MCP Docs Server

from Unlock-MCP

Provides direct access to local documentation files through a context.md file in the project root.

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MCP Docs Server

A lightweight Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides direct access to local documentation files - a simple alternative to complex RAG pipelines for project-specific context.

Overview

This MCP server reads a single markdown file (context.md) and exposes its contents through two simple tools:

get_context_overview(): Lists all section titles
search_context(query): Searches content across all sections

Perfect for giving LLMs access to project documentation without the overhead of vector databases or embedding models.

Features

Zero dependencies beyond the MCP Python SDK
Lightning fast - direct file access, no vector search
Simple setup - works with both GUI and CLI MCP clients
Cross-platform - includes shell wrapper for macOS/Linux compatibility
Robust error handling - comprehensive logging and debugging support

Development

Testing

Use the MCP development tools for easy testing:

mcp dev ./run_context_server.sh

This launches a web-based inspector for testing your server.

Debugging

The server logs to stderr for debugging. Check your MCP client's logs if you encounter issues.

Common issues:

ENOENT errors: Use the shell wrapper or specify full Python path
Import errors: Ensure mcp[cli]>=1.2.0 is installed
File not found: Verify context.md exists in the project root

File Structure

mcp-docs-server/
├── mcp_context_server.py      # Main server implementation
├── run_context_server.sh      # Shell wrapper for GUI clients
├── requirements.txt           # Python dependencies
├── context.md                 # Your documentation (create this)
└── README.md                  # This file

Tutorial

For a complete walkthrough of building this server from scratch, including common pitfalls and solutions, see the full tutorial: Ditching RAG: Building a Local MCP Server for Your Docs

Copy & paste — that's it

pip install -r requirements.txt

Installation

Prerequisites

Python 3.11+
MCP client (Claude Desktop, cline, etc.)

Setup

Clone this repository:

git clone https://github.com/unlock-mcp/mcp-docs-server.git
cd mcp-docs-server

Install dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Create your documentation file:

# Create a context.md file in the project root with your documentation
echo "# My Project Docs\n\nThis is my documentation." > context.md

Client Configuration

For Claude Desktop (GUI clients)

Use the shell wrapper for reliable execution:

Make the wrapper executable:

chmod +x run_context_server.sh

Install the server:

mcp install ./run_context_server.sh --name "docs-server"

For cline and CLI clients

Add to your MCP configuration file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "docs-server": {
      "timeout": 60,
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/python3.11",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/mcp-docs-server/mcp_context_server.py"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

Note: Update the Python path to match your system (which python3.11)

Usage

Once configured, you can use these tools in your MCP client:

Get overview: "What sections are available in the docs?"
Search content: "Search for authentication in the docs"
Specific queries: "How do I configure the database?"

MCP Docs Server

Overview

Features

Development

Testing

Debugging

File Structure

Tutorial

Installation

Prerequisites

Setup

Client Configuration

For Claude Desktop (GUI clients)

For cline and CLI clients

Usage

License