCP: your Strapi site address and an API token created under Settings, Global settings, API Tokens in your Strapi admin panel. An admin token is optional and adds unpublishing, folders and bulk actions.
- Setup time
- 2 min
- Auth
- API credentials
- API base URL
- https://YOUR-SITE/api/
- Rate limits
- Strapi sets no request limit on the Content API by default, though your own server or Strapi Cloud plan may. List pages hold 25 entries by default and at most 100, unless your project changed that. PopMCP sends at most 25 MB of uploads per call.
Before you begin
- A Strapi site on Strapi Cloud, or self-hosted on a public https address. A Strapi running only on your own computer cannot be reached
- An admin panel account that can open the API Tokens settings page. Super Admins can by default
- Optional: a recent Strapi 5, if you also want an admin token
Get your credentials
Open API Tokens in your Strapi admin panel
Sign in to your admin panel, usually your site address followed by /admin, for example https://your-project.strapiapp.com/admin. Click Settings in the left menu, then API Tokens under Global settings.
Open https://YOUR-SITE/admin/settings/api-tokens (replace YOUR-SITE with your Strapi site).
Create a Full access token
Click Create new API Token. Name it PopMCP, set Token duration to Unlimited so it does not stop working later, and set Token type to Full access. Click Save. Choose Read-only only if the AI should never change anything: a read-only token also cannot read your field lists or locales.
Open https://YOUR-SITE/admin/settings/api-tokens/create (replace YOUR-SITE with your Strapi site).
Create new API Token
Tokens let other tools reach your content.
A token with a 7, 30 or 90 day duration stops working on that date, and the connection then needs a new one.
Copy the token
Strapi shows the new token at the top of the page with a copy button. Copy it now. Unless your project has set up token encryption, Strapi will not show it again.
Open https://YOUR-SITE/admin/settings/api-tokens (replace YOUR-SITE with your Strapi site).
PopMCP
Full access
Optional: create an admin token
API tokens cannot unpublish, discard drafts, run bulk actions or manage folders, releases and webhooks, because Strapi's Content API has no routes for them. To add those, open Settings, then Admin Tokens under Administration Panel, and click Create new Admin Token. Tick what it may do and click Save. The token is shown only once, and it stops working if its owner is removed or blocked. This page exists only on recent Strapi 5 versions. Skip this step if you do not need it.
Open https://YOUR-SITE/admin/settings/admin-tokens (replace YOUR-SITE with your Strapi site).
Create new Admin Token
Optional. Scoped to what you yourself may do.
Paste the values into PopMCP and connect
In PopMCP open Strapi, enter your site address and paste the API token. Add the admin token under More options if you made one. Click Connect Strapi. PopMCP checks that the address is a Strapi site and that the token works, then names the connection after your site.
Connect in PopMCP
Open your workspace, choose Strapi in the marketplace, and fill in the connect dialog:
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Site addresstext | The address your Strapi admin panel opens on. Strapi Cloud projects look like https://your-project.strapiapp.com. |
| API tokensecret | From Settings, Global settings, API Tokens. Choose Full access, and Unlimited if you do not want to renew it. Stored encrypted.Encrypted with AES-256-GCM on save and never shown again. |
| Admin tokensecret | Optional. Adds unpublishing, folders, bulk actions, releases and webhooks. From Settings, Administration Panel, Admin Tokens, on recent Strapi 5 versions.Encrypted with AES-256-GCM on save and never shown again. |
PopMCP verifies the credential against Strapi immediately. On success the connection flips to Verified and its MCP tools are provisioned.
Verify it worked
PopMCP checks that your address answers as Strapi, then that it accepts the token, and marks the connection Verified under your site's address, noting whether the token can read your field lists. Asking the AI for a site overview returns your content types with how many entries each has.
Troubleshooting
"... does not answer like a Strapi site ..." or "... answered, but not like Strapi ..."
Why: The address is not your Strapi site, or the site is offline, private to your network, or behind a firewall.
Fix: Enter the address your admin panel opens on, without `/admin`. It must be reachable from the internet over https, and a firewall in front of it has to let PopMCP through.
"... is not a public internet address ..."
Why: The address points at `localhost` or a private network, which PopMCP cannot reach.
Fix: Deploy Strapi somewhere public, such as Strapi Cloud, and connect that address.
"... runs Strapi, but its Content API is not at /api ..."
Why: Your project changed the REST prefix in `config/api`.
Fix: Add the prefix to the address, for example `https://cms.example.com/v1`.
"Strapi ... did not accept this API token ..." or "This API token has expired ..."
Why: The token was cut off when copied, was deleted or regenerated, or its duration ran out.
Fix: Create a new token under Settings, Global settings, API Tokens, with Unlimited duration if you do not want to renew it, and paste the whole value.
"That is an admin token ..."
Why: An admin token went into the API token field. Strapi refuses each kind on the other's routes.
Fix: Paste an API token in that field. The admin token goes under **More options**.
A tool answers that it "needs an admin token"
Why: That action exists only on Strapi's Admin API, such as unpublishing or managing folders.
Fix: Create an admin token, then reconnect Strapi in PopMCP and paste it under **More options**.
A tool answers "This API token may not do this"
Why: The token is Read-only, or a Custom token without that action ticked.
Fix: Open the token in Strapi and tick what the error names, or use a Full access token.
An entry you know exists comes back as not found, or a list looks empty
Why: Reads return published versions by default, so an unpublished draft does not show.
Fix: Ask the AI to read drafts: the tools take `status: draft`.
Reference
- Strapi API documentation
- Strapi credentials screen:
https://YOUR-SITE/admin/settings/api-tokens(replace YOUR-SITE with your Strapi site) - Connect an AI client
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