# Silica Core

Silica Core retrieves evidence from code, Markdown, PDF, and office files, returning paths, sections, lines, and passages. It fits local project research.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI · ★ 70
- Author: kiycoh
- License: MIT · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/kiycoh/silica-core
- Updated: 2026-10-14
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/silica-core

## What it does

Silica Core builds an index for Markdown, source code, PDFs, and office files inside an adopted folder. Its MCP tools list indexed files, search ranked passages, read a line or heading range, create an AST context pack for one source file, and write a structured note with wikilink checks. Search results include the path, section, line information, and match signals.

The default retrieval path uses BM25 and needs no model. A dense option adds `numpy` and a static model through `silica-core[mcp,dense]`; it does not require a GPU. Run `silica-core init` before serving a folder, then use `silica-core search` or register the MCP server with `claude mcp add`. You need `uvx` for the shown setup. No API key is required, and the server does not need a network connection while working.

## Requirements
- Needs: Python and uv (commands run via uvx)
- Environment variables: `SILICA_VAULT` — 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 SILICA_VAULT=<SILICA_VAULT> --transport stdio silica-core -- uvx silica-core
```
Replace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from silica-core <command>

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add silica-core --env SILICA_VAULT=<SILICA_VAULT> -- uvx silica-core
```
Replace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from silica-core <command>

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "silica-core": {
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "silica-core"
            ],
            "env": {
                "SILICA_VAULT": "<SILICA_VAULT>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from silica-core <command>

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "silica-core": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "silica-core"
            ],
            "env": {
                "SILICA_VAULT": "<SILICA_VAULT>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from silica-core <command>

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add -e SILICA_VAULT=<SILICA_VAULT> silica-core uvx silica-core
```
Replace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from silica-core <command>

## When to use it
- locate evidence across source files and documents
- read a file section by heading or line range
- assemble AST context for one source file
- write a checked note with wikilink validation

## Example prompts
- Find the explanation of leveled compaction in the project folder and return its file, page, and lines.
- Read the section that defines class `Storage` in `src/storage.py`, then use it to answer my question.
- Build a code context pack for `src/indexer.py` and include the related functions.

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