Zulip MCP Server

MCP Server for the Zulip API, enabling AI assistants like Claude to interact with Zulip workspaces.

Tools

1. zulip_list_channels

   • List available channels (streams) in the Zulip organization
   • Optional inputs:
     • include_private (boolean, default: false): Whether to include private streams
     • include_web_public (boolean, default: true): Whether to include web-public streams
     • include_subscribed (boolean, default: true): Whether to include streams the bot is subscribed to
   • Returns: List of streams with their IDs and information

2. zulip_post_message

   • Post a new message to a Zulip channel (stream)
   • Required inputs:
     • channel_name (string): The name of the stream to post to
     • topic (string): The topic within the stream
     • content (string): The message content to post
   • Returns: Message posting confirmation and ID

3. zulip_send_direct_message

   • Send a direct message to one or more users
   • Required inputs:
     • recipients (string[]): Email addresses or user IDs of recipients
     • content (string): The message content to send
   • Returns: Message sending confirmation and ID

4. zulip_add_reaction

   • Add an emoji reaction to a message
   • Required inputs:
     • message_id (number): The ID of the message to react to
     • emoji_name (string): Emoji name without colons
   • Returns: Reaction confirmation

5. zulip_get_channel_history

   • Get recent messages from a channel (stream) and topic
   • Required inputs:
     • channel_name (string): The name of the stream
     • topic (string): The topic name
   • Optional inputs:
     • limit (number, default: 20): Number of messages to retrieve
     • anchor (string, default: “newest”): Message ID to start from
   • Returns: List of messages with their content and metadata

6. zulip_get_topics

   • Get topics in a channel (stream)
   • Required inputs:
     • channel_id (number): The ID of the stream
   • Returns: List of topics in the stream

7. zulip_subscribe_to_channel

   • Subscribe the bot to a channel (stream)
   • Required inputs:
     • channel_name (string): The name of the stream to subscribe to
   • Returns: Subscription confirmation

8. zulip_get_users

   • Get list of users in the Zulip organization
   • Returns: List of users with their basic information

Setup

1. Create a Zulip Bot:

   • Log in to your Zulip instance
   • Navigate to Settings > Personal > Bots
   • Click “Add a new bot”
   • Select “Generic bot” type
   • Fill in the required information
   • Click “Create bot”

2. Permissions:

   • By default, Zulip bots have limited permissions
   • Make sure to subscribe the bot to any streams it needs to access
   • If you need the bot to have more permissions, consider using a full user account instead

3. Get the API credentials:

   • Bot’s email address
   • Bot’s API key (displayed when you create the bot)
   • Zulip instance URL (e.g., https://example.zulipchat.com)

Usage with Claude Desktop

Add the following to your claude_desktop_config.json:

npx

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zulip": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-zulip"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ZULIP_EMAIL": "your-bot@example.zulipchat.com",
        "ZULIP_API_KEY": "your-bot-api-key",
        "ZULIP_URL": "https://example.zulipchat.com"
      }
    }
  }
}

docker

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zulip": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-e",
        "ZULIP_EMAIL",
        "-e",
        "ZULIP_API_KEY",
        "-e",
        "ZULIP_URL",
        "mcp/zulip"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ZULIP_EMAIL": "your-bot@example.zulipchat.com",
        "ZULIP_API_KEY": "your-bot-api-key",
        "ZULIP_URL": "https://example.zulipchat.com"
      }
    }
  }
}

Troubleshooting

If you encounter permission errors, verify that:

1. The bot API key is correct
2. The bot has been subscribed to the channels it needs to access
3. The Zulip URL is correct and accessible

Build

Docker build:

docker build -t mcp/zulip .

License

This MCP server is licensed under the MIT License.