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Exa MCP Server

MCP server for Exa Search API enabling external clients to query and control Exa data.

Installation

Add the following to your MCP client configuration file.

Configuration

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

You run an MCP server to bridge external clients with the Exa Search API. This server handles requests from MCP clients and forwards them to Exa, using your API key for authentication. It supports both a standard I/O mode and a streaming SSE mode, making it flexible for different integration patterns.

How to use

To connect your MCP client to Exa, start the server locally and point your client at the MCP endpoint. You will need your API key to authorize requests.

Run the MCP server in standard I/O mode using this command:

npx -y exa-mcp

If you prefer streaming responses via SSE, start the server with the SSE option:

npx -y exa-mcp --sse

Before you start, set your API key in the environment so the server can authenticate with Exa Search API:

EXA_API_KEY=<your-api-key>

You can also configure the server with a JSON configuration that declares an MCP server named exa. This snippet shows the full configuration you would place in your config file to run via npx and pass the API key.

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

How to install

Prerequisites: you need Node.js and npm to run MCP servers locally. Ensure you have a recent Node.js runtime installed on your system.

Install and start the MCP server in standard I/O mode:

npx -y exa-mcp

Or start in SSE mode for streaming responses:

npx -y exa-mcp --sse

Set your API key in the environment before starting (one-time or export in your shell):

export EXA_API_KEY=<your-api-key>

If you prefer to use a JSON configuration, place the following configuration in your MCP config file to define the Exa MCP server and key.

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

Notes and tips

The MCP server uses your API key to authorize requests to the Exa Search API. Keep this key secure and do not expose it in client-side code.

You can run the server without a JSON config by invoking the npx command directly, or you can supply the API key via environment variables for automation and deployment.

If you encounter connection issues, verify that EXA_API_KEY is correctly set in the environment where the MCP server runs and that the client points to the running MCP instance.