How is this better than using a separate chat for criticism?

Sessions run in complete isolation. Your main conversation stays clean—no copy-pasting, no context pollution. You get the insight without the mess.

What makes this different from just prompting Claude harder?

We inject structured tools that create auditable reasoning trails. "Be critical" is a suggestion. Our tools leave evidence.

Why does ChatGPT always agree with me?

AI models are trained to be helpful and avoid conflict, leading to sycophantic behavior. They validate your ideas instead of challenging them. Our tools use structured tool calls that force systematic evaluation, preventing the AI from simply agreeing.

How does billing work?

$20/month or $180/year for full access to all reasoning tools. Cancel anytime from your account settings. No usage metering, no overage charges.

Who actually uses this?

Mostly developers and technical founders using AI coding agents (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf). When the agent is on iteration 30 of the wrong approach, an isolated reasoning session breaks the loop.

What do you do with my data?

Your reasoning sessions are private and encrypted. We do not train models on your data. We do not sell or share your content. Sessions are stored only for you to access and reference.

Won't this slow me down?

The reasoning step takes seconds. Rewriting a hallucinated backend takes weeks. The fastest way to ship is to not build the wrong thing.

Documentation

MCP Integration Guide

Step-by-step instructions for connecting reasoning.services to your AI workflow. Configure Claude Desktop, Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, or any MCP-compatible client.

Want copy-paste configs? See the Install page for ready-to-use configuration blocks for all supported clients.

Overview

reasoning.services exposes four cognitive tools as MCP servers over native HTTP transport:

Structured Reflection — Guided self-reflection that surfaces what you are missing
Sequential Thinking — Stage gates that prevent skipping steps
Context Switcher — Multi-perspective analysis from 9 viewpoints
Decision Matrix — Weighted criteria with sensitivity analysis

Prerequisites: An active reasoning.services subscription and your API key from the account dashboard.

Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop has native MCP support with HTTP transport. Add reasoning.services to your configuration file:

1. Locate your configuration file

The config file location varies by operating system:

bash

# macOS
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

# Windows
%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

# Linux
~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

2. Add the MCP server configuration

Add all four services as native HTTP MCP servers. Replace YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY with your actual API key:

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "structured-reflection": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/structured-reflection/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
    },
    "sequential-thinking": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/sequential-thinking/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
    },
    "context-switcher": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/context-switcher/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
    },
    "decision-matrix": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/decision-matrix/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
    }
  }
}

3. Restart Claude Desktop

Quit and reopen Claude Desktop. You should see the reasoning.services tools available in your tools menu.

Cursor

Cursor supports MCP servers with native HTTP transport. Configuration lives in ~/.cursor/mcp.json or via Settings → Features → MCP Servers.

1. Open MCP configuration

Go to Settings → Features → MCP Servers or edit ~/.cursor/mcp.json directly.

2. Add server entries

Cursor uses a flat object (no mcpServers wrapper). Replace YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY with your actual API key:

json

{
  "structured-reflection": {
    "type": "http",
    "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/structured-reflection/mcp",
    "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
  },
  "sequential-thinking": {
    "type": "http",
    "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/sequential-thinking/mcp",
    "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
  },
  "context-switcher": {
    "type": "http",
    "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/context-switcher/mcp",
    "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
  },
  "decision-matrix": {
    "type": "http",
    "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/decision-matrix/mcp",
    "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
  }
}

3. Reload Cursor

Use the command palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P) and run "Developer: Reload Window" to activate the new MCP servers.

Claude Code (CLI)

Add reasoning.services tools using the CLI or by editing your settings file directly.

Option A: CLI one-liners

Run each command to register a service. Replace YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY with your actual API key:

bash

claude mcp add structured-reflection --transport http --url https://reasoning.services/tools/structured-reflection/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY"

claude mcp add sequential-thinking --transport http --url https://reasoning.services/tools/sequential-thinking/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY"

claude mcp add context-switcher --transport http --url https://reasoning.services/tools/context-switcher/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY"

claude mcp add decision-matrix --transport http --url https://reasoning.services/tools/decision-matrix/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY"

Option B: Manual configuration

Edit ~/.claude/settings.json and add the mcpServers block:

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "structured-reflection": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/structured-reflection/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
    },
    "sequential-thinking": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/sequential-thinking/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
    },
    "context-switcher": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/context-switcher/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
    },
    "decision-matrix": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/decision-matrix/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
    }
  }
}

Windsurf

Windsurf supports MCP servers with native HTTP transport. Configuration lives in ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json.

Add server entries

Windsurf uses the mcpServers wrapper (same structure as Claude Desktop). Replace YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY with your actual API key:

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "structured-reflection": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/structured-reflection/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
    },
    "sequential-thinking": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/sequential-thinking/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
    },
    "context-switcher": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/context-switcher/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
    },
    "decision-matrix": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/decision-matrix/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
    }
  }
}

Reload Windsurf

Restart Windsurf or reload the window to activate the new MCP servers.

