MCP Time Server

You run an MCP Time Server to access reliable time zone utilities from any MCP-compatible client. It lets you fetch the current time in any zone and convert times between zones with accurate handling of daylight saving time, all built on TypeScript for strong type safety.

How to use

Use a compatible MCP client to query time information or perform conversions. You can retrieve the current time in a specific zone, or convert a given time from one zone to another. The server presents results in a clear, formatted way that includes the time, the time zone, and a 24-hour time representation.

Practical workflows you can perform include getting the time in multiple zones simultaneously for meeting coordination, or converting a local time to another zone for scheduling across teams. You can also request the current UTC time for logging or monitoring purposes.

When you use the time conversion feature, provide the source time, the source zone, and the target zone. The server returns the original time with its source zone and the converted time with the target zone, along with a human-readable statement of the conversion.

How to install

# Prerequisites
node >= 14.x
npm >= 6.x

# Install the MCP Time Server package
npm install mcp-time-server

# Or run directly with npx
npx mcp-time-server

Configuration and usage notes

Configure the server for your development environment using the following MCP client snippets. Each block shows how to integrate the time server as an MCP endpoint.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "time": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["mcp-time-server"]
    }
  }
}

Cursor IDE

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "time": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["mcp-time-server"]
    }
  }
}

VS Code with GitHub Copilot

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    "time": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["mcp-time-server"],
      "transport": "stdio"
    }
  }
}

Local Development

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "time": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["path/to/mcp-time-server/dist/cli.js"]
    }
  }
}

HTTP endpoints and real-time updates

When you run the server with HTTP support, you can access status and real-time updates via an HTTP API and Server-Sent Events endpoint. The HTTP endpoint is useful for web integrations and dashboards, while SSE streams provide live time updates.

Time tools you can use

You have two core capabilities: getting the current time in a zone and converting times between zones.

Get current time in a zone: request the time for a specific zone like Asia/Tokyo or Europe/London. The server returns a formatted date and time, the zone, and a 24-hour time component.

Convert time between zones: provide a source timezone, a time in HH:MM, and a target timezone. The result shows the original time with its source zone and the converted time with the target zone.

Security and reliability notes

All time calculations use standard IANA time zone data and respect daylight saving transitions automatically. Time zone identifiers must be valid IANA names, and inputs are validated to prevent incorrect formatting.

Examples of usage patterns

Global teams: coordinate a meeting by querying current times across multiple zones and scheduling at a time that works for everyone.

Travel planning: convert a departure time to the destination’s local time to build a travel itinerary.

Available tools

get_current_time

Get the current time in a specified time zone. Returns a formatted date and time for the chosen zone, the zone identifier, and the 24-hour time (HH:MM:SS) with a full date (YYYY/MM/DD).

convert_time

Convert a given time from a source time zone to a target time zone, returning both the original and converted times with clear explanation.