Yarr MCP — Claude Code MCP server: what it does, how to install
Connects self-hosted media services like Sonarr, Radarr, and Plex to AI agents through a unified MCP and CLI layer.
claude mcp add --env YARR_SONARR_URL=<YARR_SONARR_URL> --env YARR_SONARR_API_KEY=<YARR_SONARR_API_KEY> --env YARR_RADARR_URL=<YARR_RADARR_URL> --env YARR_RADARR_API_KEY=<YARR_RADARR_API_KEY> --env YARR_PLEX_URL=<YARR_PLEX_URL> --transport stdio yarr-mcp -- npx -y @dinglebear/yarrWhat Yarr MCP does
The server organizes self-hosted media apps under one control layer. Instead of crafting distinct connectors for every app, an agent interacts with Sonarr, Radarr, Plex, and Jellyfin via MCP. Operators can run identical actions directly from their shell using the yarr CLI.
For applications that supply machine-readable schemas, requests rely on OpenAPI metadata. Other tools like SABnzbd, Bazarr, and qBittorrent use curated command sets. The runtime also includes Code Mode for multi-step automation scripts and saved snippets.
Credentials never pass through chat tool parameters. Authentication values must stay inside environment variables or configuration files. The server does not manage scheduling on its own and does not expose an embedded web panel.
What it helps with
- Query status across Sonarr, Radarr, and Plex instances
- Trigger spec-backed OpenAPI operations on media management services
- Execute multi-step automation workflows using Code Mode
- Prevent API tokens from appearing inside model prompt arguments
Example prompts for the agent
- Check the fleet status of Sonarr and Plex via yarr
- Inspect available endpoints for Radarr in the active configuration
- Run the saved snippet to check active downloads in qBittorrent
How to install Yarr MCP
Platform CLI
claude mcp add --env YARR_SONARR_URL=<YARR_SONARR_URL> --env YARR_SONARR_API_KEY=<YARR_SONARR_API_KEY> --env YARR_RADARR_URL=<YARR_RADARR_URL> --env YARR_RADARR_API_KEY=<YARR_RADARR_API_KEY> --env YARR_PLEX_URL=<YARR_PLEX_URL> --transport stdio yarr-mcp -- npx -y @dinglebear/yarrReplace <…> with your own values. 5 more environment variables are in the server README
Platform CLI
codex mcp add yarr-mcp --env YARR_SONARR_URL=<YARR_SONARR_URL> --env YARR_SONARR_API_KEY=<YARR_SONARR_API_KEY> --env YARR_RADARR_URL=<YARR_RADARR_URL> --env YARR_RADARR_API_KEY=<YARR_RADARR_API_KEY> --env YARR_PLEX_URL=<YARR_PLEX_URL> -- npx -y @dinglebear/yarrReplace <…> with your own values. 5 more environment variables are in the server README
Config file
{
"mcpServers": {
"yarr-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@dinglebear/yarr"
],
"env": {
"YARR_SONARR_URL": "<YARR_SONARR_URL>",
"YARR_SONARR_API_KEY": "<YARR_SONARR_API_KEY>",
"YARR_RADARR_URL": "<YARR_RADARR_URL>",
"YARR_RADARR_API_KEY": "<YARR_RADARR_API_KEY>",
"YARR_PLEX_URL": "<YARR_PLEX_URL>"
}
}
}
}Replace <…> with your own values. 5 more environment variables are in the server README
Config file
{
"servers": {
"yarr-mcp": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@dinglebear/yarr"
],
"env": {
"YARR_SONARR_URL": "<YARR_SONARR_URL>",
"YARR_SONARR_API_KEY": "<YARR_SONARR_API_KEY>",
"YARR_RADARR_URL": "<YARR_RADARR_URL>",
"YARR_RADARR_API_KEY": "<YARR_RADARR_API_KEY>",
"YARR_PLEX_URL": "<YARR_PLEX_URL>"
}
}
}
}Replace <…> with your own values. 5 more environment variables are in the server README
Platform CLI
gemini mcp add -e YARR_SONARR_URL=<YARR_SONARR_URL> -e YARR_SONARR_API_KEY=<YARR_SONARR_API_KEY> -e YARR_RADARR_URL=<YARR_RADARR_URL> -e YARR_RADARR_API_KEY=<YARR_RADARR_API_KEY> -e YARR_PLEX_URL=<YARR_PLEX_URL> yarr-mcp npx -y @dinglebear/yarrReplace <…> with your own values. 5 more environment variables are in the server README
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 Yarr MCP
How to install Yarr MCP in Claude Code?
Run `claude mcp add yarr -e YARR_SONARR_API_KEY=<YARR_SONARR_API_KEY> -e YARR_RADARR_API_KEY=<YARR_RADARR_API_KEY> -e YARR_PLEX_TOKEN=<YARR_PLEX_TOKEN> -- npx -y @dinglebear/yarr`. Replace placeholder tokens with your actual service credentials.
What does Yarr MCP do?
It gives AI agents a single unified interface to query and control self-hosted media fleets. Operators get an equivalent command set via the CLI.
Can the agent accept service keys in tool inputs?
No, the security design forbids passing keys or tokens as action arguments. All credentials must be set beforehand via environment variables or config files.
