Paperboy for Zed
Add Paperboy as a context server in Zed and ask its agent panel for topics, drafts and a fact check without leaving the editor.
Set up
You will add Paperboy as a remote context server in Zed with an Authorization header, either through the Settings UI or in settings.json.
Open Settings > AI > MCP Servers (or run the agent: open settings action from the Command Palette and select MCP Servers).
Click Add Server in the page header, then choose Add Remote Server.
Enter the server details: the URL https://paperboyseo.com/mcp and an Authorization header with the value Bearer pb_live_YOUR_KEY. Zed writes the entry into your settings file.
If you prefer, paste the context_servers block above into your settings file instead.
Open the Agent Panel and mention Paperboy by name in your prompt so the model picks its tools.
{
"context_servers": {
"paperboy": {
"url": "https://paperboyseo.com/mcp",
"headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer pb_live_YOUR_KEY" }
}
}
}
Replace pb_live_YOUR_KEY with a key from Settings, API keys, and never commit it. The MCP docs list every client we cover.
How to tell it worked
In Settings > AI > MCP Servers, look at the indicator dot next to paperboy. Green with the tooltip Server is active means it is running. Other colors and tooltip messages explain the problem.
How to remove it
In Settings > AI > MCP Servers, click the Uninstall (trash) button on the paperboy row. The toggle on the same row disables it without removing it.
What you get
Eight tools, the same engine as the dashboard. Reads are free. A pack is $20 for 100 credits; see how credits work.
get_sitesLists your sites with plan, publishing method and whether Search Console is connected. Every other call starts from a site id.
suggest_topicsReturns the next articles to write, each with the search data that is the reason for it.
write_articleStarts a fact-checked article and returns an id at once. The run takes a few minutes. It does not publish unless you pass publish: true.
get_articleReturns the article's status, its fact-check verdict and every source. Poll it after write_article until it reads published or needs_review.
check_claimsFact checks any public URL or pasted Markdown and returns each cited claim with the sources it was compared against.
publish_articlePublishes an article that passed the fact check to the site's publishing target. It changes the live site, so the agent should ask first.
get_performanceSearch Console clicks, impressions and average position for a site, by day and by article.
get_queriesThe queries a site, or one article, appears for in Search Console. This is where page-two keywords show up.
Try it
Plain requests. The tools each one uses are listed under it.
“Use Paperboy to list my sites, suggest topics for the main one, and write an article for the top topic. Save it under content/blog.”
Uses get_sitessuggest_topicswrite_article
“Use Paperboy to fetch my latest draft and run a claims check on it. Tell me which claims need a source.”
Uses get_articlecheck_claims
“Ask Paperboy for my top search queries and page performance this month, then write the findings into SEO_NOTES.md in this project.”
Uses get_queriesget_performance
Why
Zed calls MCP servers context servers, and a remote one is two keys in settings.json: a url and a headers object. Set the header. When a remote server has none, Zed starts the standard OAuth flow, and Paperboy has no OAuth yet.
Since Zed v0.224.0 every MCP tool call asks first by default. If you loosen that for reading, keep publish_article on confirm with the mcp:paperboy:publish_article permission key. Models call MCP tools more or less often, so name Paperboy in the prompt.
Compare
Same engine, two ways in. Pick the one that fits how you already work.
| Feature | Dashboard | Zed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where you work | paperboyseo.com/app: sites, calendar, fact checks | Open-source code editor with built-in collaboration and AI tools. | Zed docs: Model Context ProtocolRead Oct 29, 2026 |
| How it connects | Sign in and paste your site address. The first article is free. | Remote MCP. Zed supports remote MCP servers with a url and custom headers under context_servers in settings.json. | Zed docs: Model Context ProtocolRead Oct 29, 2026 |
| Does it publish without asking? | Your choice: autopilot, or approve each article by email. | No. write_article defaults to publish: false, and the tool descriptions tell the agent to ask first. | MCP docsPaperboy docs |
| Fact check | Every number and cited sentence is compared with the saved text of its source. An article that fails gets one rewrite, then is held for you. | The same engine and the same check. The verdict comes back to the agent: verified, or held with the reason. | How the check worksPaperboy docs |
| What it costs | Plans from $49 a month per site. The first article is free, no card. | Credits: 12 per article, 1 per topic suggestion, 2 per fact check. $20 buys 100. | CreditsPaperboy docs |
| Search Console | Optional read-only Search Console connection. It picks topics from your impressions and reports clicks per article. | get_performance and get_queries return the same read-only data, by day, by article and by query. | Security and dataPaperboy docs |
Facts about Zed come from the pages linked in the Source column, read on the date shown. Tools change their docs, so confirm there if a step does not match.
Honest notes
Quirks of this client that can cost you an afternoon.
If a remote server has no Authorization header configured, Zed starts the standard MCP OAuth flow. Paperboy has no OAuth yet, so always set the header or the connection will not authenticate.
On Zed v0.224.0 and above, agent.tool_permissions.default is confirm by default, so every MCP tool call asks first. MCP tools use the key format mcp:<server>:<tool_name> (for example mcp:paperboy:publish_article) and only support the tool-level default option.
How often MCP tools get called varies by model. Mention Paperboy by name, or create a custom agent profile that turns off built-in tools and enables only the paperboy server tools. Servers configured in Zed can also be forwarded to External Agents over ACP.
FAQ
In the headers object of the paperboy entry under context_servers in settings.json, as an Authorization header with the value Bearer pb_live_YOUR_KEY. You can also enter it through Settings > AI > MCP Servers > Add Server > Add Remote Server.
Open Settings > AI > MCP Servers and check the dot next to the server name. Green with the tooltip Server is active means it is running.
By default yes. agent.tool_permissions.default is confirm, which prompts before any tool action, including MCP tool calls. You can set a per-tool default with the mcp:paperboy:publish_article key.
The docs say tool calling reliability varies by model. Mention the MCP server by name in your prompt, or use a custom profile that enables only the server's tools.
The tools that read cost nothing. Suggesting topics costs 1 credit, writing a fact-checked article costs 12 credits (refunded if the run fails) and a fact check on its own costs 2 credits. A pack is $20 for 100 credits.
Only if you let it. write_article defaults to publish: false, so a finished article waits for a human, and the tool descriptions tell the agent to ask before publishing. You can also give the agent a read-only key.
Sources
Everything about Zed comes from the pages below, read on Oct 29, 2026. Tools change their docs, so check there if a step does not match. If we got something wrong, write to hello@paperboyseo.com.
Keep going
Add the MCP server, ask for a topic, and read the fact check before anything goes live.
claude mcp add --transport http paperboy https://paperboyseo.com/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer pb_live_..."npx @paperboyseo/cli coming soonPrefer the dashboard? Write my first article free. Prefer to run it yourself? Self-host it (repo coming soon).