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Confluence MCP Server

Create a powerful Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Confluence in minutes with our AI Gateway. This guide walks you through setting up seamless Confluence integration with enterprise-grade security and instant OAuth authentication.

About Confluence API​

Confluence is Atlassian's collaborative workspace where teams create, share, and collaborate on projects, documentation, and ideas. The Confluence API provides comprehensive access to:

  • Page Management: Create, read, update, and manage pages and blog posts
  • Space Organization: Manage spaces, permissions, and hierarchies
  • Content Operations: Rich text editing, attachments, and macros
  • Search Capabilities: Full-text search across all content
  • User Collaboration: Comments, mentions, and watches
  • Labels & Categories: Organize content with labels and categories
  • Templates: Create and manage page templates
  • Analytics: Track page views and engagement metrics
  • Custom Content: Create and manage custom content types
  • Whiteboards: Access and manage collaborative whiteboards
  • Smart Links: Manage and track smart link integrations
  • Data Policies: Configure and manage data governance policies
  • Classification Levels: Handle content classification and security levels
  • Content Properties: Manage metadata and custom properties
  • Version Control: Track and manage content versions and history
  • Admin Key: Enterprise admin key management for bypassing restrictions

Key Features​

  • REST API v2: Modern API with enhanced capabilities
  • Cloud & Data Center: Support for both deployment types
  • CQL Search: Confluence Query Language for advanced search
  • Webhooks: Real-time notifications for content changes
  • Rate Limiting: 10 requests per second for cloud
  • Async Operations: Long-running operations support
  • Content Properties: Custom metadata storage
  • Expansions: Reduce API calls with nested data

What You Can Do with Confluence MCP Server​

The MCP server transforms Confluence's API into a natural language interface, enabling AI agents to:

Page & Content Management​

  • Smart Page Operations

    • "Create a new project documentation page in Engineering space"
    • "Update the API documentation with the latest endpoints"
    • "Find all pages modified in the last week by the dev team"
    • "Move all archived pages to the Archive space"

  • Content Organization

    • "Create a table of contents for the product documentation"
    • "Organize meeting notes by date and team"
    • "Build a knowledge base structure for customer support"
    • "Set up templates for different document types"

  • Bulk Content Processing

    • "Add a disclaimer to all policy pages"
    • "Update all links from old domain to new domain"
    • "Archive pages that haven't been viewed in 6 months"
    • "Export all technical documentation as PDFs"

Search & Discovery​

  • Advanced Search

    • "Find all pages mentioning 'security' in the IT space"
    • "Search for documents with attachments larger than 5MB"
    • "Locate all pages created by John last quarter"
    • "Find pages with broken links or missing images"

  • Content Intelligence

    • "Show me the most viewed pages this month"
    • "Find documentation gaps in our knowledge base"
    • "List pages that need review or updates"
    • "Identify duplicate or similar content"

  • Knowledge Mining

    • "Extract all action items from meeting notes"
    • "Summarize key decisions from project pages"
    • "Find all mentioned deadlines across spaces"
    • "Compile FAQ from support documentation"

Custom Content & Whiteboards​

  • Custom Content Management

    • "Create custom content types for project tracking"
    • "Manage custom content across spaces"
    • "Set up structured data templates"
    • "Configure custom content workflows"

  • Whiteboard Operations

    • "Create collaborative whiteboard for brainstorming"
    • "Share whiteboard with project team"
    • "Export whiteboard content to pages"
    • "Manage whiteboard permissions and access"

Advanced Content Features​

  • Smart Link Integration

    • "Manage smart links to external tools"
    • "Track smart link usage and analytics"
    • "Configure smart link previews"
    • "Monitor smart link performance"

  • Classification & Security

    • "Apply classification levels to sensitive content"
    • "Manage data governance policies"
    • "Set content security restrictions"
    • "Audit classified content access"

  • Content Properties & Metadata

    • "Add custom metadata to documentation"
    • "Track content properties across spaces"
    • "Set up automated property management"
    • "Query content by custom properties"

