Gmail with Claude Agent SDK

How to integrate Gmail MCP with Claude Agent SDK

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Introduction Also integrate Gmail with TL;DR What is Claude Agent SDK What is the Gmail MCP server Supported Tools & Triggers Creating MCP Server - Stand-alone vs Composio SDK Step-by-step Guide Complete Code Conclusion How to build Gmail MCP Agent with another framework Explore Other Toolkits FAQ

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Introduction

This guide walks you through connecting Gmail to the Claude Agent SDK using the Composio tool router. By the end, you'll have a working Gmail agent that can read emails, search your inbox, draft messages, manage labels, and organize threads through natural language commands.

This guide will help you understand how to give your Claude Agent SDK agent real control over a Gmail account through Composio's Gmail MCP server.

Before we dive in, let's take a quick look at the key ideas and tools involved.

Also integrate Gmail with

ChatGPT Antigravity OpenAI Agents SDK Claude Code Claude Cowork Codex OpenCode Cursor VS Code OpenClaw Hermes CLI Google ADK LangChain Vercel AI SDK Mastra AI LlamaIndex CrewAI

TL;DR

Here's what you'll learn:

Get and set up your Claude/Anthropic and Composio API keys
Install the necessary dependencies
Initialize Composio and create a Tool Router session for Gmail
Configure an AI agent that can use Gmail as a tool
Run a live chat session where you can ask the agent to perform Gmail operations

What is Claude Agent SDK?

The Claude Agent SDK is Anthropic's official framework for building AI agents powered by Claude. It provides a streamlined interface for creating agents with MCP tool support and conversation management.

Key features include:

Native MCP Support: Built-in support for Model Context Protocol servers
Permission Modes: Control tool execution permissions
Streaming Responses: Real-time response streaming for interactive applications
Context Manager: Clean async context management for sessions

What is the Gmail MCP server, and what's possible with it?

The Gmail MCP server is an implementation of the Model Context Protocol that connects your AI agent and assistants like Claude, Cursor, etc directly to your Gmail account. It provides structured and secure access to your email, so your agent can search, read, draft, organize, and even manage contacts in your mailbox—all on your behalf.

Advanced email search and retrieval: Effortlessly instruct your agent to fetch emails by sender, subject, label, date, or keywords, and even retrieve full message content or threads.
Automated drafting and sending: Have your agent create new email drafts, craft replies, add CC/BCC, include attachments, and handle threading to streamline communication.
Smart label and inbox organization: Let the agent create new labels, apply or remove labels from emails, and keep your inbox clutter-free by archiving or moving messages.
Contact and thread management: Fetch your Gmail contacts, pull entire conversation threads, or download specific attachments to make follow-ups a breeze.
Email and draft cleanup: Direct your agent to permanently delete emails or drafts, helping you maintain a tidy mailbox with minimal effort.

Supported Tools & Triggers

Tools

Triggers

Modify email labelsAdds and/or removes specified Gmail labels for a message; ensure `message_id` and all `label_ids` are valid (use 'listLabels' for custom label IDs).

Batch delete Gmail messagesTool to permanently delete multiple Gmail messages in bulk, bypassing Trash with no recovery possible.

Batch modify Gmail messagesModify labels on multiple Gmail messages in one efficient API call.

Create email draftCreates a Gmail email draft.

Create Gmail filterTool to create a new Gmail filter with specified criteria and actions.

Create labelCreates a new label with a unique name in the specified user's Gmail account.

Create Prompt PostSend a one-shot prompt to the Sanity Content Agent.

Delete DraftPermanently deletes a specific Gmail draft using its ID with no recovery possible; verify the correct `draft_id` and obtain explicit user confirmation before calling.

Delete Gmail filterTool to permanently delete a Gmail filter by its ID.

Delete label from account (permanent)Permanently DELETES a user-created Gmail label from the account (not from a message).

Delete messagePermanently deletes a specific email message by its ID from a Gmail mailbox; for `user_id`, use 'me' for the authenticated user or an email address to which the authenticated user has delegated access.

