📌Overview

Purpose: The Exa MCP Server enables AI assistants, like Claude, to utilize the Exa AI Search API for conducting real-time web searches.

Overview: The Exa MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) implementation that connects AI applications to external tools and APIs, providing a secure and efficient means for AI assistants to access up-to-date web information while maintaining user control.

Key Features:

• Simplified Web Search Tool: Facilitates easy web searches by allowing queries through Claude with straightforward parameters.

• Automatic Live Crawling: Integrates real-time web crawling based on user-defined strategies to ensure fresh content retrieval.

• Search Caching: Stores recent searches for quick reference, enhancing efficiency and performance during repeated inquiries.

• Error Handling: Manages API errors and rate limits gracefully, ensuring stability during operation.

• Type Safety: Utilizes TypeScript and Zod validation for robust and reliable code, enhancing functionality.

• MCP Compliance: Adheres to the latest MCP protocol specifications, ensuring a standard-driven approach.

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Exa MCP Server 🔍

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server lets AI assistants like Claude use the Exa AI Search API for web searches, allowing them to access real-time web information in a safe and controlled manner.

What is MCP? 🤔

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a system that enables AI applications to connect to external tools and data sources, offering a safe way for AI assistants to interact with local services and APIs while keeping the user in control.

What does this server do? 🚀

The Exa MCP server:

• Enables AI assistants to perform web searches using Exa's search API.
• Provides structured search results, including titles, URLs, and content snippets.
• Caches recent searches for future reference.
• Handles rate limiting and errors gracefully.
• Supports real-time web crawling for fresh content.

Prerequisites 📋

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• Node.js (v18 or higher)
• Claude Desktop installed
• An Exa API key
• Git installed

Verify your Node.js installation by running:

node --version  # Should show v18.0.0 or higher

Installation 🛠️

NPM Installation

npm install -g exa-mcp-server

Using Smithery

To install the Exa MCP server automatically via Smithery:

npx -y @smithery/cli install exa --client claude

Manual Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/exa-labs/exa-mcp-server.git
   cd exa-mcp-server
   

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

3. Build the project:

   npm run build
   

4. Create a global link:

   npm link
   

Configuration ⚙️

1. Configure Claude Desktop

Locate claude_desktop_config.json in the Claude Desktop app settings. Enable Developer Mode, open Settings, and click on the Edit Config button.

For macOS:

code ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

For Windows:

code %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

2. Add the Exa server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "exa": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["/path/to/exa-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "EXA_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Replace your-api-key-here with your actual Exa API key.

3. Restart Claude Desktop

To apply changes:

1. Quit Claude Desktop completely.
2. Restart Claude Desktop.
3. Confirm the Exa server connection via the 🔌 icon.

Usage 🎯

Once configured, you can prompt Claude for web searches, such as:

• "Can you search for recent developments in quantum computing?"
• "Find and analyze recent research papers about climate change solutions."

The server will process the request, query the Exa API, and return formatted results.

Features ✨

• Simplified Web Search Tool
• Customizable Search Parameters
• Automatic Live Crawling
• Search Caching
• Error Handling
• Type Safety

Testing with MCP Inspector 🔍

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector node ./build/index.js

Troubleshooting 🔧

Common Issues

1. Server Not Found: Verify npm link and configuration syntax.
2. API Key Issues: Ensure your API key is valid and correctly set.
3. Connection Issues: Restart Claude Desktop and check logs.

For assistance, consult the MCP Documentation or visit GitHub discussions.

Acknowledgments 🙏

• Exa AI for their powerful search API
• Model Context Protocol for the MCP specification
• Anthropic for Claude Desktop