What is the Exa MCP Server?

The Exa MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude to use the Exa AI Search API for web searches. It provides a safe and controlled way for AI models to get real-time web information.

What is MCP?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a system that enables AI apps, such as Claude Desktop, to connect to external tools and data sources. It provides a clear and secure way for AI assistants to work with local services and APIs.

What does the Exa MCP Server do?

The Exa MCP Server enables AI assistants to perform web searches using Exa’s powerful search API, provides structured search results, caches recent searches, handles rate limiting and error cases, and supports real-time web crawling for fresh content.

What are the prerequisites for installing the Exa MCP Server?

Before installing, you need Node.js (v18 or higher), Claude Desktop installed, an Exa API key, and Git installed.

How do I install the Exa MCP Server?

You can install the Exa MCP Server using NPM, Smithery, or manually by cloning the repository, installing dependencies, building the project, and creating a global link.

How do I configure Claude Desktop to recognize the Exa MCP Server?

You need to edit the claude_desktop_config.json file to add the Exa server configuration, including the command, arguments, and environment variables (like the EXA_API_KEY).

What tools are available in the Exa MCP Server?

The available tools include web_search_exa, research_paper_search, twitter_search, company_research, crawling, competitor_finder, and linkedin_search.

How do I specify which tools to enable?

You can specify which tools to enable by adding the --tools parameter to your Claude Desktop configuration with a comma-separated list of tools.

How do I run the server directly using NPX?

You can run the server using npx exa-mcp-server with optional parameters like --tools to specify which tools to enable or --list-tools to list all available tools.

How can I test the Exa MCP Server?

You can test the server using the MCP Inspector by running npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector node ./build/index.js.

What are some common issues and how can I troubleshoot them?

Common issues include the server not being found, API key issues, and connection issues. Solutions involve verifying the npm link, checking Claude Desktop configuration syntax, ensuring Node.js is properly installed, confirming the EXA_API_KEY is valid and correctly set, and restarting Claude Desktop.

How do I check Claude Desktop logs for troubleshooting?

• macOS: tail -n 20 -f ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log
• Windows: type "%APPDATA%Claudelogsmcp*.log"

What is UBOS?

UBOS is a full-stack AI Agent Development Platform focused on bringing AI Agents to every business department. It helps you orchestrate AI Agents, connect them with your enterprise data, build custom AI Agents with your LLM model, and create Multi-Agent Systems.