Open Search

Open Search MCP is a dedicated server that provides a suite of 33 specialized research and search tools for Claude Desktop. It enables you to perform focused queries across academic, technical, and general domains, empowering you to discover, analyze, and visualize information efficiently within a single integrated workflow.

How to use

You will run the MVP MCP server alongside Claude Desktop and connect via an MCP client. Once configured, you can invoke any of the 33 tools from the Claude Desktop interface to perform searches, fetch data, or analyze results. Tools are organized by category, and you will access them through the MCP server’s exposed endpoints within your Claude workflow.

How to install

Prerequisites include Node.js 18 or newer, the Claude Desktop application, and TypeScript if you plan to develop or modify the server.

# 1) Clone the repository or download the server package
# This creates a local working directory for the MCP server
git clone https://github.com/flyanima/open-search-mcp.git
cd open-search-mcp

# 2) Install dependencies
npm install

# 3) Run security checks (recommended)
npm run security:check

# 4) Build the project
npm run build

# 5) Configure environment variables securely
# Copy the template and configure your API keys
cp .env.template .env
# Edit .env with your actual API keys (never commit this file)
nano .env

# 6) Configure Claude Desktop to point to the local MCP server
# Copy the following JSON configuration into claude_desktop_config.json and update paths accordingly

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "open_search_mcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["path/to/open-search-mcp/dist/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "NODE_ENV": "production",
        "FILTER_TO_README_33": "true",
        "GITHUB_TOKEN": "your_github_token_optional",
        "ALPHA_VANTAGE_API_KEY": "your_alpha_vantage_key_optional"
      }
    }
  }
}

Additional configuration notes

You will typically restart Claude Desktop after updating the MCP configuration so that the 33 tools become available in your interface. The server’s environment variables should be kept secure and never committed to version control.

Security and deployment notes

This server uses environment variable based API key management, input validation, hardened container deployment, and automated security checks in CI/CD to maintain a strong security posture. All keys and sensitive data should be supplied through secure environment configuration and never embedded directly in code.

For production deployments, you should monitor dependencies for vulnerabilities and follow the provided security guides to maintain compliance with OWASP standards.

Usage examples

Typical workflows include performing comprehensive literature searches across arXiv, PubMed, IEEE Xplore, and other sources; retrieving GitHub or Stack Overflow results for development tasks; or conducting privacy-focused searches through meta-search engines. You can also perform batch content analysis and PDF extraction to prepare research notes.

Available tools

search_arxiv

Search arXiv preprints with detailed paper information

search_pubmed

Medical literature search using NCBI E-utilities API

search_ieee

IEEE Xplore engineering and technology papers search

search_semantic_scholar

AI-enhanced academic search with citation analysis

search_iacr

Cryptography and information security research search

search_biorxiv

Biology preprints and latest research search

search_medrxiv

Medical preprints and clinical research search

search_github

GitHub repositories, code, and issues search

search_stackoverflow

Programming Q&A and technical solutions search

search_gitlab

GitLab projects and repository search

search_bitbucket

Bitbucket repository and code search

search_searx

Meta-search engine with privacy protection

search_startpage

Privacy-focused web search

search_brave

Independent search engine results

search_ecosia

Eco-friendly search supporting reforestation

test_jsonplaceholder

JSON API testing and validation

test_httpbin

HTTP request/response testing

crawl_url_content

Single page content extraction from a URL

batch_crawl_urls

Bulk website content analysis across multiple URLs

analyze_pdf

PDF document analysis and content extraction

intelligent_research

Multi-source comprehensive research planning and execution

deep_research

Iterative deep research using multiple data sources

visualize_thinking

Visualization of research process (mind maps, charts)

decompose_thinking

Breakdown of complex problems into structured components

check_research_saturation

Evaluation of research completeness and saturation

alpha_vantage_symbol_search

Search for stock symbols and company information via Alpha Vantage

alpha_vantage_stock_quote

Get real-time stock quotes and price information

alpha_vantage_intraday_data

Intraday stock price data with specified intervals

alpha_vantage_daily_data

Daily stock price data and historical trends

alpha_vantage_company_overview

Comprehensive company overview and fundamentals

alpha_vantage_forex_rate

Real-time and historical forex exchange rates

alpha_vantage_crypto_price

Cryptocurrency prices and market data

alpha_vantage_market_news

Financial market news and sentiment analysis