Connecting Claude Code to the Wikantik MCP Servers

Wikantik exposes two Model Context Protocol servers so an AI agent can use the wiki directly — searching, traversing the Knowledge Graph, reading token-budgeted page projections, and (optionally) curating content. This page is the setup: which URL and which key go in which file, securely, so a Claude Code instance can read — or write — this wiki.

The catch-22. This article explains how to connect an agent to the wiki, but an agent can't read it until it's already connected. So the first connection is a human task: read this directly, wire up Claude Code, and from then on your agent can search, read, and cite this very page — and everything else here — on its own.

The two servers

ServerURLWhat it's forTools
Knowledge MCP (read-only)https://wiki.wikantik.com/knowledge-mcpRetrieval: hybrid search, Knowledge-Graph traversal, structural-spine navigation, the get_page_for_agent projection, sparql_query, get_ontology18, read-only
Admin MCP (write / curate)https://wiki.wikantik.com/wikantik-admin-mcpCuration: page writes, KG node/edge curation, proposals, verification stamping25

Most people want the read-only Knowledge MCP for a coding agent — it can read and reason but can never change anything. Add the Admin MCP only if you want the agent to maintain the wiki (write pages, curate the graph).

Both servers authenticate the same way: an Authorization: Bearer <API_KEY> header.

Step 1 — Issue an API key

In the wiki, open /admin/apikeys (you must be logged in as an admin), create a key, and copy it — it is shown only once. Treat it like a password.

Step 2 — Decide where the key lives (the part that matters)

Never commit the key to version control. Pick one of two safe patterns:

Step 3a — Quick path (CLI, user scope)

claude mcp add \
  --transport http \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_KEY_HERE" \
  --scope user \
  wikantik-knowledge \
  https://wiki.wikantik.com/knowledge-mcp

To also give the agent write access, repeat with the admin URL and a distinct name:

claude mcp add \
  --transport http \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_KEY_HERE" \
  --scope user \
  wikantik-admin \
  https://wiki.wikantik.com/wikantik-admin-mcp

Step 3b — Shareable path (.mcp.json + env var)

Create .mcp.json at your project root. Note "type": "http" (Streamable HTTP) and the env-var placeholder for the key:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wikantik-knowledge": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://wiki.wikantik.com/knowledge-mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer ${WIKANTIK_MCP_KEY}" }
    }
  }
}

Put the actual key in your shell environment — e.g. in ~/.zshrc/~/.bashrc, or in a .gitignored file you source:

export WIKANTIK_MCP_KEY="your_key_here"

Then start Claude Code (claude) from that shell. Commit .mcp.json; do not commit the key.

Gotcha: running claude mcp add against a project that already has a .mcp.json will resolve your ${WIKANTIK_MCP_KEY} placeholder into the literal key value (a known bug). If that happens, restore the placeholder: git checkout -- .mcp.json.

Step 4 — Verify

claude mcp list            # expect:  wikantik-knowledge   ✓ Connected
claude mcp get wikantik-knowledge

Or, inside a Claude Code session, run the /mcp command to see each server, its status, and the tools it exposes. A ! Needs authentication or ✗ Failed to connect means the key or URL is wrong.

Step 5 — Use it

Now just ask, and the agent reaches the wiki for you:

Pitfalls