Archived upstream. This server still works, but it receives no fixes. Use it to understand an existing setup, not to start a new one.

What it does

Adds web and local search through the Brave Search API, returning titles, snippets, and URLs the agent can then fetch. Requires your own API key. Archived, but still the fastest way to bolt search onto a client that has none.

Install

Terminal

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search

Client configuration

Paste this into your MCP client config (Claude Desktop, Cursor, or any client that reads mcpServers), then restart the client.

mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "brave-search": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search"
      ]
    }
  }
}

When to use it

Reach for this when the task needs search inside the agent loop. Skip it if a plain shell command or a one-off script is enough — every server you add costs context and adds a failure mode.

Other TypeScript servers

Filesystem — Gives an agent scoped read, write, and search access to directories you explicitly allow
Memory — A persistent knowledge graph stored in a local JSON file, exposed through entities, relations, and observations
Sequential Thinking — Gives the model a scratchpad for structured, revisable reasoning: numbered thoughts that can branch, revise, and conclude