ActionKit by Paragon + mcp-use: 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 mcp-use, 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 mcp-use, 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 mcp-use
• 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
• mcp-use installed and configured
• Compatible operating system (Python 3.8+, Node.js 16+, pip Installation, npm/yarn Installation)

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 mcp-use

1. Open mcp-use 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 mcp-use:

Schedule Team Meeting

Create a Google Calendar event and notify team via Slack

Ask mcp-use: "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 mcp-use: "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 mcp-use: "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 mcp-use: "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 mcp-use
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

Connection Refused or Server Unreachable

Symptoms: ECONNREFUSED error, Connection timeout, Cannot reach server

Cause: MCP server not running or incorrect URL

Solution:

• Verify MCP server is running and accessible
• Check server URL is correct (protocol, host, port, path)
• Test server URL in browser or with curl to confirm it responds
• Ensure firewall allows connections to server port
• Verify CORS settings if accessing from browser

Import Errors or Module Not Found

Symptoms: ModuleNotFoundError: mcp_use, Cannot find module "mcp-use"

Cause: Package not installed or wrong environment

Solution:

• Verify installation: pip show mcp-use (Python) or npm list mcp-use (JS)
• Ensure using correct Python virtual environment or Node.js project
• Reinstall package: pip install --upgrade mcp-use or npm install mcp-use
• Check package.json or requirements.txt includes mcp-use

Tool Discovery Returns Empty List

Symptoms: list_tools() returns [], No tools available, Tools not found

Cause: MCP server not properly configured or not exposing tools

Solution:

• Verify MCP server is properly initialized and configured
• Check server logs to confirm tools are registered
• Test server directly with MCP inspector or test client
• Ensure server implements MCP protocol correctly
• Verify transport type (HTTP/SSE) matches server configuration

Tool Execution Fails or Returns Errors

Symptoms: Tool call throws exception, Invalid arguments error, Execution timeout

Cause: Incorrect arguments or server-side execution failure

Solution:

• Verify tool arguments match schema definition from list_tools()
• Check required arguments are provided with correct types
• Review server logs for detailed error messages
• Test tool with minimal valid arguments first
• Increase timeout if tool requires longer execution time

LangChain.js Integration Not Working

Symptoms: getLangChainTools() fails, Tools not recognized by agent, Type errors

Cause: Version mismatch or incorrect integration setup

Solution:

• Ensure LangChain.js version is compatible with mcp-use
• Verify TypeScript version meets requirements
• Check tool schema conversion is working correctly
• Use latest versions of both mcp-use and LangChain.js
• Review LangChain.js documentation for agent setup

Transport Type Errors (HTTP vs SSE)

Symptoms: SSE connection fails, HTTP polling not working, Event stream errors

Cause: Mismatch between client transport and server capabilities

Solution:

• Verify server supports the transport type you are using
• Try alternative transport: switch between "http" and "sse"
• Check server documentation for supported transport types
• For SSE, ensure server sends proper Content-Type: text/event-stream
• For HTTP, verify server accepts POST requests with JSON payload

ActionKit by Paragon not appearing in mcp-use

Symptoms: Server not listed, Tools not available

Cause: Configuration or installation issue

Solution:

• Verify configuration syntax
• Check ActionKit by Paragon installation
• Restart mcp-use
• Check logs for error messages

Next Steps

Now that ActionKit by Paragon is integrated with mcp-use:

• Explore all ActionKit by Paragon capabilities through mcp-use
• Check out other MCP servers that work with mcp-use
• 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 mcp-use MCP guide
• Join the MCP community discussions