SearXNG MCP Bridge Server

You can connect to a SearXNG instance from any compatible MCP client by running a dedicated MCP bridge server. This bridge forwards search requests to a configured SearXNG backend, with both local (stdio) and HTTP transports available for flexible deployment and client compatibility.

How to use

Use an MCP client to send search requests to the bridge, which forwards them to your SearXNG instance. You can run the bridge in stdio mode for quick local testing or switch to HTTP transport to access the service over HTTP with session management, CORS control, and rate limiting. If you already have a client that supports MCP, point it at the bridge’s endpoints and you’ll be able to perform searches and monitor health.

How to install

Prerequisites: you need Node.js and npm or npx installed on your machine. You also need a running SearXNG instance.

// Step 1: Start a SearXNG instance (Docker example)
docker run -d -p 8888:8080 --name searxng searxng/searxng

// Step 2: Run the MCP bridge in stdio mode (default)
npx -y @nitish-raj/searxng-mcp-bridge

// Optional: Run the MCP bridge as an HTTP server (transport http)
TRANSPORT=http PORT=3002 HOST=127.0.0.1 SEARXNG_INSTANCE_URL=http://localhost:8080 npx -y @nitish-raj/searxng-mcp-bridge

// Optional: Build and run the HTTP transport bundle directly
TRANSPORT=http node build/index.js

Configuration

Configure the bridge using environment variables and a minimal MCP settings entry. The bridge requires the URL of your SearXNG instance and can operate in either stdio or HTTP transport modes.

Additional notes

HTTP transport provides session management, CORS controls, rate limiting, and optional bearer authentication. When using HTTP, you can verify the HTTP endpoint via a test call to the MCP endpoint, which returns available tools like search and health_check.

Available tools

search

Performs web searches through the configured SearXNG backend.

health_check

Checks the connectivity and health of the SearXNG instance.