HelpNDoc includes a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that lets the Codex application access HelpNDoc features and work with your documentation projects.

Prerequisites

The Codex application must be installed locally on the same Windows computer as HelpNDoc. Download and install the application by following OpenAI's official instructions: Install the Codex application

Start the application and sign in with your ChatGPT account.

Configure the HelpNDoc MCP server port

The HelpNDoc MCP server uses port 8933 by default.

To review or change this port:

  1. Select "File", then "Options".
  2. Select "Artificial Intelligence (AI)".
  3. Locate the "MCP Server" section.
  4. Enter the required port number in the "Port" field.

The port configured in Codex must match the port configured in HelpNDoc.

Start the HelpNDoc MCP server

To start the server:

  1. Open the "Tools" ribbon tab.
  2. Locate the "Services" group.
  3. Click "Start MCP server".

Once the server is running, the command changes to "Stop MCP server". Click it to stop the server manually.

The MCP server also stops automatically when HelpNDoc is closed.

Register HelpNDoc using the Codex command line

Keep HelpNDoc running with its MCP server started.

Open Windows Terminal, PowerShell, or Command Prompt and enter:

codex mcp add HelpNDoc --url http://localhost:8933/mcp

When another port is configured in HelpNDoc, replace 8933 with that port number.

Codex stores MCP settings in its shared configuration. The Codex application, Codex command-line interface, and Codex IDE extension can therefore use the same server configuration.

Check the registered servers

From a Windows terminal, enter:

codex mcp list

This command displays the MCP servers configured for Codex.

To display all available MCP management commands, enter:

codex mcp --help

Check the connection in Codex

Open the Codex application and start a new local chat.

Enter the following command in the composer:

/mcp

Codex displays the active MCP servers and their connection status. Select "HelpNDoc" to inspect the server and the tools it provides.

The HelpNDoc server should appear as connected. When it cannot connect, verify that:

  • HelpNDoc is running.
  • "Start MCP server" has been clicked.
  • The port numbers match.
  • No firewall or security application is blocking the local connection.
  • Codex is running locally on the same computer as HelpNDoc.

Inspect the available HelpNDoc tools

You can ask Codex to describe the tools exposed by HelpNDoc:

List the tools available from the HelpNDoc MCP server and briefly explain what each tool does.

Codex discovers MCP tools and selects them according to the current task. Some tools might only be loaded when they become relevant to the conversation.

Use HelpNDoc from the Codex application

Start a new local chat and use natural-language instructions. Clearly mention HelpNDoc, the currently open project, and the action to perform.

For example:

  • Use the HelpNDoc MCP server to describe the currently open project and list its topics.
  • Use HelpNDoc to find the topic named "Getting Started".
  • Use HelpNDoc to create a new topic named "Installation".
  • Review the structure of the open HelpNDoc project and suggest improvements. Do not make any changes until I approve them.
  • Update the selected HelpNDoc topic using the following content: ...

Codex selects and calls the appropriate HelpNDoc tools. Depending on the configured permissions, it might request approval before performing an operation.

For safer operation, first ask Codex to inspect the project or describe its proposed changes. Then explicitly authorize it to modify the project.

Stop the server

When the integration is no longer needed, open the "Tools" ribbon tab in HelpNDoc and click "Stop MCP server". The server also stops automatically when HelpNDoc is closed.