ask_perplexityLABSCO SUMMARY
One tool, which is the point.
A single well-named tool costs almost nothing in context and needs no explanation to the model — it either asks Perplexity or it does not. If what you want is a sourced web answer inside a conversation, this is the smallest thing that does it. If you want document extraction, persistent threads or developer-shaped research tools, this is not that.
What it is
A small MCP server over the Perplexity API. It does one thing — ask_perplexity requests a chat completion and returns it with citations — and it installs in a single line.
What you get
ask_perplexity— a chat completion with the citations Perplexity used, so an answer arrives with sources attacheduvx mcp-server-perplexitywith the key in the environment: nothing to clone, nothing to build
Requirements
A Perplexity API key in PERPLEXITY_API_KEY, and uv so that uvx can fetch the package — mcp-server-perplexity. One documented limitation to plan around: the server does not report progress on long-running calls, so Claude Desktop can time out when Perplexity takes a while. Keep questions tight, and expect the occasional dropped answer on a heavy one.
Setup effort
One command plus a key — uvx mcp-server-perplexity, then supply credentials
USE CASES
01
Getting a current answer with sources
Ask the question and receive the completion with its citations, rather than an unattributed summary.
02
Checking a claim mid-conversation
Route the specific factual question out to Perplexity and read the citations before accepting the answer.
03
Adding search with a one-line config
Use uvx and one environment variable — no clone, no build step, no local state.
1 tool
Listed in project docs. Your client may show a different list.
BEFORE YOU INSTALL
What to know first
Tools you get
1 tool named in the project's documentation.
Requires
- uvx on PATH
- PERPLEXITY_API_KEY in your environment
Where it runs
The documented client runs the server on your machine.
INSTALLATION
Connect your client
Server setup
TERMINAL
uvx mcp-server-perplexityMCP Clients
Claude Desktop
CLAUDE DESKTOP · JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"Perplexity": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"mcp-server-perplexity"
],
"env": {
"PERPLEXITY_API_KEY": "<YOUR_PERPLEXITY_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}