Cline / Continue (VS Code)

VS Code extensions like Cline and Continue support MCP servers through their own configuration. These extensions typically accept a flat JSON object of server definitions.

Cline

Open Cline settings in VS Code and add the MCP server configuration. Replace YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY with your actual API key:

json

{
  "structured-reflection": {
    "type": "http",
    "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/structured-reflection/mcp",
    "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
  },
  "sequential-thinking": {
    "type": "http",
    "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/sequential-thinking/mcp",
    "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
  },
  "context-switcher": {
    "type": "http",
    "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/context-switcher/mcp",
    "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
  },
  "decision-matrix": {
    "type": "http",
    "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/decision-matrix/mcp",
    "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
  }
}

Continue

Add the same configuration to your ~/.continue/config.json under the experimental or mcpServers key, depending on your Continue version.

json

{
  "structured-reflection": {
    "type": "http",
    "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/structured-reflection/mcp",
    "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
  },
  "sequential-thinking": {
    "type": "http",
    "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/sequential-thinking/mcp",
    "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
  },
  "context-switcher": {
    "type": "http",
    "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/context-switcher/mcp",
    "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
  },
  "decision-matrix": {
    "type": "http",
    "url": "https://reasoning.services/tools/decision-matrix/mcp",
    "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY" }
  }
}

Authentication

Getting Your API Key

Sign in to your reasoning.services account
Navigate to Account → API Keys
Generate a new key
Copy and securely store the key (it won't be shown again)

Security note:Keep your API key secure. Don't commit it to version control. Use environment variables or secret management tools for production deployments.

Using Environment Variables

Store your API key in an environment variable and reference it in the headers block of your JSON config. The Authorization header value accepts the key directly — no shell variable expansion needed in the JSON file itself.

bash

# In your shell profile (.zshrc, .bashrc, etc.)
export REASONING_SERVICES_API_KEY="your_api_key_here"

# Then replace YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY in the JSON config with the actual key value.
# Some clients support environment variable references in headers —
# check your client's documentation for details.

Available Tools

Once connected, you'll have access to these MCP tools:

start_reflection / reflect / conclude_reflection

Structured Reflection tools for guided problem-solving sessions.

text

> Start a reflection session about this architecture decision
> reflect: "I'm not sure if I should use microservices or monolith"
> Get insights from the session

process_thought / generate_summary

Sequential Thinking tools for staged reasoning with checkpoints.

text

> Process thought: "First, let's define the problem clearly"
> Stage: Problem Definition
> Continue with Research stage...

start_context_analysis / analyze_from_perspectives / synthesize

Context Switcher tools for multi-perspective analysis.

text

> Analyze "Should we migrate to Kubernetes?" from:
> - Technical perspective
> - Business perspective
> - Risk perspective
> Synthesize findings

start_decision_analysis / add_criterion / evaluate_options

Decision Matrix tools for weighted decision-making.

text

> Compare PostgreSQL vs MongoDB vs DynamoDB
> Criteria: consistency (weight: 1.5), scalability (1.0), cost (0.8)
> Run sensitivity analysis

Troubleshooting

"Server not responding" or connection timeouts

•Verify your API key is correct and not expired
•Ensure you have network access to reasoning.services
•Try restarting your MCP client after configuration changes

"Unauthorized" errors (401)

•Regenerate your API key from the account dashboard
•Ensure the header value is Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY (note the space after Bearer)
•Check that your subscription is active

Tools not appearing in client

•Verify your JSON configuration syntax is valid
•Check client logs for MCP connection errors
•Test connectivity directly with curl:

bash

curl -H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_RSVC_API_KEY' https://reasoning.services/tools/context-switcher/mcp

Next Steps

Usage Examples

See practical examples of each reasoning tool in action.

Tool Documentation

Deep dive into each cognitive tool's capabilities and use cases.

Get Support

Need help? Contact our support team for integration assistance.

Get Started

Ready to integrate? Subscribe and start using the tools.

Navigation

MCP Integration Guide

Overview

Claude Desktop

1. Locate your configuration file

2. Add the MCP server configuration

3. Restart Claude Desktop

Cursor

1. Open MCP configuration

2. Add server entries

3. Reload Cursor

Claude Code (CLI)

Option A: CLI one-liners

Option B: Manual configuration

Windsurf

Add server entries

Reload Windsurf

Cline / Continue (VS Code)

Cline

Continue

Authentication

Getting Your API Key

Using Environment Variables

Available Tools

start_reflection / reflect / conclude_reflection

process_thought / generate_summary

start_context_analysis / analyze_from_perspectives / synthesize

start_decision_analysis / add_criterion / evaluate_options

Troubleshooting

"Server not responding" or connection timeouts

"Unauthorized" errors (401)

Tools not appearing in client

Next Steps

Usage Examples

Tool Documentation

Get Support

Get Started