Exa

You can use the Exa MCP Server to empower AI assistants with real-time web search capabilities through Exa’s search API. It provides structured results and safe, controlled access, enabling conversations that incorporate up-to-date information directly from the web.

How to use

Once you have the server running, you can connect an MCP client to perform web searches through natural language prompts. The server handles querying Exa’s search API, formatting results with titles, URLs, and content snippets, and caching results for faster future access. Use it to fetch recent developments, summarize findings, and analyze research нового content by asking your MCP client to perform searches and return concise, actionable outputs.

How to install

Prerequisites you need before installing the MCP server are the following: Node.js version 18 or higher, Claude Desktop installed, an Exa API key, and Git installed. Verify Node.js by running node --version which should show a version of 18.x.x or higher.

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

# then proceed with cloning and installing the server
git clone https://github.com/exa-labs/exa-mcp-server.git
cd exa-mcp-server
npm install --save axios dotenv
npm run build
npm link

Configuration and usage notes

To connect Claude Desktop to the Exa MCP Server, configure an MCP server entry that uses a local runtime invocation. The following configuration demonstrates how Claude Desktop should invoke the server locally using npx to run the built index.js and an API key for authentication.

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

Notes on configuration and usage

After you place the configuration, restart Claude Desktop completely, then start Claude Desktop again. Look for the MCP connection indicator to verify that the Exa server is connected and ready to handle search requests.

Troubleshooting

If you run into issues, check common areas like the server connection, API key validity, and client configuration. Ensure the npm link is correctly set up, Claude Desktop configuration syntax is accurate, and Node.js is properly installed. For API key problems, confirm the key is valid, correctly placed in the config, and free of extra spaces or quotes.

Security and maintenance notes

Keep your API key secure and avoid exposing it in logs or shared configurations. Regularly review access permissions and monitor usage to prevent unexpected charges or misuse. The MCP server is designed to safely expose web search capabilities to AI assistants while maintaining user control over data access.

Available tools

web_search

Performs web searches through the Exa API and returns structured results including titles, URLs, and content snippets. This tool supports querying, handling rate limits, and returning results in a consistent format suitable for consumption by MCP clients.