How to integrate Ahrefs MCP with Codex

Codex is one of the most popular coding harnesses out there. And MCP makes the experience even better. With Ahrefs MCP integration, you can draft, triage, summarise emails, and much more, all without leaving the terminal or app, whichever you prefer.

Composio removes the Authentication handling completely from you. We handle the entire integration lifecycle, and all you need to do is just copy the URL below, authenticate inside Codex, and start using it.

Why use Composio?

Apart from a managed and hosted MCP server, you will get:

• CodeAct: A dedicated workbench that allows GPT to write its code to handle complex tool chaining. Reduces to-and-fro with LLMs for frequent tool calling.
• Large tool responses: Handle them to minimise context rot.
• Dynamic just-in-time access to 20,000 tools across 870+ other Apps for cross-app workflows. It loads the tools you need, so GPTs aren't overwhelmed by tools you don't need.

How to install Ahrefs MCP in Codex

Codex CLI

Run the command in your terminal.

This will auto-redirect you to the Rube authentication page.

Once you're authenticated, you will be able to access the tools.

Verify the installation by running:

codex mcp list

If you otherwise prefer to use config.toml, add the following URL to it. You can get the bearer token from rube.app → Use Rube → MCP URL → Generate token

[projects."/home/user/composio"]
trust_level = "untrusted"

[mcp_servers.rube]
bearer_token_env_var = "your bearer token"
enabled = true
url = "https://rube.app/mcp"

Codex in VS Code

If you have installed Codex in VS Code.

Then: ⚙️ → MCP Settings → + Add servers → Streamable HTTP:

Add the Rube MCP URL: https://rube.app/mcp and the bearer token.

To verify, click on the Open config.toml

Make sure it's there:

[mcp_servers.composio_rube]
bearer_token_env_var = "your bearer token"
enabled = true
url = "https://rube.app/mcp"

Codex App

Codex App follows the same approach as VS Code.

1. Click ⚙️ on the bottom left → MCP Servers → + Add servers → Streamable HTTP:

2. Restart and verify if it's there in .codex/config.toml

[mcp_servers.composio_rube]
bearer_token_env_var = "your bearer token"
enabled = true
url = "https://rube.app/mcp"

3. Save, restart the extension, and start working.

The Ahrefs MCP server is an implementation of the Model Context Protocol that connects your AI agent and assistants like Claude, Cursor, etc directly to your Ahrefs account. It provides structured and secure access to your SEO and marketing data, so your agent can perform actions like analyzing backlinks, researching keywords, auditing domain authority, and uncovering competitive insights on your behalf.

• Comprehensive backlink analysis: Instantly retrieve detailed backlink profiles, stats, and broken link data for any website to inform your SEO strategy or spot link-building opportunities.
• Keyword research and trends: Explore keyword overviews, search volumes by country, and discover matching or related terms to optimize content and target the right audience.
• Domain authority tracking: Fetch up-to-date domain ratings or track historical changes to monitor the SEO health and growth of your own sites or competitors over time.
• Batch competitor and site analysis: Analyze up to 100 domains or URLs at once to compare SEO metrics, spot weaknesses, and benchmark your performance against competitors efficiently.
• Outbound link and partnership insights: Identify all external domains a site links to, helping you understand content strategy, partnerships, and potential link-building prospects.

Conclusion

You've successfully integrated Ahrefs with Codex using Composio's Rube MCP server. Now you can interact with Ahrefs directly from your terminal, VS Code, or the Codex App using natural language commands.

Key benefits of this setup:

• Seamless integration across CLI, VS Code, and standalone app
• Natural language commands for Ahrefs operations
• Managed authentication through Composio's Rube
• Access to 20,000+ tools across 870+ apps for cross-app workflows
• CodeAct workbench for complex tool chaining

Next steps:

• Try asking Codex to perform various Ahrefs operations
• Explore cross-app workflows by connecting more toolkits
• Build automation scripts that leverage Codex's AI capabilities