Collaboration & Communication​

  • Team Collaboration

    • "Notify team members about documentation updates"
    • "@mention stakeholders in requirement pages"
    • "Create collaborative editing sessions"
    • "Track who's working on what documentation"

  • Comment Management

    • "Find all unresolved comments on technical docs"
    • "Summarize feedback from page comments"
    • "Reply to questions in documentation"
    • "Escalate critical comments to page owners"

  • Review Workflows

    • "Set up approval workflows for policies"
    • "Track review status of documentation"
    • "Notify reviewers of pending approvals"
    • "Generate review reports for managers"

Space Management​

  • Space Operations

    • "Create a new space for the Q1 project"
    • "Set up space permissions for external contractors"
    • "Clone space structure for new departments"
    • "Archive completed project spaces"

  • Permission Management

    • "Grant read-only access to client documentation"
    • "Set up hierarchical permissions for teams"
    • "Audit who has access to sensitive spaces"
    • "Remove access for departing employees"

  • Space Analytics

    • "Show space activity over time"
    • "Identify inactive spaces"
    • "Track space growth and usage"
    • "Generate space health reports"

Reporting & Analytics​

  • Content Analytics

    • "Generate monthly documentation metrics"
    • "Track page view trends by category"
    • "Analyze engagement with knowledge base"
    • "Measure documentation completeness"

  • Team Productivity

    • "Show contribution statistics by team member"
    • "Track documentation velocity"
    • "Identify knowledge sharing patterns"
    • "Measure collaboration effectiveness"

  • Quality Metrics

    • "Find outdated pages needing updates"
    • "Check documentation coverage by topic"
    • "Analyze content freshness"
    • "Track template usage"

Automation & Integration​

  • Content Automation

    • "Auto-generate release notes from Jira"
    • "Create weekly status reports from data"
    • "Build documentation from code comments"
    • "Sync content with external systems"

  • Workflow Integration

    • "Create Confluence pages from Slack discussions"
    • "Link Jira issues to documentation"
    • "Update pages when code changes"
    • "Trigger actions on page updates"

  • Template Management

    • "Create dynamic templates with variables"
    • "Apply templates based on page type"
    • "Update all pages using specific template"
    • "Track template effectiveness"

Prerequisites​

  • Access to Cequence AI Gateway
  • Confluence Cloud or Data Center instance
  • Confluence administrator access
  • Atlassian account for OAuth setup

Step 1: Create Atlassian OAuth App​

Before setting up the MCP server, you need to create an OAuth app in Atlassian.

1.1 Access Atlassian Developer Console​

  1. Navigate to developer.atlassian.com
  2. Sign in with your Atlassian account
  3. Click Create OAuth 2.0 integration

1.2 Configure OAuth App​

  1. Set basic information:

    • App name: "AI Gateway Confluence MCP"
    • App description: "MCP server for Confluence integration"
    • Company: Your organization name

  2. Configure OAuth 2.0:

    • Callback URL: 
      https://auth.aigateway.cequence.ai/v1/outbound/oauth/callback

  3. Configure Permissions:

    • Go to Permissions tab
    • Add Confluence API scopes (see Available Scopes section)

1.3 Get OAuth Credentials​

  1. Go to Settings tab
  2. Note down:
    • Client ID
    • Client Secret (click to reveal)

1.4 Configure App Details​

  1. Add App logo (optional)
  2. Set Privacy policy URL
  3. Set Terms of service URL
  4. Configure Data residency if needed

Step 2: Access AI Gateway Apps​

  1. Log in to your Cequence AI Gateway dashboard
  2. Navigate to Apps in the left sidebar
  3. You'll see the list of available third-party applications

Step 3: Find and Select Confluence API​

  1. In the Apps section, browse through the Third-party category
  2. Look for Confluence or use the search function
  3. Click on the Confluence API card to view details

The Confluence API card shows:

  • Number of available endpoints
  • Integration capabilities
  • Quick description of functionality

Step 4: Create MCP Server​

  1. Click the Create MCP Server button on the Confluence API card
  2. You'll be redirected to the MCP Server creation wizard

Step 5: Configure API Endpoints​

In the App Configuration step:

