# SearXNG HTTP MCP

An MCP server that brings SearXNG into your coding agent: 200+ engines, 30+ categories, autocomplete. Ships as a Docker image or runs through uvx.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI · ★ 12
- Author: whw23
- License: MIT · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/whw23/searxng_http_mcp
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/searxng-http-mcp

## What it does

SearXNG HTTP MCP puts the SearXNG metasearch engine behind MCP tools. Your agent can query 200+ engines and 30+ categories such as news, images and videos. Returns are trimmed to the essentials, so context stays manageable. A separate tool lists engines by category, and autocomplete helps phrase the query.

Three ways to run it. The Docker image is self-contained — SearXNG is baked in, one exposed port `8888` serves both the MCP endpoint at `/mcp` and the SearXNG web UI through a reverse proxy. For a client-side setup, the same image starts with `--stdio`. The third path, `uvx searxng-http-mcp`, talks to a SearXNG you already run; point `SEARXNG_URL` at it, otherwise the default is `http://127.0.0.1:8080`.

Auth comes in two flavours: `x-api-key` and HTTP Basic Auth. Every install example carries an `API_KEY` variable, and the server won't match that config without a key. The PyPI package calls for Python 3.14+.

## Requirements
- Needs: Docker
- Environment variables: `API_KEY` — keys and tokens: ask the human for the values, never commit them or put them in shared files.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add --env API_KEY=<API_KEY> --transport stdio searxng-http-mcp -- docker run -i --rm -e API_KEY ghcr.io/whw23/searxng-http-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add searxng-http-mcp --env API_KEY=<API_KEY> -- docker run -i --rm -e API_KEY ghcr.io/whw23/searxng-http-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "searxng-http-mcp": {
            "command": "docker",
            "args": [
                "run",
                "-i",
                "--rm",
                "-e",
                "API_KEY",
                "ghcr.io/whw23/searxng-http-mcp"
            ],
            "env": {
                "API_KEY": "<API_KEY>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "searxng-http-mcp": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "docker",
            "args": [
                "run",
                "-i",
                "--rm",
                "-e",
                "API_KEY",
                "ghcr.io/whw23/searxng-http-mcp"
            ],
            "env": {
                "API_KEY": "<API_KEY>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add -e API_KEY=<API_KEY> searxng-http-mcp docker run -i --rm -e API_KEY ghcr.io/whw23/searxng-http-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values

## When to use it
- give an agent web search without a paid API
- query news, images and video across categories in one call
- run private search from a single Docker container
- cap result size so the model's context survives
- hook an existing SearXNG instance up via `SEARXNG_URL`

## Example prompts
- Search SearXNG for recent Docker healthcheck write-ups
- List which engines are available in the it category
- Suggest autocomplete terms for kubernetes

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