Exa Search MCP Server
Semantic and keyword web search powered by the Exa AI search API.
Installation
npx -y exa-mcp-serverclaude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"server-exa": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"exa-mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"EXA_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
}
}
}
}Environment Variables
| Variable | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
EXA_API_KEY | ✓ Required | Exa API key for performing search requests. |
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18 or later
- Required API keys — see the Environment Variables table above
Common Errors
- Server not found / spawn error — ensure Node.js is on your PATH and the package is accessible via npx.
- Permission denied — check that the path in args is readable by the process running your AI client.
- Authentication failed — verify your API key is set correctly in the env block.