Delete threadTool to immediately and permanently delete a specified thread and all its messages.

Fetch emailsFetches a list of email messages from a Gmail account, supporting filtering, pagination, and optional full content retrieval.

Fetch message by message IDFetches a specific email message by its ID, provided the `message_id` exists and is accessible to the authenticated `user_id`.

Fetch Message by Thread IDRetrieves messages from a Gmail thread using its `thread_id`, where the thread must be accessible by the specified `user_id`.

Forward email messageForward an existing Gmail message to specified recipients, preserving original body and attachments.

Get Gmail attachmentRetrieves a specific attachment by ID from a message in a user's Gmail mailbox, requiring valid message and attachment IDs.

Get Auto-Forwarding SettingsTool to get the auto-forwarding setting for the specified account.

Get contactsFetches contacts (connections) for the authenticated Google account, allowing selection of specific data fields and pagination.

Get DraftRetrieves a single Gmail draft by its ID.

Get Gmail filterTool to retrieve a specific Gmail filter by its ID.

Get label detailsGets details for a specified Gmail label.

Get Language SettingsTool to retrieve the language settings for a Gmail user.

Get PeopleRetrieves either a specific person's details (using `resource_name`) or lists 'Other Contacts' (if `other_contacts` is true), with `person_fields` specifying the data to return.

Get ProfileRetrieves Gmail profile information (email address, aggregate messagesTotal/threadsTotal, historyId) for a user.

Get Vacation SettingsTool to retrieve vacation responder settings for a Gmail user.

Import messageTool to import a message into the user's mailbox with standard email delivery scanning and classification.

Insert message into mailboxTool to insert a message into the user's mailbox similar to IMAP APPEND.

List CSE identitiesTool to list client-side encrypted identities for an authenticated user.

List CSE key pairsTool to list client-side encryption key pairs for an authenticated user.

List DraftsRetrieves a paginated list of email drafts from a user's Gmail account.

List Gmail filtersTool to list all Gmail filters (rules) in the mailbox.

List forwarding addressesTool to list all forwarding addresses for the specified Gmail account.

List Gmail historyTool to list Gmail mailbox change history since a known startHistoryId.

List Gmail labelsRetrieves all system and user-created labels for a Gmail account in a single unpaginated response.

List send-as aliasesLists the send-as aliases for a Gmail account, including the primary address and custom 'from' aliases.

List S/MIME configsLists S/MIME configs for the specified send-as alias.

List threadsRetrieves a list of email threads from a Gmail account, identified by `user_id` (email address or 'me'), supporting filtering and pagination.

Modify thread labelsAdds or removes specified existing label IDs from a Gmail thread, affecting all its messages; ensure the thread ID is valid.

Trash threadMoves the specified thread to the trash.

Move to TrashMoves an existing, non-deleted email message to the trash for the specified user.

Patch LabelPatches the specified user-created label.

Patch send-as aliasTool to patch the specified send-as alias for a Gmail user.

Reply to email threadSends a reply within a specific Gmail thread using the original thread's subject; do not provide a custom subject as it will start a new conversation instead of replying in-thread.

Search PeopleSearches contacts by matching the query against names, nicknames, emails, phone numbers, and organizations, optionally including 'Other Contacts'.

Send DraftSends an existing draft email AS-IS to recipients already defined within the draft.

Send EmailSends an email via Gmail API using the authenticated user's Google profile display name.

Get IMAP SettingsRetrieves the IMAP settings for a Gmail user account, including whether IMAP is enabled, auto-expunge behavior, expunge behavior, and maximum folder size.

Get POP settingsTool to retrieve POP settings for a Gmail account.

Get send-as aliasTool to retrieve a specific send-as alias configuration for a Gmail user.

Stop watch notificationsTool to stop receiving push notifications for a Gmail mailbox.

Untrash MessageTool to remove a message from trash in Gmail.

Untrash threadTool to remove a thread from trash in Gmail.

Update draftUpdates (replaces) an existing Gmail draft's content in-place by draft ID.

