# Algolia setup for PopMCP You paste two values into PopMCP: your Algolia Application ID and an API key (the Admin API key, the Write API key or a key you create), both copied from the API Keys page of the Algolia dashboard. - Auth: API credentials - Setup time: 2 min - API base URL: https://{APPLICATION_ID}.algolia.net - Credentials screen: https://dashboard.algolia.com/account/api-keys - Provider docs: https://www.algolia.com/doc/rest-api/search ## Before you begin - An Algolia account with at least one application. Any plan works, including the free Build plan - Access to the application's API keys: the owner and admins see the Admin API key; other team members see the keys their role allows - Search analytics, A/B testing, the Usage API and infrastructure monitoring need a plan that includes them (Premium or Elevate for most) ## Get your credentials ### 1. Sign in and pick the application Sign in at dashboard.algolia.com. If you have several applications, choose the one the AI should work on from the application menu at the top. One PopMCP connection works on one application; connect again for another one. Screen: https://dashboard.algolia.com ### 2. Open API Keys and copy the Application ID and a key Open Settings, then API Keys. Copy the Application ID at the top. Then copy the Admin API key to let the AI do everything, including managing API keys and A/B tests, or the Write API key for records, settings, synonyms, rules and analytics. The Search API key only searches. Screen: https://dashboard.algolia.com/account/api-keys ### 3. Optional: create a key with fewer permissions To limit what the AI can do, click All API Keys, then create a new API key. Give it a description such as PopMCP, tick the permissions (ACL) it should have, for example search, browse, listIndexes, settings, analytics and logs for read-only work, optionally limit it to some indices, and click Create. Paste that key into PopMCP instead of the Admin API key. Screen: https://dashboard.algolia.com/account/api-keys ### 4. Optional: copy the Crawler credentials Only if the AI should manage the Algolia Crawler. On the left sidebar select Data sources, then Crawler, and open its Settings page. Copy the Crawler user ID and the Crawler API key: the Crawler has its own credentials, separate from the application's keys. Screen: https://dashboard.algolia.com/crawler/settings ### 5. Paste them into PopMCP In PopMCP, paste the Application ID and the API key and connect. Leave the analytics region blank: PopMCP finds it. Crawler credentials and the Premium Usage API key and Monitoring API key go under More options when you need them. PopMCP checks the key by reading its own permissions. ## Fields PopMCP asks for - Application ID (appId) [required]: In the Algolia dashboard, open Settings, then API Keys. The Application ID is at the top of the page. - API key (apiKey) [required]: On the same page, copy the Admin API key (everything) or the Write API key (records, settings and analytics). Stored encrypted and used only on our servers. - Analytics region (region): Leave blank and PopMCP finds it. Only set it if analytics calls say the region does not match. - Crawler user ID (crawlerUserId): From the Crawler's Settings page (Data sources, then Crawler, then Settings). The Crawler has its own credentials. - Crawler API key (crawlerApiKey): On the same Crawler Settings page, next to the user ID. - Usage API key (usageApiKey): For usage statistics (operations, records, capacity). Listed under Usage on the API Keys page. - Monitoring API key (monitoringApiKey): For server and infrastructure metrics. Listed under Monitoring on the API Keys page. ## Verify PopMCP marks the connection Verified as Algolia app ABCDE12345 and notes the key's kind and permissions and the application's analytics region. Asking the AI to list your indices, or to search one, shows your data. ## Troubleshooting ### "Algolia did not accept this Application ID and API key together." Cause: The key belongs to another application, was copied incompletely, or was deleted. Fix: Copy the Application ID and the key again from the same API Keys page and paste only the values. ### "Algolia has no application with the Application ID ..." Cause: The Application ID is mistyped, or a key was pasted into the Application ID box. Fix: Copy the Application ID from the top of the API Keys page: it is about ten capital letters and digits, like ABCDE12345. ### A tool answers 403 "Invalid Application-ID or API key" although the connection is verified Cause: Algolia gives this answer when the key lacks the permission a call needs. The error from PopMCP names the missing permission. Fix: Reconnect with the Admin API key, or with a key that has that permission, or ask for something the current key can do. ### Analytics or A/B testing tools answer 401 or 402 Cause: The key lacks the analytics permission, or the plan does not include the Analytics or A/B testing API. Fix: Use the Admin or Write API key or a key with the analytics permission; check the plan on the Billing page. ### "The log processing region does not match" Cause: The application's analytics data lives in the other region (US or Europe). Fix: PopMCP retries the other region by itself. If it keeps happening, set Analytics region to us or eu under More options; the dashboard shows it on the Infrastructure page (dashboard.algolia.com/account/infrastructure/analytics). ### "The Crawler API uses its own credentials" Cause: A Crawler tool was used without the Crawler user ID and API key on the connection. Fix: Copy both from Data sources, Crawler, Settings and add them under More options. --- Source: https://www.docs.popmcp.com/docs/integrations/algolia/