Time

You can run and query the MCP Time Server to obtain the current UTC time in multiple formats, and integrate it globally with Cursor IDE for cross-project time capabilities. This server is lightweight, fast, and uses a simple MCP protocol to provide time data on demand.

How to use

To get the current UTC time from the MCP Time Server, you connect with an MCP client and request the time in your preferred format. You can obtain ISO 8601 strings by default, or switch to a human-friendly datetime format or a Unix timestamp. The server is designed to work seamlessly with Cursor IDE so you can access time data across all your projects without starting separate services.

How to install

Prerequisites: You need Python 3.8 or higher and the pip package manager.

# Install from source (recommended for development and testing)
# 1. Obtain the source code (clone or download)
# 2. Navigate to the project directory
cd /path/to/mcp-time-server

# 3. Install the package in editable mode
pip install -e .

# Optional: install dependencies only
pip install -r requirements.txt

Running the server

Run the server directly with Python or use the installed script.

# Run directly
python -m mcp_time_server.server

# Or use the installed script
mcp-time-server

Cursor IDE integration configuration

To enable global integration across all projects, configure a global MCP server entry that launches the server locally via Python.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "time-server": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "mcp_time_server.server"],
      "env": {
        "PYTHONPATH": "/full/path/to/mcp-time-server/src"
      }
    }
  }
}

Troubleshooting and status checks

If the server is not starting, ensure you installed the package in editable mode and that Python can access the module path. You can verify the server process and test the MCP connection from Cursor after starting the server.

# Verify Python process
ps aux | grep mcp_time_server

# Simple manual test (example usage, adapt to your MCP client workflow)
python -c "from mcp_time_server.server import get_current_time_utc; print(get_current_time_utc('iso'))"

Manual server management

Start the server manually to ensure it runs in your environment.

cd /path/to/mcp-time-server/src && python -m mcp_time_server.server

Security and notes

Only expose the MCP Time Server where trusted clients can connect. Use your environment’s standard security practices to restrict access if you are integrating with production systems.

Available tools

get_current_time_utc

Fetches the current UTC time in requested formats (iso, datetime, timestamp) and returns the value to the caller.