Update IMAP settingsTool to update IMAP settings for a Gmail account.

Update LabelTool to update the properties of an existing Gmail label.

Update Language SettingsTool to update the language settings for a Gmail user.

Update POP settingsTool to update POP settings for a Gmail account.

Update send-as aliasTool to update a send-as alias for a Gmail user.

Update User Attributes ValuesUpdate user attribute values for a resource.

Update Vacation SettingsTool to update vacation responder settings for a Gmail user.

What is the Composio tool router, and how does it fit here?

What is Composio SDK?

Composio's Composio SDK helps agents find the right tools for a task at runtime. You can plug in multiple toolkits (like Gmail, HubSpot, and GitHub), and the agent will identify the relevant app and action to complete multi-step workflows. This can reduce token usage and improve the reliability of tool calls. Read more here: Getting started with Composio SDK

The tool router generates a secure MCP URL that your agents can access to perform actions.

How the Composio SDK works

The Composio SDK follows a three-phase workflow:

Discovery: Searches for tools matching your task and returns relevant toolkits with their details.
Authentication: Checks for active connections. If missing, creates an auth config and returns a connection URL via Auth Link.
Execution: Executes the action using the authenticated connection.

Step-by-step Guide

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

Composio API Key and Claude/Anthropic API Key
Primary know-how of Claude Agents SDK
A Gmail account
Some knowledge of Python

Getting API Keys for Claude/Anthropic and Composio

Claude/Anthropic API Key

Go to the Anthropic Console and create an API key. You'll need credits to use the models.
Keep the API key safe.

Composio API Key

Log in to the Composio dashboard.
Navigate to your API settings and generate a new API key.
Store this key securely as you'll need it for authentication.

Install dependencies

pip install composio-anthropic claude-agent-sdk python-dotenv

Install the Composio SDK and the Claude Agents SDK.

What's happening:

composio-anthropic provides Composio integration for Anthropic
claude-agent-sdk is the core agent framework
python-dotenv loads environment variables

Set up environment variables

bash

COMPOSIO_API_KEY=your_composio_api_key_here
USER_ID=your_user_id_here
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_anthropic_api_key_here

Create a .env file in your project root.

What's happening:

COMPOSIO_API_KEY authenticates with Composio
USER_ID identifies the user for session management
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY authenticates with Anthropic/Claude

Import dependencies

import asyncio
from claude_agent_sdk import ClaudeSDKClient, ClaudeAgentOptions
import os
from composio import Composio
from dotenv import load_dotenv

load_dotenv()

What's happening:

We're importing all necessary libraries including the Claude Agent SDK and Composio
The load_dotenv() function loads environment variables from your .env file
This setup prepares the foundation for connecting Claude with Gmail functionality

Create a Composio instance and Tool Router session

async def chat_with_remote_mcp():
    api_key = os.getenv("COMPOSIO_API_KEY")
    if not api_key:
        raise RuntimeError("COMPOSIO_API_KEY is not set")

    composio = Composio(api_key=api_key)

    # Create Tool Router session for Gmail
    mcp_server = composio.create(
        user_id=os.getenv("USER_ID"),
        toolkits=["gmail"]
    )

    url = mcp_server.mcp.url

    if not url:
        raise ValueError("Session URL not found")

What's happening:

The function checks for the required COMPOSIO_API_KEY environment variable
We're creating a Composio instance using our API key
The create method creates a Tool Router session for Gmail
The returned url is the MCP server URL that your agent will use

Configure Claude Agent with MCP

# Configure remote MCP server for Claude
options = ClaudeAgentOptions(
    permission_mode="bypassPermissions",
    mcp_servers={
        "composio": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": url,
            "headers": {
                "x-api-key": os.getenv("COMPOSIO_API_KEY")
            }
        }
    },
    system_prompt="You are a helpful assistant with access to Gmail tools via Composio.",
    max_turns=10
)

What's happening:

