Alby Bitcoin Payments + Windsurf Editor: Complete MCP Integration

Alby Bitcoin Payments is a MCP server that Connect any bitcoin lightning wallet to your agent to send and receive instant payments globally with your agent..

When integrated with Windsurf Editor, you can:

• Send Lightning Network payments instantly
• Generate invoices to receive Lightning payments
• Check current Lightning wallet balance

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to set up Alby Bitcoin Payments in Windsurf Editor, including configuration, examples, and troubleshooting.

What You'll Achieve

After completing this setup:

• Alby Bitcoin Payments will be fully integrated and operational
• You can use Alby Bitcoin Payments tools directly in Windsurf Editor
• All Alby Bitcoin Payments capabilities will be available for your workflows
• Access to 5 different tools

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• Nostr Wallet Connect connection string from Lightning wallet
• Windsurf Editor installed and configured
• Compatible operating system (Desktop App)

Installation

Step 1: Install Alby Bitcoin Payments

Configuration

Step 2: Configure Windsurf Editor

1. Locate your configuration file:

   • Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json
   • macOS: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
   • Linux: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

2. Add server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "alby-bitcoin-payments": {
      "command": "alby bitcoin payments",
      "args": []
    }
  }
}

Note: If Alby Bitcoin Payments requires environment variables, add them to the server configuration:
"env": {
  "NWC_CONNECTION_STRING": "nostr+walletconnect://...",
        "ALBY_AUTH_TOKEN": "bearer_token_abc123"
}

3. Restart Windsurf Editor

Completely quit and restart Windsurf Editor to load the new configuration.

Examples

Once configured, you can use Alby Bitcoin Payments in Windsurf Editor:

E-commerce Integration

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Ask Windsurf Editor: "Create invoice for $25 subscription payment"

Expected Result: undefined

Micropayments for Content

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Ask Windsurf Editor: "Pay 100 sats for premium article access"

Expected Result: undefined

Global Remittance

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Ask Windsurf Editor: "Send $50 worth of Bitcoin to family member"

Expected Result: undefined

Testing Your Setup

1. Launch Windsurf Editor
2. Verify Alby Bitcoin Payments is available in the tools list
3. Test basic Alby Bitcoin Payments functionality

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Tools Not Appearing

Symptoms: Cascade does not see new tools, Hammer icon missing

Cause: Configuration syntax error or server failed to start.

Solution:

• Check the JSON configuration for syntax errors.
• Verify the command (e.g., npx, python) is in your system PATH.
• Check Windsurf logs for MCP connection errors.

Environment Variables

Symptoms: Authentication failed, Permission denied

Cause: Missing API keys in configuration.

Solution:

• Ensure env block is correctly defined inside the server config.
• Restart Windsurf after changing environment variables.

Alby Bitcoin Payments not appearing in Windsurf Editor

Symptoms: Server not listed, Tools not available

Cause: Configuration or installation issue

Solution:

• Verify configuration syntax
• Check Alby Bitcoin Payments installation
• Restart Windsurf Editor
• Check logs for error messages

Next Steps

Now that Alby Bitcoin Payments is integrated with Windsurf Editor:

• Explore all Alby Bitcoin Payments capabilities through Windsurf Editor
• Check out other MCP servers that work with Windsurf Editor
• Join the MCP community for tips and support
• Consider contributing to Alby Bitcoin Payments development

Need Help?

• Search for Alby Bitcoin Payments documentation
• Check the Windsurf Editor MCP guide
• Join the MCP community discussions