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exa-labs

Exa MCP for web search and web crawling!

Publisherexa-labs
Repositoryexa-mcp-server
LanguageTypeScript
Forks
397
Stars
5K
Available tools
2
Transport typestdio
Categories
LicenseMIT
Links
  • Connect tools to AI workflows

    Exa Search exposes MCP capabilities that can be used by compatible AI clients and agents.

  • 2 available tools

    Browse the callable actions below, including names and descriptions when provided by the server.

  • Ready-to-copy setup

    Use the installation snippets to configure this server in your preferred MCP client.

  • Open source signals

    5K stars and 397 forks from the linked repository.

Installation

Connect to Exa's hosted MCP server:

https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp

Or use a plugin when your client supports one.

Agent Plugin

This repository is an Agent Plugin. Install it with any compatible client.

Claude

Install from the Claude Plugin Marketplace, or run:

bash
claude plugin install exa@claude-plugins-official

Codex / ChatGPT

Install via Plugins in ChatGPT, or run:

bash
codex mcp add exa --url https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp

Other MCP Clients

Most clients can be configured manually with the standard mcpServers shape:

json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "exa": {
      "type": "streamable-http",
      "url": "https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp",
    }
  }
}

Exa MCP works with most other clients, point them at https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp.

ClientWhere to add it
KiroUse the Kiro power, or add manually to ~/.kiro/settings/mcp.json
LM StudioAdd to LM Studio, or add manually to mcp.json
ReplitAdd to Replit
Grok Build/marketplace → install Exa, then /mcp to sign in
Gemini CLIAdd manually to ~/.gemini/settings.json
OpenCodeAdd manually to opencode.json
WindsurfAdd manually to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
Google AntigravityAdd manually to mcp_config.json
ZedAdd manually to settings.json under context_servers
WarpSettings → Agents → MCP servers
v0 by VercelSettings → MCP connections

Available Tools

Default Tools

ToolDescription
web_search_exaSearch the web for any topic and get clean, ready-to-use content
web_fetch_exaRead a webpage's full content as clean markdown from one or more URLs

Optional Tools (enable via the tools parameter)

ToolDescription
agent_runRun an Exa Agent for multi-step research, list-building, enrichment, and structured output
web_search_advanced_exaAdvanced search with filters, domains, dates, highlights, summaries, and subpage crawling

Enable tools by appending them to the MCP URL (this will replace the defaults, so include all you want):

https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp?tools=web_search_advanced_exa
https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp?tools=web_search_exa,web_fetch_exa,agent_run

Exa Agent requires authentication (OAuth or an API key).

Agent Skills

Skills live in skills/ and load with Agent Plugin / Claude plugin installs.

SkillPathUse when
searchskills/search/Deep research, lead gen, competitive analysis, multi-step web investigation
exa-agentskills/exa-agent/Exa Agent runs, enrichment, structured output, Connect providers

Invoke from your client's skill UI (or /skill-name where supported). MCP-only setups still get the tools; skills add orchestration on top.

Authentication

The hosted MCP server works anonymously with rate limits. For higher limits and access to Exa Agent, use either OAuth or an API key.

OAuth is preferred: most clients prompt you to sign in to Exa. To force the login flow (useful for shared connectors and plugins), use https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp?login or https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp/oauth.

If you prefer, you can get an API key from the dashboard and pass it on the URL as ?exaApiKey=…. You can also send it as a Authorization: Bearer … header or an x-api-key header.

Built with ❤️ by Exa

Installation

TypingMind
Prerequisites:

Node.js 18+

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "exa": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "exa-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "EXA_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Available Tools

  • web_search_exa

    Search the web for any topic and get clean, ready-to-use content.

      Best for: Finding current information, news, facts, people, companies, or answering questions about any topic.
      Returns: Clean text content from top search results.
    
      Query tips: 
      describe the ideal page, not keywords. "blog post comparing React and Vue performance" not "React vs Vue".
      Use category:people / category:company to search through Linkedin profiles / companies respectively.
      If highlights are insufficient, follow up with web_fetch_exa on the best URLs.
    