We're configuring the Claude Agent options with the MCP server URL
permission_mode="bypassPermissions" allows the agent to execute operations without asking for permission each time
The system prompt instructs the agent that it has access to Gmail
max_turns=10 limits the conversation length to prevent excessive API usage

Create client and start chat loop

# Create client with context manager
async with ClaudeSDKClient(options=options) as client:
    print("\nChat started. Type 'exit' or 'quit' to end.\n")

    # Main chat loop
    while True:
        user_input = input("You: ").strip()
        if user_input.lower() in {"exit", "quit"}:
            print("Goodbye!")
            break

        # Send query
        await client.query(user_input)

        # Receive and print response
        print("Claude: ", end="", flush=True)
        async for message in client.receive_response():
            if hasattr(message, "content"):
                for block in message.content:
                    if hasattr(block, "text"):
                        print(block.text, end="", flush=True)
        print()

What's happening:

The Claude SDK client is created using the async context manager pattern
The agent processes each query and streams the response back in real-time
The chat loop continues until the user types 'exit' or 'quit'

Run the application

if __name__ == "__main__":
    asyncio.run(chat_with_remote_mcp())

What's happening:

This entry point runs the async chat_with_remote_mcp() function using asyncio.run()
The application will start, create the MCP connection, and begin the interactive chat session

Complete Code

Here's the complete code to get you started with Gmail and Claude Agent SDK:

import asyncio
from claude_agent_sdk import ClaudeSDKClient, ClaudeAgentOptions
import os
from composio import Composio
from dotenv import load_dotenv

load_dotenv()

async def chat_with_remote_mcp():
    api_key = os.getenv("COMPOSIO_API_KEY")
    if not api_key:
        raise RuntimeError("COMPOSIO_API_KEY is not set")

    composio = Composio(api_key=api_key)

    # Create Tool Router session for Gmail
    mcp_server = composio.create(
        user_id=os.getenv("USER_ID"),
        toolkits=["gmail"]
    )

    url = mcp_server.mcp.url

    if not url:
        raise ValueError("Session URL not found")

    # Configure remote MCP server for Claude
    options = ClaudeAgentOptions(
        permission_mode="bypassPermissions",
        mcp_servers={
            "composio": {
                "type": "http",
                "url": url,
                "headers": {
                    "x-api-key": os.getenv("COMPOSIO_API_KEY")
                }
            }
        },
        system_prompt="You are a helpful assistant with access to Gmail tools via Composio.",
        max_turns=10
    )

    # Create client with context manager
    async with ClaudeSDKClient(options=options) as client:
        print("\nChat started. Type 'exit' or 'quit' to end.\n")

        # Main chat loop
        while True:
            user_input = input("You: ").strip()
            if user_input.lower() in {"exit", "quit"}:
                print("Goodbye!")
                break

            # Send query
            await client.query(user_input)

            # Receive and print response
            print("Claude: ", end="", flush=True)
            async for message in client.receive_response():
                if hasattr(message, "content"):
                    for block in message.content:
                        if hasattr(block, "text"):
                            print(block.text, end="", flush=True)
            print()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    asyncio.run(chat_with_remote_mcp())

Conclusion

You've successfully built a Claude Agent SDK agent that can interact with Gmail through Composio's Tool Router.

Key features:

Native MCP support through Claude's agent framework
Streaming responses for real-time interaction
Permission bypass for smooth automated workflows

You can extend this by adding more toolkits, implementing custom business logic, or building a web interface around the agent.

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TOOLKIT MARKETPLACE

FAQ

What are the differences in Tool Router MCP and Gmail MCP?

With a standalone Gmail MCP server, the agents and LLMs can only access a fixed set of Gmail tools tied to that server. However, with the Composio Tool Router, agents can dynamically load tools from Gmail and many other apps based on the task at hand, all through a single MCP endpoint.

Can I use Tool Router MCP with Claude Agent SDK?

Yes, you can. Claude Agent SDK fully supports MCP integration. You get structured tool calling, message history handling, and model orchestration while Tool Router takes care of discovering and serving the right Gmail tools.

Can I manage the permissions and scopes for Gmail while using Tool Router?

