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API Key Setup

This guide covers how to get and set up your SerpApi API key for AI coding agents.

Getting Your API Key

  1. Sign up for an account at serpapi.com.
  2. Go to the Dashboard to find your key.
  3. Copy the API key for use in the configurations below.

Security Guidance

  • Environment Variables: Always store your key in an environment variable named SERPAPI_KEY.
  • Never Commit Keys: Do not commit your API key to any version control system.
  • Rotate Keys: If you suspect exposure, rotate your key immediately in the SerpApi dashboard.

Shell Environment

For local development, add the key to your shell profile (.zshrc or .bashrc):

export SERPAPI_KEY=your_key_here

Reload your profile:

source ~/.zshrc   # or source ~/.bashrc

Per-Agent Configuration

Use the serpapi-mcp server for Model Context Protocol integration.

Claude Code

Option A — CLI (recommended):

claude mcp add serpapi -- npx -y @serpapi/serpapi-mcp

Then set your API key in the environment (see Shell Environment above) or pass it via SERPAPI_KEY=your_key_here claude mcp add ....

Option B — Manual config:

Add to ~/.claude/settings.json (global) or .claude/settings.json (project-scoped):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "serpapi": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@serpapi/serpapi-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "SERPAPI_KEY": "your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Cursor

Add to .cursor/mcp.json (project) or ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "serpapi": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@serpapi/serpapi-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "SERPAPI_KEY": "your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Windsurf

Add to .windsurf/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "serpapi": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@serpapi/serpapi-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "SERPAPI_KEY": "your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

OpenCode

Add to .opencode/config.json or rely on the shell environment variable above.

Codex / Other Agents

Set the environment variable before launching the agent:

export SERPAPI_KEY=your_key_here

CI/CD Configuration

GitHub Actions

Store your key as a repository secret named SERPAPI_KEY, then reference it in your workflow:

jobs:
  search:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Run agent with SerpApi
        env:
          SERPAPI_KEY: ${{ secrets.SERPAPI_KEY }}
        run: |
          echo "Agent will pick up SERPAPI_KEY from the environment"

GitLab CI

Store the key as a CI/CD variable in your project settings:

search-job:
  script:
    - echo "Agent will pick up SERPAPI_KEY from CI environment"
  variables:
    SERPAPI_KEY: $SERPAPI_KEY

Generic / Docker

Pass the key at runtime:

docker run -e SERPAPI_KEY=your_key_here your-agent-image