  1. Base URL is pre-filled: https://api.atlassian.com/ex/confluence/{cloudid}
  2. Select API endpoints to expose to your MCP server based on your needs
  3. Click Next to proceed

Step 6: MCP Server Basic Setup​

Configure your MCP server details:

  1. MCP Server Name: Enter a descriptive name

    • Example: "Confluence Knowledge Base"
    • This name will identify your server in the dashboard

  2. Description (Optional): Add details about the server's purpose

    • Example: "Automated documentation management and knowledge base operations"

  3. Production Mode: Toggle based on your needs

    • ON for production environments
    • OFF for development/testing

  4. Click Next to continue

Step 7: Configure Authentication​

This is where you'll use your Atlassian OAuth credentials:

  1. Authentication Type: Select OAuth 2.0

  2. Fill in the OAuth configuration:

    • Authorization URL: 
      https://auth.atlassian.com/authorize
    • Token URL: 
      https://auth.atlassian.com/oauth/token
    • Client ID: Paste from Atlassian developer console
    • Client Secret: Paste from Atlassian developer console
    • Redirect URI: 
      https://auth.aigateway.cequence.ai/v1/outbound/oauth/callback

  3. Scopes: Select from the available Confluence scopes (see next section)

Available Confluence OAuth Scopes​

Configure the appropriate scopes based on your application needs:

Page and Content Access​

  • read:page:confluence

    • View pages and blog posts
    • Access page content and metadata
    • Read page hierarchy and structure
    • View page history

  • write:page:confluence

    • Create and update pages
    • Delete pages and blog posts
    • Manage page properties
    • Update page hierarchy

Space Management​

  • read:space:confluence

    • View spaces and their settings
    • Access space permissions
    • Read space content
    • View space analytics

  • write:space:confluence

    • Create and update spaces
    • Manage space permissions
    • Configure space settings
    • Archive spaces

Attachments and Media​

  • read:attachment:confluence

    • View attachments
    • Download files
    • Access attachment metadata
    • Read attachment permissions

  • write:attachment:confluence

    • Upload attachments
    • Update attachment properties
    • Delete attachments
    • Manage attachment permissions

Comments and Collaboration​

  • read:comment:confluence

    • View comments on pages
    • Read inline comments
    • Access comment history
    • View comment likes

  • write:comment:confluence

    • Create new comments
    • Edit and delete comments
    • Reply to comments
    • Like comments

For Documentation Management:

read:page:confluence
read:space:confluence
read:attachment:confluence
read:comment:confluence
write:page:confluence
write:attachment:confluence
write:comment:confluence

For Space Administration:

read:page:confluence
read:space:confluence
read:attachment:confluence
read:comment:confluence
write:page:confluence
write:space:confluence
write:attachment:confluence
write:comment:confluence

For Read-Only Access:

read:page:confluence
read:space:confluence
read:attachment:confluence
read:comment:confluence

Step 8: Configure Security​

Set up API protection features:

  1. API Protection: Toggle ON to enable

    • Protects against bot attacks, DDoS, and threats
    • Monitors for suspicious activity
    • Rate limiting and anomaly detection

  2. Protection Features (when enabled):

    • Auto-scaling protection
    • Managed infrastructure
    • Built-in monitoring
    • Zero maintenance required

  3. Click Next to continue

Step 9: Choose Deployment Method​

Select your deployment preference:

  • Fully managed deployment
  • Automatic scaling and monitoring
  • Built-in high availability
  • Features included:
    • Auto-scaling
    • Managed infrastructure
    • Built-in monitoring
    • Zero maintenance

Option B: Deploy with Helm Chart​

  • Self-managed Kubernetes deployment
  • Full control over infrastructure
  • Requires:
    • Kubernetes cluster
    • Helm 3.x installed
    • Container registry access

Click Next after selecting your deployment method.

Step 10: Review and Deploy​

Review your MCP server configuration:

  • MCP Server Name: Your chosen name
  • Base URL: https://api.atlassian.com/ex/confluence/{cloudid}
  • Selected Endpoints: Number of endpoints selected
  • Authentication: OAuth 2.0 (Configured)
  • API Protection: Enabled/Disabled
  • Deployment: Cequence Cloud or Helm

Click Create & Deploy to finalize the setup.