  • web_fetch_exa

    Read a webpage's full content as clean markdown. Use after web_search_exa when highlights are insufficient or to read any URL.

    Best for: Extracting full content from known URLs. Batch multiple URLs in one call. Returns: Clean text content and metadata from the page(s).

Use Exa Search MCP with multiple AI models

TypingMind connects MCP tools at the workspace level, so once Exa Search is connected, you can use it with different AI models in TypingMind instead of setting it up separately for each model. This MCP runs locally through the TypingMind MCP connector on your device.

Setup guide to use the local connector

Use this when the MCP server needs access to local files, apps, or private resources on your computer.

1

Open the MCP settings

In TypingMind, go to Settings, Advanced Settings, then Model Context Protocol and choose Setup Connector.

  1. Open TypingMind in your browser.
  2. Click the Settings icon.
  3. Go to Advanced Settings.
  4. Open the Model Context Protocol section.
  5. Click Setup Connector and choose This Device.
TypingMind MCP connector setup screen with This Device selected
2

Run the connector command

Choose This Device, copy the command from TypingMind, and run it in Terminal. Keep the process running while you use MCP.

  1. Copy the setup command shown by TypingMind.
  2. Open Terminal on macOS or Windows Terminal on Windows.
  3. Paste and run the command.
  4. Approve the package install if Terminal asks you to proceed.
  5. Keep the Terminal window running while using MCP tools.
3

Add Exa Search as a server

When the connector status is Ready, click Edit Servers and paste the MCP server configuration.

  1. Wait until the connector status shows Ready.
  2. Click Edit Servers.
  3. Paste the Exa Search MCP server configuration.
  4. Save the server list.
  5. Refresh if you want to confirm the connector is still ready.
TypingMind MCP settings showing active server and Edit Servers button
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "exa-search": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "<mcp-server-package>"
      ]
    }
  }
}
4

Use it across models

Save the server list, open Plugins, enable the Exa Search MCP tools, then select any supported AI model in TypingMind and use the tools in chat or assign them to an AI agent.

  1. Open the Plugins page in TypingMind.
  2. Enable the Exa Search MCP tools.
  3. Start a chat and choose the AI model you want to use.
  4. Use the MCP tools in chat or assign them to an AI agent.
  5. Switch to another AI model whenever needed without reconnecting MCP.
TypingMind chat using enabled MCP tools with a selected AI model
Can you use Exa Search to help me with this task?
Exa Search
Sure. I read it.
Here is what I found using Exa Search.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Exa Search MCP server used for?

Exa Search is an MCP server that lets compatible AI clients connect to external tools and context. In TypingMind, you can add this MCP server once and make its tools available in your AI workspace.

Can I use Exa Search MCP with multiple AI models in TypingMind?

Yes. TypingMind connects MCP tools at the workspace level, so you can use Exa Search with different AI models such as Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or other models you have configured in TypingMind without setting up the MCP server separately for each model.

Why use Exa Search MCP with TypingMind?

TypingMind is one of the best frontends for LLM chat because it brings multiple AI models, prompts, plugins, AI agents, API keys, and MCP tools into one workspace. With Exa Search connected, you can use its MCP tools across your preferred models while keeping your chat workflow organized in TypingMind.

How do I connect Exa Search MCP to TypingMind?

Exa Search runs through the TypingMind local MCP connector. This is best when the MCP server needs access to local files, desktop apps, command-line tools, or private resources on your computer.

What tools does Exa Search MCP provide in TypingMind?

Exa Search exposes 2 MCP tools that can be enabled from the TypingMind Plugins page and used in chat or assigned to AI agents.

Do I need to share my API keys with TypingMind to use Exa Search MCP?

No. TypingMind is local-first and lets you keep your model providers, API keys, prompts, and MCP configuration under your control. If Exa Search requires authentication, add the required headers, OAuth settings, or local configuration for that MCP server when you create the connection.

tools_list

List of available Exa tools and their descriptions

web_search_help

Get help with web search using Exa

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