{
  "$schema": "https://promptfoo.tech/schemas/workflow-template.json",
  "name": "MCP + Notion: A Second-Brain Agent That Actually Retrieves",
  "slug": "mcp-notion-agent-second-brain",
  "platform": "Claude",
  "category": "mcp-servers",
  "difficulty": "Beginner",
  "tags": [
    "mcp",
    "notion",
    "claude",
    "productivity",
    "rag"
  ],
  "summary": "Wire the Notion MCP server into Claude Desktop and turn your workspace into an ask-anything second brain — with citations, not hallucinations.",
  "overview": "Second-brain apps promise search, then deliver keyword hits. This workflow gives Claude direct read access to your Notion workspace via MCP, so you can ask 'what did we decide about pricing in Q1?' and get an answer with links, not links you have to skim.",
  "variables": {
    "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "sk-ant-...",
    "NOTION_TOKEN": "secret_..."
  },
  "steps": [
    {
      "order": 1,
      "name": "Create a read-only Notion integration",
      "description": "Notion → Settings → Integrations → New. Grant read only. Share only the databases and pages you want the agent to see."
    },
    {
      "order": 2,
      "name": "Install the Notion MCP server",
      "description": "npm install -g @notionhq/notion-mcp-server. Add it to Claude Desktop's mcp.json with the integration token."
    },
    {
      "order": 3,
      "name": "Test with a boring query first",
      "description": "'What's on the agenda for tomorrow's standup?' — if this works, your permissions are right."
    },
    {
      "order": 4,
      "name": "Enforce the citation rule in a project prompt",
      "description": "'Never make claims without a Notion URL. If you can't find it, say so.' This is the single most important line."
    },
    {
      "order": 5,
      "name": "Add a saved-query workflow",
      "description": "For recurring questions ('what's this week's priority?'), save them as Claude Projects. One-click retrieval."
    }
  ],
  "howItWorks": [
    "Notion MCP server runs locally with a read-only integration token.",
    "Claude Desktop discovers the server and its tools on launch.",
    "You ask a question in natural language; Claude picks the right search tool and filters.",
    "Every answer cites the Notion page URL — no citation, no claim.",
    "You never grant write access — it's a read-only brain for a reason."
  ],
  "benefits": [
    "Search that understands 'we decided' vs 'we discussed'.",
    "Answers with citations you can verify in one click.",
    "Zero data leaves your machine except the query and cited pages."
  ],
  "useCases": [
    "Personal knowledge management across 5+ years of Notion pages.",
    "Team wikis where nobody remembers where the SOP lives.",
    "Consultants who need to recall past client decisions instantly."
  ],
  "example": "Query: 'What did we decide about the enterprise pricing tier last quarter?' Response: 'Per the Pricing Review Q1 doc (linked), the team decided to launch at $2,500/mo minimum with a 12-month commit. The follow-up in Sales Sync 2026-03-14 confirmed the floor stays until Q3.'",
  "faqs": [
    {
      "q": "Is my data safe?",
      "a": "MCP runs locally. Only the query and the pages Claude opens are sent to Anthropic. Read the Notion integration scope before granting."
    },
    {
      "q": "Why not just use Notion AI?",
      "a": "Notion AI is fine for one-page tasks. Claude+MCP is better for cross-database queries because Claude reasons across sources natively."
    },
    {
      "q": "Write access — should I enable it?",
      "a": "Only after you've lived with read-only for a month. Write access without a review loop is how second brains turn into first-brain graveyards."
    }
  ],
  "source": "https://promptfoo.tech/workflows/mcp-notion-agent-second-brain",
  "updated": "2026-06-10",
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0"
}