MCP Explorer
MCP Explorer is a VS Code extension that helps you discover, install, and manage Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers directly from within Visual Studio Code.
Features
- Browse 50+ MCP Servers: Explore available MCP servers from both official and community sources
- Comprehensive Server Database: Includes reference servers (filesystem, github, sqlite, memory, postgres) and 45+ community servers across categories:
- Development: GitHub, Docker, Kubernetes, Azure DevOps, Git tools
- Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MySQL, Redis, SQLite, Airtable
- AI/ML: OpenAI, HuggingFace, Replicate, Solana Agent Kit
- Cloud: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud services
- Communication: Slack, Discord, Email, Teams
- Productivity: Google Calendar, Sheets, Todoist, Notion
- Web Scraping: Playwright, Firecrawl, browser automation
- Blockchain: Solana, Ethereum, Bitcoin, DeFi protocols
- Data Science: Jupyter, R, Python code execution
- And many more categories!
- Enhanced Search & Filter: Advanced search functionality with:
- Real-time Search: Find servers by name, description, category, tags, or author
- Search History: Remembers your last 10 searches for quick access
- Category Filtering: Search results organized by categories with filtered counts
- Visual Search Indicators: Tree view shows current search status
- Keyboard Shortcuts: Ctrl+Shift+F to search, Escape to clear
- Smart Search: Case-insensitive search with proper query validation
- Easy Installation: Install MCP servers with a single click
- Configuration Management: Configure installed servers through VS Code settings
- Status Indicators: See which servers are installed and their current status
- Detailed Server Information: View comprehensive details about each server in a dedicated webview
Requirements
- VS Code 1.100.0 or higher
- Node.js (for installing Node.js-based MCP servers)
- Python (for installing Python-based MCP servers)
Extension Settings
This extension contributes the following settings:
mcpExplorer.serverRegistry: URL or path to the MCP server registry JSON file (default: local comprehensive registry)mcpExplorer.autoRefresh: Automatically refresh the server list on startup (default: true)
Getting Started
- Install the MCP Explorer extension from the VS Code marketplace
- Open the Explorer panel in VS Code
- Look for the MCP Servers section in the explorer
- Browse available servers or use the search functionality
- Click the install button next to any server to install it
- Configure installed servers using the gear icon
Commands
- MCP Explorer: Refresh - Refresh the server list from the registry
- MCP Explorer: Search - Search for specific MCP servers (Ctrl+Shift+F)
- MCP Explorer: Clear Search - Clear current search and show all servers (Escape)
- MCP Explorer: Install - Install a selected MCP server
- MCP Explorer: Uninstall - Remove an installed MCP server
- MCP Explorer: Configure - Configure an installed MCP server
- MCP Explorer: View Details - Show detailed information about a server
How to Use
Searching for Servers
The enhanced search functionality allows you to quickly find servers:
- Quick Search: Click the search icon in the MCP Servers panel or press Ctrl+Shift+F
- Smart Filtering: Search across server names, descriptions, categories, tags, and authors
- Organized Results: Search results are grouped by categories with filtered counts
- Search History: Previous searches are remembered for quick re-use
- Clear Search: Press Escape or click the clear search icon to show all servers
- Visual Feedback: The tree view shows your current search query
Browsing Servers
The MCP Explorer shows servers organized by categories. Expand any category to see available servers. Installed servers are marked with a green checkmark.
Installing Servers
- Find the server you want to install
- Click the + (install) button next to the server name
- The extension will handle the installation process
- You'll see a progress notification during installation
- If installation fails, you'll get detailed error information with options to:
- Show Details: View full error logs in output channel
- Retry: Attempt installation again
- Dismiss: Close the notification
Error Handling
The extension provides comprehensive error handling for installation failures:
- Detailed Error Messages: Shows specific reasons for installation failures
- Full Error Logs: Access complete installation logs through "Show Details"
- Automatic Retry: Easy retry functionality for transient issues
- Smart Error Parsing: Extracts meaningful error information from command output
Configuring Servers
- Right-click on an installed server
- Select Configure from the context menu
- Follow the configuration wizard to set up the server
About MCP
Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard for connecting AI assistants to data sources and tools. Learn more at modelcontextprotocol.io.
Known Issues
- Some servers may require specific system dependencies (Node.js, Python, etc.)
- Installation of certain packages may require elevated permissions
- Network connectivity issues may cause installation timeouts
- Some servers may need manual configuration after successful installation
All installation errors are now captured and displayed with detailed information to help troubleshoot issues.
Release Notes
0.0.1
- Initial release of MCP Explorer
- Browse and search MCP servers
- Install and uninstall servers
- Basic configuration management
- Webview for detailed server information
0.0.6
0.0.7
0.0.8
- Major Search Improvements:
- Enhanced search algorithm with support for author field searching
- Added search history functionality (remembers last 10 searches)
- Improved search results display with category organization
- Added visual search indicators in tree view
- Implemented keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+Shift+F for search, Escape to clear)
- Added clear search functionality with dedicated button
- Fixed category filtering during search operations
- Added "No results" message for empty search results
- Improved search state management and persistence
Contributing
Found a bug or want to contribute? Please visit our GitHub repository to report issues or submit pull requests.
Enjoy exploring MCP servers!
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