Content
# Exa MCP Server 🔍
[](https://www.npmjs.com/package/exa-mcp-server)
[](https://smithery.ai/server/exa)
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server lets AI assistants like Claude use the Exa AI Search API for web searches. This setup allows AI models to get real-time web information in a safe and controlled way.
Demo video https://www.loom.com/share/ac676f29664e4c6cb33a2f0a63772038?sid=0e72619f-5bfc-415d-a705-63d326373f60
## What is MCP? 🤔
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a system that lets AI apps, like Claude Desktop, connect to external tools and data sources. It gives a clear and safe way for AI assistants to work 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 powerful search API
- Provides structured search results including titles, URLs, and content snippets
- Caches recent searches as resources for reference
- Handles rate limiting and error cases gracefully
- Supports real-time web crawling for fresh content
## Prerequisites 📋
Before you begin, ensure you have:
- [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) (v18 or higher)
- [Claude Desktop](https://claude.ai/download) installed
- An [Exa API key](https://dashboard.exa.ai/api-keys)
- Git installed
You can verify your Node.js installation by running:
```bash
node --version # Should show v18.0.0 or higher
```
## Installation 🛠️
### NPM Installation
```bash
npm install -g exa-mcp-server
```
### Using Smithery
To install the Exa MCP server for Claude Desktop automatically via [Smithery](https://smithery.ai/server/exa):
```bash
npx -y @smithery/cli install exa --client claude
```
### Manual Installation
1. Clone the repository:
```bash
git clone https://github.com/exa-labs/exa-mcp-server.git
cd exa-mcp-server
```
2. Install dependencies:
```bash
npm install
```
3. Build the project:
```bash
npm run build
```
4. Create a global link (this makes the server executable from anywhere):
```bash
npm link
```
## Configuration ⚙️
### 1. Configure Claude Desktop to recognize the Exa MCP server
You can find claude_desktop_config.json inside the settings of Claude Desktop app:
Open the Claude Desktop app and enable Developer Mode from the top-left menu bar.
Once enabled, open Settings (also from the top-left menu bar) and navigate to the Developer Option, where you'll find the Edit Config button. Clicking it will open the claude_desktop_config.json file, allowing you to make the necessary edits.
OR (if you want to open claude_desktop_config.json from terminal)
#### For macOS:
1. Open your Claude Desktop configuration:
```bash
code ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
```
#### For Windows:
1. Open your Claude Desktop configuration:
```powershell
code %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
```
### 2. Add the Exa server configuration:
```json
{
"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 from [dashboard.exa.ai/api-keys](https://dashboard.exa.ai/api-keys).
### 3. Available Tools & Tool Selection
The Exa MCP server includes the following tools:
- **web_search**: Performs real-time web searches with optimized results and content extraction.
- **research_paper_search**: Specialized search focused on academic papers and research content.
- **twitter_search**: Dedicated Twitter/X.com search that finds tweets, profiles, and conversations.
You can choose which tools to enable by adding the `--tools` parameter to your Claude Desktop configuration:
#### Specify which tools to enable:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"exa": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"/path/to/exa-mcp-server/build/index.js",
"--tools=twitter_search"
],
"env": {
"EXA_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
}
}
}
}
```
For enabling multiple tools, use a comma-separated list:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"exa": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"/path/to/exa-mcp-server/build/index.js",
"--tools=web_search,research_paper_search,twitter_search"
],
"env": {
"EXA_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
}
}
}
}
```
If you don't specify any tools, all tools enabled by default will be used.
### 4. Restart Claude Desktop
For the changes to take effect:
1. Completely quit Claude Desktop (not just close the window)
2. Start Claude Desktop again
3. Look for the 🔌 icon to verify the Exa server is connected
## Using via NPX
If you prefer to run the server directly, you can use npx:
```bash
# Run with all tools enabled by default
npx exa-mcp-server
# Enable specific tools only
npx exa-mcp-server --tools=web_search
# Enable multiple tools
npx exa-mcp-server --tools=web_search,research_paper_search
# List all available tools
npx exa-mcp-server --list-tools
```
## Usage 🎯
Once configured, you can ask Claude to perform web searches. Here are some example prompts:
```
Can you search for recent developments in quantum computing?
```
```
Search for and summarize the latest news about artificial intelligence startups in new york.
```
```
Find and analyze recent research papers about climate change solutions.
```
```
Search Twitter for posts from @elonmusk about SpaceX.
```
```
Find tweets from @samaltman that were published in the last week about AI safety.
```
The server will:
1. Process the search request
2. Query the Exa API with optimal settings (including live crawling)
3. Return formatted results to Claude
4. Cache the search for future reference
## Testing with MCP Inspector 🔍
You can test the server directly using the MCP Inspector:
```bash
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector node ./build/index.js
```
This opens an interactive interface where you can explore the server's capabilities, execute search queries, and view cached search results.
## Troubleshooting 🔧
### Common Issues
1. **Server Not Found**
* Verify the npm link is correctly set up
* Check Claude Desktop configuration syntax
* Ensure Node.js is properly installed
2. **API Key Issues**
* Confirm your EXA_API_KEY is valid
* Check the EXA_API_KEY is correctly set in the Claude Desktop config
* Verify no spaces or quotes around the API key
3. **Connection Issues**
* Restart Claude Desktop completely
* Check Claude Desktop logs:
```bash
# macOS
tail -n 20 -f ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log
# Windows
type "%APPDATA%\Claude\logs\mcp*.log"
```
## Acknowledgments 🙏
* [Exa AI](https://exa.ai) for their powerful search API
* [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) for the MCP specification
* [Anthropic](https://anthropic.com) for Claude Desktop
