# Zed

> Set up Spicrawl in Zed: add the hosted MCP server to context_servers in settings.json, install the agent skill, and add AGENTS.md instructions so the agent fetches web pages cheaply and handles errors correctly.

Source: https://docs.spicrawl.com/agents/zed

Three steps give Zed's agent Spicrawl's tools, the knowledge to write Spicrawl code, and rules for using both well. The Spicrawl CLI has no Zed target (`--client` accepts `claude`, `cursor`, `vscode`, `codex` and `all`), so you do each step by hand. Have your key ready:

```bash
export SPICRAWL_API_KEY=spicrawl_live_...   # for the skill's curl examples and your own code
```

## 1. Add the MCP server

Open your settings file with the **zed: open settings file** command and add a `context_servers` entry. A remote server takes `url` and `headers`:

```json title="settings.json"
{
  "context_servers": {
    "spicrawl": {
      "url": "https://mcp.spicrawl.com/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer spicrawl_live_..." }
    }
  }
}
```

Replace `spicrawl_live_...` with your key. Zed's docs do not describe environment-variable substitution in `headers`, so the key is written into the file: keep `settings.json` out of version control and out of screenshots.

> **Warning:** Always set the `Authorization` header. When a remote server has no `headers`, Zed starts an OAuth flow, and Spicrawl does not support OAuth, so the connection fails.

You can also add it in **Settings → AI → MCP Servers** (or the `agent: open settings` command). A green dot next to `spicrawl` means the server is active. Open the Agent Panel and check that it lists 25 `spicrawl_*` tools. See [MCP server](https://docs.spicrawl.com/agents/mcp.md) for each tool.

By default Zed asks before each tool call (`agent.tool_permissions.default` is `"confirm"`; Zed 0.224.0 and later). Each successful Spicrawl call spends credits, so leave the default on until you trust the agent's `max_cost` habits.

## 2. Install the skill

Zed's agent loads skills from `.agents/skills/` in the project (trusted worktrees only) and from `~/.agents/skills/` for every project. Each skill is a direct child folder of that directory:

```bash
mkdir -p .agents/skills/spicrawl
curl -fsSL https://app.spicrawl.com/skill.md -o .agents/skills/spicrawl/SKILL.md
```

`spicrawl skill install --client codex` writes the same file, because Codex reads `.agents/skills/` too. The agent picks the skill from its `name` and `description`; you can also type `/` in the message editor and choose it. See [Agent skill](https://docs.spicrawl.com/agents/skill.md).

## 3. Add instructions

Zed reads instructions from these files in the project root, in this priority order: `.rules`, `.cursorrules`, `.windsurfrules`, `.clinerules`, `.github/copilot-instructions.md`, `AGENT.md`, `AGENTS.md`, `CLAUDE.md`, `GEMINI.md`. Use `AGENTS.md`, which other agents read too. If a file earlier in that list already exists (for example `.rules`), it takes priority: put the section there instead. A personal `~/.config/zed/AGENTS.md` (Linux and macOS) applies to every project; project instructions win on conflict.

```markdown title="AGENTS.md"
## Web data (Spicrawl)

Use Spicrawl to read web pages: the spicrawl_* MCP tools in chat, or
POST https://api.spicrawl.com/v1/scrape with `Authorization: Bearer $SPICRAWL_API_KEY` in code.
Docs: https://docs.spicrawl.com/llms.txt (append .md to any page URL for Markdown).

- Ask for markdown: `response_format: "markdown"` (API default is html); on spicrawl_scrape, `format: "markdown"`.
- Check the site's status, not only the HTTP status: `X-Target-Status` header, or `status`
  in the JSON envelope (spicrawl_scrape with `format: "json"`). 200 is the page; 404/410
  mean it does not exist; 403/429/503 mean the site refused, so escalate.
- On an error, switch on `code`. Retry only when `retryable` is true, after
  `retry_after_seconds`. Read `diagnostics.hint` and change what it names first.
  Never retry ERR::REQUEST::*, ERR::AUTH::* or ERR::LIMIT::QUOTA_EXCEEDED.
- Escalate one step at a time and stop at the first that works:
  plain fetch (1 credit) -> `js_render: true` (3) -> add the user's own `proxy`
  if they have one. Empty or skeleton content means render; ERR::UPSTREAM::CHALLENGE
  or a 403 target status means retry once, then the user's own proxy.
- Set `max_cost` on every request to the price of the step you intend.
- Keep the cache on (default). Set `cache: false` only for prices, stock or other live data.
- Trim tokens with `main_content_only` (on by default for markdown), `include_tags`, `exclude_tags`.
- For more than 20 URLs, use a batch job (spicrawl_batch_submit / POST /v1/batch).
  Batch items return raw HTML and apply only render, proxy and block_resources settings.
- Never print or commit SPICRAWL_API_KEY. Log `X-Request-Id` for failures.
```

## A first task to try

Open the Agent Panel and ask:

```text
Use Spicrawl to read https://example.com/pricing as markdown. List each plan with its monthly price.
If the page comes back empty, retry with rendering.
```

Naming the server in the prompt helps the model choose it. The agent should call `spicrawl_scrape` with `url` and `format: "markdown"`, and add `render: true` only if the first result is empty. For a coding task:

```text
Add a fetchPage(url) function to this project that calls the Spicrawl API for markdown,
following the Web data section of AGENTS.md. Read the key from process.env.SPICRAWL_API_KEY.
```

Compare the result with the reference implementation in [Best practices](https://docs.spicrawl.com/agents/best-practices.md).

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom                                                                       | Fix                                                                                                                                     |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Zed opens a browser or asks you to sign in to the server                      | `headers` is missing or misspelled, so Zed tried OAuth. Add the `Authorization` header and restart the server.                          |
| The dot next to `spicrawl` is not green, or the server returns 401            | The key is wrong, revoked or has no `Bearer ` prefix. Fix the header and reload.                                                        |
| The agent does not use the tools                                              | Mention `spicrawl` in the prompt, and check that your agent profile does not disable the server's tools.                                |
| The skill does not load                                                       | The project is not a trusted worktree, or the folder is nested. Trust the worktree, or move it to `~/.agents/skills/spicrawl/SKILL.md`. |
| The agent writes `js_render` on `spicrawl_scrape` and gets "unknown argument" | The tool's argument is `render`. The API field is `js_render`.                                                                          |
| Usage tools return `ERR::AUTH::INSUFFICIENT_SCOPE`                            | Grant the `read` scope to the key in the dashboard.                                                                                     |