ActionKit by Paragon + Genkit: Complete MCP Integration

ActionKit by Paragon is a MCP server that Connect to 130+ SaaS integrations (e.g. Slack, Salesforce, Gmail) with Paragon’s ActionKit API..

When integrated with Genkit, you can:

• Connect to 130+ SaaS applications via ActionKit API
• Handle OAuth and API authentication for integrations
• Execute custom OpenAPI action definitions

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to set up ActionKit by Paragon in Genkit, including configuration, examples, and troubleshooting.

What You'll Achieve

After completing this setup:

• ActionKit by Paragon will be fully integrated and operational
• You can use ActionKit by Paragon tools directly in Genkit
• All ActionKit by Paragon capabilities will be available for your workflows
• Access to 4 different tools

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• Node.js 22.14.0
• npm
• Paragon account
• Paragon project identifier from dashboard
• RS256 JWT signing key for authentication
• Genkit installed and configured
• Compatible operating system (Node.js, Cross-platform, Google Cloud)

Installation

Step 1: Install ActionKit by Paragon

Install using npm:

git clone https://github.com/useparagon/paragon-mcp.git && cd paragon-mcp && npm install

Verify installation:

npm run start

Configuration

Step 2: Configure Genkit

1. Open Genkit settings
2. Navigate to MCP server configuration
3. Add ActionKit by Paragon server with appropriate settings
4. Save and restart if needed

Examples

Once configured, you can use ActionKit by Paragon in Genkit:

Schedule Team Meeting

Create a Google Calendar event and notify team via Slack

Ask Genkit: "Schedule a team standup for tomorrow at 9 AM and send a Slack notification to the dev-team channel"

Expected Result: Calendar event created and Slack message sent with meeting details

Create Sales Lead

Add new lead to Salesforce from customer inquiry

Ask Genkit: "Create a new lead in Salesforce for John Doe from Acme Corp with email [email protected]"

Expected Result: Lead record created in Salesforce with contact information and follow-up tasks

Email Campaign Follow-up

Send follow-up emails via Gmail for marketing campaign

Ask Genkit: "Send a follow-up email to all prospects who opened our product demo email last week"

Expected Result: Targeted emails sent to qualified prospects with personalized content

Multi-Platform Data Sync

Sync customer data between HubSpot and Salesforce

Ask Genkit: "Update all HubSpot contacts that were modified today in our Salesforce CRM"

Expected Result: Contact records synchronized with latest information across both platforms

Testing Your Setup

1. Launch Genkit
2. Verify ActionKit by Paragon is available in the tools list
3. Test basic ActionKit by Paragon functionality

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

JWT Authentication Failed

Symptoms: 401 Unauthorized errors, Invalid token messages

Cause: Incorrect SIGNING_KEY or expired credentials

Solution:

• Verify SIGNING_KEY matches private key from Paragon dashboard
• Ensure key is in correct RS256 format
• Check PROJECT_ID is correct for your account
• Regenerate keys if necessary

Integration Not Available

Symptoms: Service not found errors, Integration disabled messages

Cause: Integration not enabled in Paragon project or LIMIT_TO_INTEGRATIONS restriction

Solution:

• Enable required integrations in Paragon dashboard
• Remove or update LIMIT_TO_INTEGRATIONS environment variable
• Verify integration is available in your Paragon plan
• Check integration-specific requirements

User Authorization Required

Symptoms: OAuth flow errors, Permission denied messages

Cause: User has not authorized the integration or scope issues

Solution:

• Guide user through OAuth authorization flow
• Check required scopes for the integration
• Verify callback URLs are configured correctly
• Re-authorize if tokens are expired

Server Connection Timeout

Symptoms: Connection timeouts, SSE endpoint not responding

Cause: Server not running or network connectivity issues

Solution:

• Start server with npm run start
• Verify PORT is not in use by another service
• Check firewall settings allow connections
• Test endpoint with curl: curl http://localhost:3001/health

Genkit Installation Failed

Symptoms: npm install errors, CLI not found

Cause: Node.js version or npm configuration issues

Solution:

• Verify Node.js 18+ is installed
• Clear npm cache and try again
• Check npm registry configuration
• Try using yarn instead of npm

MCP Plugin Not Loading

Symptoms: Plugin errors, MCP tools unavailable

Cause: Plugin installation or configuration issues

Solution:

• Verify @genkit-ai/mcp package is installed
• Check plugin configuration syntax
• Ensure plugin is properly imported
• Review Genkit logs for plugin errors

Server Connection Failed

Symptoms: MCP server not responding, Tool execution errors

Cause: Server installation or configuration problems

Solution:

• Verify MCP server installation
• Test server independently before Genkit integration
• Check server executable permissions
• Review server logs for connection issues

Flow Execution Errors

Symptoms: Flow fails, Runtime errors

Cause: Flow configuration or MCP integration issues

Solution:

• Check flow definition syntax
• Verify input/output schemas match usage
• Test flows incrementally with simpler operations
• Review Genkit execution logs for detailed errors

ActionKit by Paragon not appearing in Genkit

Symptoms: Server not listed, Tools not available

Cause: Configuration or installation issue

Solution:

• Verify configuration syntax
• Check ActionKit by Paragon installation
• Restart Genkit
• Check logs for error messages

Next Steps

Now that ActionKit by Paragon is integrated with Genkit:

• Explore all ActionKit by Paragon capabilities through Genkit
• Check out other MCP servers that work with Genkit
• Join the MCP community for tips and support
• Consider contributing to ActionKit by Paragon development

Need Help?

• Search for ActionKit by Paragon documentation
• Check the Genkit MCP guide
• Join the MCP community discussions