RAG MCP Server

A simple Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) capabilities to Claude Desktop. This allows Claude to search through your custom knowledge base!

🤔 What is MCP?

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard created by Anthropic that allows AI assistants like Claude to securely connect to external data sources and tools. Think of it as a way to give Claude superpowers by connecting it to your own data and APIs.

🎯 What Does This Server Do?

This MCP server exposes a search_rag tool that Claude Desktop can use to search through a knowledge base. In this example, it returns test data, but you can easily customize it to:

• Query your own vector database
• Search through your documents
• Connect to your RAG API
• Access any custom data source

🚀 Quick Start

New to this? Check out QUICKSTART.md for a simplified step-by-step guide!

Prerequisites

• Python 3.10 or higher (Download Python)
• Claude Desktop (Download here)
• Basic familiarity with command line

Step 1: Clone or Download This Repository

git clone https://github.com/torkian/rag-mcp-server.git
cd rag-mcp-server

Step 2: Install Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

Step 3: Test the Server

Make sure the server runs correctly:

python server.py

You should see the server start. Press Ctrl+C to stop it.

Step 4: Configure Claude Desktop

Find your Claude Desktop configuration file:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
• Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Open the file and add this configuration (replace /path/to/ with your actual path):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rag-server": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/rag-mcp-server/server.py"]
    }
  }
}

Important: Use the absolute path to server.py!

Finding Your Python Path

If python3 doesn't work, find your Python path:

# macOS/Linux
which python3

# Windows (Command Prompt)
where python

Use the full path in your config, for example:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rag-server": {
      "command": "/usr/local/bin/python3",
      "args": ["/Users/yourname/rag-mcp-server/server.py"]
    }
  }
}

Step 5: Restart Claude Desktop

1. Completely quit Claude Desktop (don't just close the window)
   • macOS: Press Cmd+Q or go to Claude → Quit
   • Windows: Right-click the system tray icon and select Quit
2. Reopen Claude Desktop
3. Look for the 🔌 icon at the bottom of the chat window - this means your MCP server is connected!

Step 6: Test It!

In Claude Desktop, try asking:

Use the search_rag tool to find information about Python

You should see Claude call your tool and return the test message!

📝 How to Customize

Option 1: Add Your Own Hardcoded Data

Edit server.py and modify the KNOWLEDGE_BASE list (lines 11-39):

KNOWLEDGE_BASE = [
    {
        "id": 1,
        "title": "Your Document Title",
        "content": "Your document content here..."
    },
    # Add more documents...
]

Then update the search_knowledge_base() function (line 45) to implement real search logic.

Option 2: Connect to Your API

Modify the search_knowledge_base() function to call your existing RAG API:

import httpx

def search_knowledge_base(query: str) -> list:
    # Call your API
    response = httpx.get(f"https://your-api.com/search?q={query}")
    return response.json()

Option 3: Connect to a Vector Database

Install a vector database client and query it:

# Example with Pinecone
import pinecone

def search_knowledge_base(query: str) -> list:
    # Query your vector database
    results = index.query(query, top_k=5)
    return results

🛠️ Project Structure

rag-mcp-server/
├── server.py                           # Main MCP server implementation
├── requirements.txt                    # Python dependencies
├── README.md                           # Full documentation (you are here!)
├── QUICKSTART.md                       # Simplified quick start guide
├── CONTRIBUTING.md                     # Contribution guidelines
├── LICENSE                             # MIT License
├── claude_desktop_config.example.json  # Example config (copy and modify)
└── .gitignore                          # Git ignore patterns

🔧 Troubleshooting

The 🔌 icon doesn't appear

1. Check the config file path - make sure you edited the correct file
2. Verify absolute paths - use full paths, not relative paths like ./server.py
3. Check Python path - run which python3 (macOS/Linux) or where python (Windows)
4. View logs - Claude Desktop logs errors to:
   • macOS: ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log
   • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\Logs\mcp*.log

Server shows as connected but tool doesn't work

1. Restart Claude Desktop completely after any code changes
2. Test the server manually:

   python server.py
   

   It should start without errors

Permission errors

Make the server executable:

chmod +x server.py

Import errors

Make sure dependencies are installed:

pip install -r requirements.txt

If using virtual environments, activate it first:

# Create virtual environment
python -m venv venv

# Activate it
# macOS/Linux:
source venv/bin/activate
# Windows:
venv\Scripts\activate

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

Then update your Claude Desktop config to use the virtual environment's Python:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rag-server": {
      "command": "/absolute/path/to/venv/bin/python",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/server.py"]
    }
  }
}

📚 Learn More

• MCP Documentation
• MCP Specification
• Claude Desktop Documentation
• Example MCP Servers

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Feel free to:

• Open issues for bugs or feature requests
• Submit pull requests
• Share your customizations

📄 License

MIT License - feel free to use this in your own projects!

💡 Example Use Cases

• Personal knowledge base: Search your notes, documents, or research
• Company documentation: Give Claude access to internal wikis or docs
• Database queries: Connect to SQL/NoSQL databases
• API integration: Bridge Claude with your existing APIs
• Custom tools: Add any functionality you need!

🎓 How It Works

1. Server starts: The Python server runs and waits for messages via stdin/stdout
2. Claude connects: Claude Desktop reads the config and connects to your server
3. Tool registration: The server tells Claude about the search_rag tool
4. User asks: When you ask Claude to search, it calls the tool
5. Server responds: Your server processes the request and returns results
6. Claude uses results: Claude incorporates the results into its response

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Built with ❤️ using the Model Context Protocol

Questions? Open an issue or check the MCP documentation!