# Use okdata in Claude Desktop: a connector for social data

> Connect Claude Desktop to okdata, as a custom connector or through the mcp-remote bridge, and ask about Douyin, Xiaohongshu or X posts in an ordinary chat.

Canonical page: https://okdata.online/integrations/claude-desktop/

This page gets you to the point where you can open Claude Desktop and ask, in a normal chat, "what are people on Douyin saying about camping gear this week?" Claude checks the Douyin hot list, searches videos, reads the comments under the top few and writes you a summary with links. Every step that costs money shows up in the chat with its price, and you can approve or refuse it.

## Before you start

- Claude Desktop, signed in, on the latest version (Claude menu, "Check for Updates…").
- An API key from okdata, starting with `okd_`. New keys come with $0.10 of credit. The [quickstart](/docs/quickstart/) explains how to get one.

On other okdata pages we ask you to keep the key in the `OKDATA_API_KEY` environment variable. Desktop apps opened from the Dock or Start menu do not see the variables in your terminal, so here the key goes into Claude itself (way 1) or into a config file in your home folder (way 2). Never put it in a project folder or a shared document.

## Way 1: a custom connector

Use this if your account shows a **Request headers** section when you add a custom connector. Anthropic calls that section a beta for a limited set of organizations, so you may not have it yet; if you don't, skip to way 2.

1. Go to **Customize > Connectors**, select **Add**, then **Add custom connector**. On Team and Enterprise plans an Owner adds it under **Organization settings > Connectors** instead.
2. Name it `okdata` and enter `https://api.okdata.online/mcp` as the server URL.
3. For authentication choose **No sign-in**.
4. Under **Request headers**, pick `authorization` and enter `Bearer okd_...` with your full key. Include the word `Bearer` and the space; Claude sends the value exactly as typed.
5. Click **Add**.

A connector added this way also works in Claude on the web and on your phone, because the calls go out from Claude's servers rather than your computer. On the Free plan you can add one custom connector.

## Way 2: the mcp-remote bridge

The Claude Desktop config file runs local servers. A small open-source program, `mcp-remote`, turns okdata's remote server into one. It needs [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) 18 or newer.

1. In Claude Desktop open **Settings…** from the Claude menu, go to **Developer** and click **Edit Config**. That opens `claude_desktop_config.json` (on a Mac in `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/`, on Windows in `%APPDATA%\Claude\`).
2. Add the server, replacing `okd_...` with your key. If the file already has servers, add the `"okdata"` block inside the existing `mcpServers`.

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "okdata": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://api.okdata.online/mcp", "--header", "Authorization:${AUTH_HEADER}"],
      "env": { "AUTH_HEADER": "Bearer okd_..." }
    }
  }
}
```

3. Quit Claude Desktop completely (not just the window) and open it again.

The header is split into `AUTH_HEADER` on purpose: an argument with a space in it breaks on some Windows setups. The key now sits in that file in plain text, so don't sync the file to shared storage or paste it anywhere.

## Check that it worked

Click the **+** button under the message box and open **Connectors**. `okdata` should be there, switched on, with four tools: `find`, `describe`, `call` and `account`. Ask "What is my okdata balance?" If Claude answers with a number, the key works, and that check is free.

## A first prompt to try

```text
Use okdata. Look at today's Douyin hot list, then search Douyin videos about
"camping gear", newest first, one page. Read the comments under the three most
liked videos and tell me what people praise and complain about, with links.
Tell me the cost before each paid step.
```

## What it costs

Looking things up is free: `find` and `describe` show the endpoints and their prices without a key, and `account` shows your balance. Each `call` costs the endpoint's price. For the prompt above:

- Douyin hot list: $0.002
- One page of [Douyin video search](/apis/douyin/videos/search/): $0.02
- Comments under three videos: $0.002 each

That is $0.028 in total, well inside the trial credit. For comparison, one page of [Xiaohongshu note search](/apis/xiaohongshu/notes/search/) is $0.02. Failed calls are free.

## When something goes wrong

- **`unauthorized` (401).** The key is missing or mistyped. In way 1, check that the header value starts with `Bearer ` and that you chose **No sign-in**; header settings can't be edited, so remove the connector and add it again. In way 2, check the `AUTH_HEADER` line, then quit and reopen Claude.
- **`insufficient_balance` (402).** Not enough balance for this call. Nothing was charged. Top up and ask again; prices are on the [pricing page](/pricing/).
- **`rate_limited` (429).** Too many calls at once. The error carries `retry_after_seconds`; Claude can wait that long and repeat the call at no charge.
- **The connector or its tools don't appear.** For way 1, make sure the connector is switched on under **+ > Connectors** for this chat. For way 2, run `node --version` in a terminal (it must print v18 or later), check the JSON for a missing comma, and read the log: on a Mac, `tail -n 50 ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp-server-okdata.log`.

## Read next

- [The MCP server](/mcp/): the four tools and what to tell Claude about spending.
- [Douyin video search](/apis/douyin/videos/search/): parameters, fields and price.