Context7 MCP Server: Up-to-Date Docs for Your AI Coding Assistant (Setup Guide)

A common frustration with AI coding assistants: you ask for code using a library, and the response is based on an outdated API or a function that no longer exists. The model's training data has a cut-off, and libraries move fast.

Context7 is an MCP server designed to help with this. It fetches up-to-date, version-specific documentation and code examples from indexed library sources and adds them to your AI assistant's context window. The idea is straightforward: give the model current docs so it has a better chance of generating correct code.

The Problem Context7 Solves

Quick Facts

Detail	Info
GitHub	upstash/context7
npm	@upstash/context7-mcp
Remote URL	https://mcp.context7.com/mcp
License	MIT
Built by	Upstash
API key	Free at context7.com/dashboard (higher rate limits)
Docs	context7.com/docs

How It Works

Context7 exposes two MCP tools. When you include "use context7" in a prompt, the AI assistant calls them as part of its tool-use flow:

Typical flow: your prompt mentions a library → the AI calls resolve-library-id → gets the library ID → calls get-library-docs → the returned documentation is added to context → the model uses it when generating a response.

Setup: Cursor

Edit your Cursor MCP config file at ~/.cursor/mcp.json:

Option A: Remote HTTP server (simpler, no local process)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "context7": {
      "url": "https://mcp.context7.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "CONTEXT7_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Option B: Local stdio server via npx

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "context7": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@upstash/context7-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "CONTEXT7_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

An API key is optional but recommended for higher rate limits. Get one free at context7.com/dashboard. After saving the config, restart Cursor for the server to load.

Setup: Claude Code

Option A: Remote HTTP server

claude mcp add --transport http \
  --header "CONTEXT7_API_KEY: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  context7 https://mcp.context7.com/mcp

Option B: Local stdio server via npx

claude mcp add --transport stdio \
  --env CONTEXT7_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY \
  context7 -- npx -y @upstash/context7-mcp

Verify the server is registered:

claude mcp list

You can also check status inside Claude Code with /mcp.

Setup: VS Code (Copilot Chat)

Add to .vscode/mcp.json in your project or your VS Code user settings:

{
  "servers": {
    "context7": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.context7.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "CONTEXT7_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Setup: Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop supports stdio servers only. Add to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "context7": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@upstash/context7-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "CONTEXT7_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop after saving. The hammer icon in the text input indicates tools are loaded.

Usage

Once installed, just add "use context7" to any prompt:

# Examples
"Create a Next.js middleware that checks for a valid JWT. use context7"

"Set up a Hono API route with Zod validation. use context7"

"Configure a Cloudflare Worker to cache API responses for 5 minutes. use context7"

"Write a React Server Component that fetches data with Suspense. use context7"

What happens behind the scenes:

1. The AI identifies the library mentioned in your prompt
2. It calls resolve-library-id to find the library in Context7's index
3. It calls get-library-docs to fetch relevant documentation
4. The returned docs are added to context, and the model uses them when generating its response

Advanced Features

Private Repositories

Paid plans support private repositories. You can add them through the Context7 dashboard so the server can index and serve documentation for internal libraries.

Library Verification

Library owners can claim and verify their libraries on Context7. Verified libraries are flagged with a higher trust score in search results.

Direct API Usage

Context7 also has a REST API for programmatic access:

# Search for a library
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  "https://context7.com/api/v2/libs/search?query=nextjs"

# Get documentation
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  "https://context7.com/api/v2/context?libraryId=/vercel/next.js"

TypeScript SDK

For building custom integrations, Context7 provides a TypeScript SDK and a CLI tool. See the API Guide for details.

Why Use Context7 Over Just Searching Docs?

Approach	Pros	Cons
LLM training data	No setup needed	Has a knowledge cut-off; may hallucinate or use old APIs
Manual doc search	Authoritative, current	Slow, requires context-switching
Custom RAG pipeline	Fully customizable, works with any source	Significant setup and maintenance effort
Context7 MCP	Quick setup, docs fetched on demand	Library must be in Context7's index; quality varies by library

Supported Clients

Context7 should work with any MCP-compatible client. The following have documented setup guides on context7.com:

Related Content

• What Is the Model Context Protocol (MCP)?
• Claude Code MCP: Best Servers Setup Guide
• Awesome MCP Servers List
• Build Your First MCP Server with Python and FastMCP

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Context7 free?

There is a free tier that works without an API key, subject to rate limits. A free API key (available at context7.com/dashboard) raises those limits. Paid plans add features like private repository indexing and team management.

What libraries does Context7 support?

Context7 indexes a large number of open-source libraries, but coverage is not exhaustive. Popular libraries (React, Next.js, Python packages, etc.) are generally well-covered. If a library you need is missing, library owners can claim and add their libraries. Private repositories can be added on paid plans.

Should I use the remote server or local npx?

The remote HTTP server (https://mcp.context7.com/mcp) is simpler — no local process to manage. The local npx option (@upstash/context7-mcp) runs on your machine, which may be preferable behind corporate firewalls or for lower latency. Both connect to the same Context7 backend for documentation data.

Does "use context7" work automatically or do I have to type it every time?

You need to include "use context7" in your prompt to trigger the documentation lookup. Without it, the AI uses its training data as usual. Some users add it to their system prompt or Cursor rules so it's always active.

Can I use Context7 with ChatGPT?

If you're using the OpenAI Agents SDK, you can add Context7's remote URL as a Streamable HTTP or hosted MCP tool. For ChatGPT Apps (available on Business/Enterprise plans), you could configure the endpoint as an MCP server — though we haven't verified this specific combination. See our ChatGPT MCP setup guide for general instructions.