Connection Methods
The Connect MCP modal offers three ways to connect an AI client to Willow. They serve different needs, and the choice determines what tools your AI can access and how predictably it accesses them.
MCP Gateway
MCP Gateway connects your AI to one specific MCP server. The URL includes a ?mcp=servername parameter:
https://yourorg.mcp-s.com/mcp?mcp=servername
Because the server name is in the URL, your AI only ever sees the tools from that one server. If you connect to the GitHub server, you get GitHub tools. Nothing else appears unless you add a second connection for a second server.
This predictability is the point. When you're doing focused work (reviewing pull requests, creating tickets, searching documentation), you don't need your AI reaching across every system your org has connected. Bounded access also makes AI behavior more consistent: the model knows exactly what it can do in that session.
Most users start here. Your admin may have a specific server they want you to connect to first.
Dynamic MCP Gateway
Dynamic MCP Gateway connects to all your available MCP servers through a single endpoint:
https://yourorg.mcp-s.com/dmcp
No ?mcp= parameter. Willow dynamically selects which tools to surface based on the context of each conversation. Ask about a GitHub issue and GitHub tools appear; ask about a Jira ticket and Jira tools appear.
The tradeoff is predictability. Because tool selection is dynamic, different conversations may surface different tools even when the underlying servers haven't changed. This is expected behavior, but it can be disorienting when you're debugging why a specific tool isn't appearing.
Use Dynamic MCP Gateway when you're doing exploratory or cross-system work and want the AI to draw from wherever is relevant, rather than being constrained to a single server. Your admin may recommend this for certain workflows.
MCP-S CLI
MCP-S CLI exposes your Willow connection as a command-line tool. It's not for chat-based AI clients. It's for scripting and automation where you want to call Willow tools programmatically, not through a conversation interface.
See your Connect MCP modal for the exact CLI command for your organization. For the full list of commands and configuration options, see the MCP-S CLI Reference.
If you're unsure which to use, start with MCP Gateway. Pick a specific server from the Connect MCP grid, copy the URL, and add it to your AI client. You can always add more connections later.
Set up your AI client
Once you have a URL, follow the guide for your specific client.