MCP WebSearch Server

MCP WebSearch Server provides a flexible interface for performing web searches and advanced scraping via MCP clients. It supports both a local stdio deployment (using npx) and a remote HTTP Transport so you can choose the deployment method that fits your workflow, scale, and security needs.

How to use

You use this MCP server by connecting an MCP client to it to perform web searches, AI-assisted queries, and page scraping. Choose between running a local stdio instance or an HTTP server, then select the desired tool for your task.

• Run locally with stdio if you want a quick start without a server process on a network. This uses npx to launch the MCP WebSearch Server and requires you to supply a SearchAPI key.

• Run as an HTTP server if you prefer a dedicated process that your MCP client can reach over the network. You’ll provide the API key either in the URL or in a header, depending on your client configuration.

How to install

Prerequisites: Node.js and npm or npx must be available on your system.

Option 1 — Local stdio deployment (npx) setup: build a small MCP config to run the server with an API key.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "websearch": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-websearch-server"],
      "env": {
        "SEARCHAPI_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Additional sections

Option 2 — HTTP server (Streamable HTTP) deployment: run the server with an environment that exposes the HTTP interface on a port you choose, then connect your MCP client using a streamable-http transport.

Start the HTTP server on port 3000 with a key management option they provide, then configure your MCP client to use the API key either via URL or headers depending on your security posture.

Notes on configuration and usage

The server supports per-user API keys, session management, and resumable streaming through the Streamable HTTP transport. You can initiate sessions, receive server-initiated messages via SSE, and manage sessions with headers such as Mcp-Session-Id and Last-Event-ID in your client.

Security and keys

Get your API key from the API provider and ensure it is transmitted securely either in the request URL as a query parameter or in an appropriate HTTP header. Limit access to the server and rotate keys periodically.

Troubleshooting

If the server fails to start, verify that the required environment variables are set (for example, SEARCHAPI_KEY when running locally). Check that the designated port is not in use and that the MCP client is configured to the correct transport (streamable-http or the stdio configuration).

Available tools

web_search

Google Search with pagination, time filter, and site filter to refine results.

ai_search

Google AI Mode - provides AI-generated answers with sources.

web_scrape

Advanced scraper with multiple extract modes (text, markdown, structured) to capture content from web pages.

get_links

Extract links from a webpage with optional filter criteria.

scrape_multiple

Scrape up to 5 URLs in a single operation.