Cursor's background agent can run tasks autonomously, but without web search it is limited to the context in your codebase and its training data. Adding a search MCP server gives the background agent the ability to look up current documentation, check API changes, research error messages, and verify facts in real time. This tutorial shows how to add the Scavio MCP server to Cursor so the background agent can query Google, Reddit, YouTube, and other platforms during its work. The setup takes under two minutes and requires no code changes.
Prerequisites
- Cursor IDE installed (v0.40+ with background agent support)
- A Scavio API key from scavio.dev
- MCP support enabled in Cursor settings
Walkthrough
Step 1: Open Cursor MCP settings
Navigate to Cursor settings to add a new MCP server configuration.
# Open Cursor Settings > MCP Servers
# Or edit .cursor/mcp.json in your project root
# Or edit ~/.cursor/mcp.json for global configStep 2: Add Scavio MCP server
Add the Scavio MCP server configuration to your Cursor MCP settings.
# Add to .cursor/mcp.json:
# {
# "mcpServers": {
# "scavio": {
# "url": "https://mcp.scavio.dev/mcp",
# "headers": {
# "x-api-key": "your_scavio_api_key"
# }
# }
# }
# }Step 3: Verify the connection
Test that Cursor recognizes the Scavio MCP server and its tools.
# After saving mcp.json, restart Cursor
# Check Settings > MCP Servers - scavio should show as connected
# The background agent now has access to:
# - search: query Google, Reddit, YouTube, Amazon, Walmart
# - extract: fetch and parse web page contentStep 4: Test with a background agent task
Run a task that requires live web data to verify the integration works.
import os, requests
# Equivalent API call the background agent makes:
API_KEY = os.environ["SCAVIO_API_KEY"]
resp = requests.post("https://api.scavio.dev/api/v1/search",
headers={"x-api-key": API_KEY},
json={"platform": "google", "query": "Cursor IDE MCP setup guide 2026"})
for r in resp.json().get("organic_results", [])[:3]:
print(f"{r['title']}: {r['link']}")Python Example
import os, requests
API_KEY = os.environ["SCAVIO_API_KEY"]
resp = requests.post("https://api.scavio.dev/api/v1/search",
headers={"x-api-key": API_KEY},
json={"platform": "google", "query": "Cursor background agent setup"})
for r in resp.json().get("organic_results", [])[:5]:
print(r["title"])JavaScript Example
const H = {"x-api-key": process.env.SCAVIO_API_KEY, "Content-Type": "application/json"};
const r = await fetch("https://api.scavio.dev/api/v1/search", {
method: "POST", headers: H,
body: JSON.stringify({platform: "google", query: "Cursor background agent setup"})
});
(await r.json()).organic_results.slice(0,5).forEach(r => console.log(r.title));Expected Output
A Cursor IDE with Scavio MCP configured, giving the background agent live web search capabilities for research, documentation lookups, and fact verification.