How to Connect Ahrefs to Zed

Query your Ahrefs data directly from Zed using Sequel’s MCP server. Ask questions in plain English, with no SQL, no dashboards, and no context switching.

Short answer

Connect Ahrefs to Sequel, then add Sequel's MCP server to Zed using the config on this page. Zed can then query your live Ahrefs data in plain English, with no connector code and no CSV exports. Both steps take a few minutes.

Example prompts

Everything you can ask Zed about your Ahrefs data.

Ask in plain English — Sequel translates it into a Ahrefs query, runs it, and Zed hands back the answer. No SQL, no dashboards, no CSV exports.

What you can ask Zed
  • What's the domain rating and organic traffic for ahrefs.com?
  • Show the top 50 referring domains for competitor.com.
  • Which organic keywords does example.com rank for in the US top 10?
  • What's the search volume and difficulty for 'text to sql'?
  • List example.com's top pages by organic traffic.

How it works

Three steps to get started

1

Connect Ahrefs to Sequel

In your Sequel dashboard, go to Connections and add Ahrefs. Sequel handles authentication and schema discovery automatically.

2

Add Sequel to the agent

Copy the Sequel MCP configuration into Zed's settings file (shown below). Swap in your API key from Settings → API Keys.

3

Ask Zed about your data

Restart Zed and start asking questions. "What's the domain rating and organic traffic for ahrefs.com?" — and get a real answer backed by live Ahrefs data.

Why Zed

What Zed does with your Ahrefs data

Fast editor, full data access

Zed is built for speed. Adding Sequel means you get low-latency data access alongside Zed's fast editing experience — no lag, no context switching.

Schema context for better code

Zed's AI can pull your actual database schema through Sequel and use it to generate accurate SQL, TypeScript types, and ORM models — not guesses based on training data.

Collaborative data exploration

With Zed's multiplayer editing, your whole team can share a session and explore data together. One person queries through Sequel; everyone sees the result.

Configuration

Add Sequel to Zed

Place this in ~/.config/zed/settings.json and replace sql_your_api_key with a key from Settings → API Keys.

~/.config/zed/settings.json

{
  "context_servers": {
    "sequel": {
      "url": "https://api.sequel.sh/mcp",
      "settings": {
        "headers": {
          "Authorization": "Bearer sql_your_api_key"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Install

Install Ahrefs MCP in Zed

Pick your app and Sequel installs itself: a one-click link where the client supports it, that client’s own few steps where it doesn’t. Every route signs in with your Sequel account over OAuth, so there is no API key to copy and nothing to keep in sync.

Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code, Claude Code, Codex, Grok, Muse, dots and any other MCP app

Already have an MCP client?

https://api.sequel.sh/mcp

Add it as a remote (streamable HTTP) server and sign in when prompted. Skills come with it; nothing else to install. Manual setup per client

Choose your app

  • Claude

    One click, opens in the app

  • Cursor

    One click, opens in the app

  • VS Code

    One click, opens in the app

  • ChatGPT

    Turn on developer mode, then add Sequel. About two minutes.

  • Claude Code

    Run one command, then sign in with /mcp.

  • Codex

    Run one command, then sign in.

  • Gemini CLI

    Run one command, then sign in with /mcp auth.

  • Grok

    Add Sequel as a connector and sign in.

  • Grok Bot

    Paste this to the bot. It registers Sequel and asks you to sign in.

  • Muse

    Muse writes its own connector. One message is the whole setup.

  • dots

    Add Sequel in ChatGPT; your dot picks it up with no extra step.

  • OpenCode

    Add Sequel as a remote server from the OpenCode CLI.

  • Other MCP app

    Any client that speaks remote MCP can connect with this URL.

Frequently asked questions

How do I connect Ahrefs to Zed?

You need two things: (1) connect Ahrefs to Sequel in your Sequel dashboard under Connections, and (2) add the Sequel MCP config to Zed using the setup shown above. Once both are done, Zed can query your Ahrefs data directly.

What Ahrefs data can Zed access?

Zed can access any data available through your Ahrefs connection in Sequel. Use Sequel's search tool to discover available metrics and dimensions, then execute queries to pull the data you need.

Is my Ahrefs data sent to Zed's servers?

Query results are returned to Zed as context within your conversation. Only the data you explicitly ask about is retrieved. Sequel never stores your query results permanently — they exist only for the duration of the tool call.

Do I need a Sequel account?

Yes. You need a Sequel account to connect Ahrefs and generate an API key. Sign up free at sequel.sh — no credit card required. Then create a connection to Ahrefs and generate an API key from Settings → API Keys.

Can I connect multiple Ahrefs accounts?

Yes. Sequel supports multiple connections of the same type. If you have multiple Ahrefs accounts or properties, add each as a separate connection in Sequel. Zed will be able to query all of them.

How do I add Sequel to Zed?

Open Zed settings (Cmd+, on macOS), find the `context_servers` key, and add the Sequel configuration shown above. Restart Zed for changes to take effect.

Which Zed AI features work with Sequel MCP?

Sequel tools are available in Zed's AI panel (Assistant). You can call them from the chat interface. Support for additional Zed AI features depends on Zed's MCP integration updates.

Does Zed support HTTP MCP servers?

Yes, Zed supports MCP over HTTP (Streamable HTTP transport). The Sequel MCP endpoint uses this transport, so no extra configuration is needed.

Can I use Sequel MCP in Zed's multiplayer sessions?

MCP tools in Zed are currently per-user — each collaborator connects with their own API key. Tool call results are visible to all participants in a shared session.

How do I connect Ahrefs to Sequel?

Create an API key in Ahrefs under Account settings → API keys (workspace owners and admins only), paste it into Sequel, and click Test. The key is sent to the Ahrefs API v3 as a Bearer token.

Do I need a specific Ahrefs plan?

The Ahrefs API is available on eligible paid plans. On other plans you still get a limited set of free test queries. See Ahrefs' pricing page for current API eligibility.

Can Sequel change anything in my Ahrefs account?

No. The connector only ships read-only reports (domain overview, backlinks, referring domains, organic keywords, top pages, keyword research). It cannot modify your Ahrefs projects or settings.

Will queries consume my Ahrefs API units?

Most reports cost Ahrefs API units (minimum 50 per request), billed against your plan's allowance. Validating your key is free. Use specific targets and small row limits to keep usage low.

Connect Ahrefs to Zed today

Sign up free, connect your data sources, and start querying in minutes.