MCP-researcher Server

MCP-researcher Server

Your own research assistant inside of Claude! Utilizes Perplexity's Sonar Pro API to get documentation, create up-to-date API routes, and check deprecated code. Includes Chain of Thought Reasoning and local chat history through SQLite.

Features

1. Search

Performs general search queries to get comprehensive information on any topic. Supports different detail levels (brief, normal, detailed) to get tailored responses.

2. Get Documentation

Retrieves documentation and usage examples for specific technologies, libraries, or APIs. Get comprehensive documentation including best practices and common pitfalls.

3. Find APIs

Discovers and evaluates APIs that could be integrated into a project. Get detailed analysis of features, pricing, and integration complexity.

4. Check Deprecated Code

Analyzes code for deprecated features or patterns, providing migration guidance. Helps modernize code by suggesting current best practices.

Prerequisites

1. System Requirements:

   • Node.js (install from nodejs.org)
   • Python with distutils (required for some npm dependencies)

     # On macOS with Homebrew:
     brew install python-setuptools
     

2. API Key:

   • Get your Perplexity API key from perplexity.ai/settings/api

Installation

1. Create Project Directory:

   mkdir -p ~/Documents/Claude/MCP
   cd ~/Documents/Claude/MCP
   

2. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/pashpashpash/perplexity-mcp.git
   cd perplexity-mcp
   

3. Install Dependencies:

   npm install
   

   Note: If you see Python distutils errors, make sure you've installed python-setuptools as mentioned in prerequisites.

4. Build the Project:

   npm run build
   

   This will create the build directory with the compiled server code.

Configuration

1. Configure Claude Desktop:

Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "perplexity-server": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["path/to/perplexity-mcp/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "PERPLEXITY_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      },
      "autoApprove": [
        "search",
        "get_documentation",
        "find_apis",
        "check_deprecated_code"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Note:

• Replace "path/to/perplexity-mcp" with the absolute path to your cloned repository
• Replace "your-api-key-here" with your Perplexity API key
• Make sure to use "/build/index.js" (not "/dist/index.js")

Starting the Server

1. Manual Start:

   cd path/to/perplexity-mcp
   PERPLEXITY_API_KEY="your-api-key-here" node build/index.js
   

2. Verify Server:The server should start without any errors. Keep this terminal window open while using the server.

Example Usage

Search

{
  "query": "What are the best practices for React hooks?",
  "detail_level": "detailed"
}

Get Documentation

{
  "technology": "React",
  "topic": "useEffect hook",
  "include_examples": true
}

Find APIs

{
  "category": "payment processing",
  "requirements": ["recurring billing", "international support"]
}

Check Deprecated Code

{
  "code": "class MyComponent extends React.Component {...}",
  "framework": "React",
  "version": "18"
}

Troubleshooting

1. Build Directory Issues:

   • Make sure you're using the correct path in Claude Desktop config
   • Verify the build directory exists after running npm run build
   • Check that the path is using /build/index.js, not /dist/index.js

2. Server Connection Issues:

   • Ensure the server is running in a separate terminal
   • Verify the API key is properly set in the environment
   • Check Claude Desktop's MCP logs:

     tail -n 20 -f ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log
     

3. Python Dependencies:

   • If you see Python distutils errors during npm install:

     brew install python-setuptools
     

   • Then retry npm install

Development

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build the project
npm run build

# Development with auto-rebuild
npm run watch

# Start server with debug output
DEBUG=* node build/index.js

Documentation

For detailed examples and usage guides, see:

• Search Examples
• API Documentation Examples
• Deprecated Code Examples

License

MIT

Note: This is a fork of the original perplexity-mcp repository.