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.
- 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
- VS Code 1.100.0 or higher
- Node.js (for installing Node.js-based MCP servers)
- Python (for installing Python-based MCP servers)
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)
- 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
- 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
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
The MCP Explorer shows servers organized by categories. Expand any category to see available servers. Installed servers are marked with a green checkmark.
- 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
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
- Right-click on an installed server
- Select Configure from the context menu
- Follow the configuration wizard to set up the server
Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard for connecting AI assistants to data sources and tools. Learn more at modelcontextprotocol.io.
- 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.
- Initial release of MCP Explorer
- Browse and search MCP servers
- Install and uninstall servers
- Basic configuration management
- Webview for detailed server information
- Added env
- 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
Found a bug or want to contribute? Please visit our GitHub repository to report issues or submit pull requests.
Enjoy exploring MCP servers!