This guide covers how to set up the Context7 MCP server locally for development and testing.
Getting Started
Clone the project and install dependencies:
git clone https://github.com/upstash/context7.git
cd context7
pnpm i
node packages/mcp/dist/index.js
CLI Arguments
context7-mcp accepts the following CLI flags:
| Flag | Description | Default |
|---|
--transport <stdio|http> | Transport to use. Use http for remote HTTP server or stdio for local integration. | stdio |
--port <number> | Port to listen on when using http transport. | 3000 |
--api-key <key> | API key for authentication (or set CONTEXT7_API_KEY env var). | - |
Examples
HTTP transport on port 8080:
node packages/mcp/dist/index.js --transport http --port 8080
node packages/mcp/dist/index.js --transport stdio --api-key YOUR_API_KEY
Environment Variables
You can use the CONTEXT7_API_KEY environment variable instead of passing the --api-key flag. This is useful for:
- Storing API keys securely in
.env files
- Integration with MCP server setups that use dotenv
- Tools that prefer environment variable configuration
The --api-key CLI flag takes precedence over the environment variable when both are provided.
Using .env File
# .env
CONTEXT7_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
MCP Configuration with Environment Variable
{
"mcpServers": {
"context7": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@upstash/context7-mcp"],
"env": {
"CONTEXT7_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Local Development Configuration
When developing locally, use this configuration to run from source:
{
"mcpServers": {
"context7": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["tsx", "/path/to/folder/context7/src/index.ts", "--api-key", "YOUR_API_KEY"]
}
}
}
Testing with MCP Inspector
Test your setup using the MCP Inspector:
npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/inspector npx @upstash/context7-mcp