Yes, absolutely. You can configure which Gmail scopes and actions are allowed when connecting your account to Composio. You can also bring your own OAuth credentials or API configuration so you keep full control over what the agent can do.

How safe is my data with Composio Tool Router?

All sensitive data such as tokens, keys, and configuration is fully encrypted at rest and in transit. Composio is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant and follows strict security practices so your Gmail data and credentials are handled as safely as possible.

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Harsha GaddipatiCo-founder, Slashy

Karan skipped his own birthday party to fix our critical issue. It was 10 pm and he diverted his Waymo to help us instead. This really sets the bar, shows you the commitment you need to have when users rely on your software.

Abhi AryaCo-founder, Opennote

A lot of students tell us that the moment their connected tools start talking to each other inside Opennote feels almost magical. The agent just knows them, and it has immensely helped in keeping new users on the platform.

Nirman DaveCEO, Zams

We chose Composio over Pipedream because it delivered depth where it mattered. It supported niche tools and tricky edge cases that other platforms simply ignored. Giving us confidence to scale without compromising.

Ryan YuFounder, Extra Thursday

As a solo builder, shipping fast is life or death. The only way I can outcompete incumbents is by outmanoeuvring them. Getting bogged down in the complexities of managing agent auth would have been a death sentence for Extra Thursday.

Tomisin JenrolaFounder & CEO, SwarmZero

Before partnering with Composio, adding tool integrations was a slow, resource-intensive process. Each integration could take weeks or months of engineering time, and maintaining them meant constantly keeping up with API changes.

Jerome LeclancheCo-Founder, Ingram Technologies

With hands-on help from their founder, we integrated Gmail and Google Drive in just 30 minutes. This level of personal support and commitment is exactly what startups should strive for.

Harsha GaddipatiCo-founder, Slashy

Abhi AryaCo-founder, Opennote

Nirman DaveCEO, Zams

Ryan YuFounder, Extra Thursday

Tomisin JenrolaFounder & CEO, SwarmZero

Jerome LeclancheCo-Founder, Ingram Technologies

With hands-on help from their founder, we integrated Gmail and Google Drive in just 30 minutes. This level of personal support and commitment is exactly what startups should strive for.

Harsha GaddipatiCo-founder, Slashy

Abhi AryaCo-founder, Opennote

Nirman DaveCEO, Zams

Ryan YuFounder, Extra Thursday

Tomisin JenrolaFounder & CEO, SwarmZero

Jerome LeclancheCo-Founder, Ingram Technologies

With hands-on help from their founder, we integrated Gmail and Google Drive in just 30 minutes. This level of personal support and commitment is exactly what startups should strive for.

How to integrate Gmail MCP with Claude Agent SDK

Table of Contents

Connect Gmail without Auth hassles

Introduction

Also integrate Gmail with

TL;DR

What is Claude Agent SDK?

What is the Gmail MCP server, and what's possible with it?

Supported Tools & Triggers

What is the Composio tool router, and how does it fit here?

What is Composio SDK?

How the Composio SDK works

Step-by-step Guide

Prerequisites

Getting API Keys for Claude/Anthropic and Composio

Install dependencies

Set up environment variables

Import dependencies

Create a Composio instance and Tool Router session

Configure Claude Agent with MCP

Create client and start chat loop

Run the application

Complete Code

Conclusion

How to build Gmail MCP Agent with another framework

ChatGPT

Antigravity

OpenAI Agents SDK

Claude Code

Claude Cowork

Codex

Cursor

OpenClaw

Hermes

CLI

Google ADK

LangChain

Vercel AI SDK

Mastra AI

LlamaIndex

CrewAI

OpenCode

VS Code

Explore Other Toolkits

Outlook

Slack

Gong

FAQ

What are the differences in Tool Router MCP and Gmail MCP?

Can I use Tool Router MCP with Claude Agent SDK?

Can I manage the permissions and scopes for Gmail while using Tool Router?

How safe is my data with Composio Tool Router?

Used by agents from

Never worry about agent reliability