Step 11: Post-Deployment Setup​

After successful deployment:

  1. Note the MCP Server URL provided

  2. Test the OAuth flow:

    • Click "Test Connection"
    • You'll be redirected to Atlassian authorization
    • Select Confluence site to authorize
    • Grant requested permissions
    • Confirm successful connection

  3. Configure AI Agents:

    • The MCP server is now available for AI agent connections
    • Use the provided server URL in your AI agent configuration

Using Your Confluence MCP Server​

With Claude Desktop​

  1. Open Claude Desktop settings

  2. Add your MCP server:

    {
      "servers": {
        "confluence": {
          "url": "your-mcp-server-url",
          "auth": {
            "type": "oauth2",
            "client_id": "your-client-id"
          }
        }
      }
    }

  3. Start using natural language commands:

    • "Create a new page for the API documentation"
    • "Find all pages about deployment procedures"
    • "Update the release notes with version 2.0 changes"
    • "Add a comment asking for review on the design doc"
    • "Generate a summary of all meeting notes from this week"

API Integration Example​

// Initialize MCP client
const mcpClient = new MCPClient({
  serverUrl: 'your-mcp-server-url',
  auth: {
    type: 'oauth2',
    token: 'user-access-token'
  }
});

// Search for pages
const searchResults = await mcpClient.confluence.search({
  cql: 'type=page AND space=ENG AND text~"api documentation"',
  limit: 20,
  expand: ['content', 'version']
});

// Create a page
const newPage = await mcpClient.confluence.pages.create({
  spaceId: 'space-id',
  title: 'API Integration Guide',
  body: {
    storage: {
      value: '<p>This guide covers API integration...</p>',
      representation: 'storage'
    }
  },
  ancestors: [{ id: 'parent-page-id' }]
});

// Update a page
await mcpClient.confluence.pages.update({
  id: 'page-id',
  version: {
    number: currentVersion + 1,
    message: 'Updated API endpoints'
  },
  title: 'Updated API Documentation',
  body: {
    storage: {
      value: updatedContent,
      representation: 'storage'
    }
  }
});

// Add a comment
await mcpClient.confluence.comments.create({
  pageId: 'page-id',
  body: {
    storage: {
      value: '<p>Please review the updated sections</p>',
      representation: 'storage'
    }
  }
});

Common Use Cases​

Documentation Management​

  • Technical documentation maintenance
  • API reference generation
  • Release notes automation
  • Knowledge base organization

Team Collaboration​

  • Meeting notes management
  • Project documentation
  • Decision logging
  • Team wikis

Process Documentation​

  • Standard operating procedures
  • Onboarding guides
  • Training materials
  • Compliance documentation

Knowledge Sharing​

  • Best practices library
  • Troubleshooting guides
  • FAQ management
  • Lessons learned

Security Best Practices​

  1. OAuth Security:

    • Use minimum required scopes
    • Implement token rotation
    • Store credentials securely
    • Monitor OAuth usage

  2. API Rate Limits:

    • Respect 10 req/sec limit
    • Implement request queuing
    • Use batch operations
    • Cache frequently accessed content

  3. Content Security:

    • Validate content before posting
    • Sanitize HTML input
    • Respect space permissions
    • Audit content changes

  4. Access Control:

    • Use space-level permissions
    • Implement content restrictions
    • Regular permission audits
    • Monitor access patterns

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

  1. 401 Unauthorized

    • Verify OAuth token validity
    • Check Confluence site access
    • Ensure correct permissions
    • Re-authenticate if needed

  2. 403 Forbidden

    • Check space permissions
    • Verify page restrictions
    • Ensure app has access
    • Check content permissions

  3. 429 Rate Limited

    • Atlassian limit: 10 req/sec
    • Implement exponential backoff
    • Use expansions to reduce calls
    • Consider caching

  4. 400 Bad Request

    • Validate content format
    • Check required fields
    • Verify CQL syntax
    • Review API documentation

Getting Help​