open-notebook — Claude Code MCP server: what it does, how to install
Bridges your AI agent with an Open Notebook instance to search records, store research sources, and manage notes. Useful for querying your personal knowledge base in editor sessions.
claude mcp add open-notebook -e OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL=<OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL> -e OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD=<OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD> -- uvx open-notebook-mcpWhat open-notebook does
The server exposes 39 tools to control notebooks, source materials, notes, and chat sessions. It uses progressive discovery through search_capabilities, so the assistant retrieves tool definitions on demand instead of cluttering the prompt context.
It supports text queries, vector retrieval, and automated embedding generation for external web links. You can also configure model profiles and trigger Q&A workflows directly against indexed notebooks. Communication runs over stdio or Streamable HTTP.
Running this bridge requires a live Open Notebook deployment reachable at OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL. Without an active server, requests fail after the built-in 30-second timeout.
What it helps with
- run semantic and keyword searches across stored notebook entries
- save web links and raw text with vector embeddings
- organize structured notes inside dedicated research notebooks
- manage chat sessions and conversational context via the API
Example prompts for the agent
- Search the AI Research notebook for notes covering vector search
- Add
https://example.com/ai-articleas an embedded link source to the current notebook - List all active chat sessions stored in Open Notebook
How to install open-notebook
Platform CLI
claude mcp add open-notebook -e OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL=<OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL> -e OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD=<OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD> -- uvx open-notebook-mcpReplace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from open-notebook-mcp <command>
Platform CLI
codex mcp add open-notebook --env OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL=<OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL> --env OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD=<OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD> -- uvx open-notebook-mcpReplace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from open-notebook-mcp <command>
Config file
{
"mcpServers": {
"open-notebook": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"open-notebook-mcp"
],
"env": {
"OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL": "<OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL>",
"OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD": "<OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD>"
}
}
}
}Replace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from open-notebook-mcp <command>
Config file
{
"servers": {
"open-notebook": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"open-notebook-mcp"
],
"env": {
"OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL": "<OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL>",
"OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD": "<OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD>"
}
}
}
}Replace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from open-notebook-mcp <command>
Platform CLI
gemini mcp add -e OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL=<OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL> -e OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD=<OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD> open-notebook uvx open-notebook-mcpReplace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from open-notebook-mcp <command>
Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about open-notebook
How to install open-notebook in Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add open-notebook -e OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL=<OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL> -e OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD=<OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD> -- uvx open-notebook-mcp in your terminal.
What does open-notebook do?
It connects AI tools to an Open Notebook instance. The server provides functions to create notes, index external links, query text vectors, and manage project conversations.
What configuration is needed before connecting?
You must provide OPEN_NOTEBOOK_URL pointing to your running instance, such as http://localhost:5055. If your setup uses authentication, supply OPEN_NOTEBOOK_PASSWORD as well.
