Tavily MCP Setup Guide

Prerequisites

Ensure you have the following before starting:

• Tavily API key
• Claude Desktop or Cursor
• Node.js (v20 or higher)

Verify Node.js installation:

node --version
 

• Git installed (only needed for Git installation method)

Install Git

• macOS:

  brew install git
   

• Linux:
  • Debian/Ubuntu:

    sudo apt install git
     

  • RedHat/CentOS:

    sudo yum install git
     

• Windows: Download Git for Windows

Tavily MCP Server Installation

Running with NPX

npx -y [email protected]
 

Installing via Smithery

To install Tavily MCP Server for Claude Desktop automatically:

npx -y @smithery/cli install @tavily-ai/tavily-mcp --client claude
 

Configuring MCP Clients

Configuring Cline

Marketplace Setup

1. Open Cline in VS Code.
2. Click on the Cline icon in the sidebar.
3. Navigate to the “MCP Servers” tab.
4. Search “Tavily” and click “install”.
5. Enter your Tavily API key when prompted.

Manual Setup

• macOS:

  code ~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/saoudrizwan.claude-dev/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json
   

• Windows:

  code %APPDATA%CodeUserglobalStoragesaoudrizwan.claude-devsettingscline_mcp_settings.json
   

Add the following configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
  "tavily-mcp": {
  "command": "npx",
  "args": ["-y", "[email protected]"],
  "env": {
  "TAVILY_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
  },
  "disabled": false,
  "autoApprove": []
  }
  }
 }
 

Save the file and restart Cline.

Configuring Cursor

1. Open Cursor Settings.
2. Navigate to Features > MCP Servers.
3. Click on “+ Add New MCP Server”.
4. Fill out the following information:
   • Name: tavily-mcp
   • Type: command
   • Command:

     env TAVILY_API_KEY=your-api-key npx -y [email protected]
      

Configuring Claude Desktop App

macOS

1. Create the config file if it doesn’t exist:

   touch "$HOME/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json"
    

2. Open the config file:

   open -e "$HOME/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json"
    

Windows

code %APPDATA%Claudeclaude_desktop_config.json
 

Add the following configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
  "tavily-mcp": {
  "command": "npx",
  "args": ["-y", "[email protected]"],
  "env": {
  "TAVILY_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
  }
  }
  }
 }
 

Git Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/tavily-ai/tavily-mcp.git
    cd tavily-mcp
    

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install
    

3. Build the project:

   npm run build
    

Add the following configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
  "tavily": {
  "command": "npx",
  "args": ["/path/to/tavily-mcp/build/index.js"],
  "env": {
  "TAVILY_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
  }
  }
  }
 }
 

Usage

Once the installation is complete, restart the Claude desktop app. You should see a hammer icon indicating available MCP tools.

Troubleshooting

Server Not Found

• Verify npm installation:

  npm --version
   

• Check Claude Desktop configuration syntax:

  code ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
   

• Ensure