Better Bear
📇 🏠 🍎 - MCP server for Bear notes via CloudKit — CRUD, tags, TODOs, attachments, search, front matter,
What is Better Bear?
Better Bear is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to 📇 🏠 🍎 - mcp server for bear notes via cloudkit — crud, tags, todos, attachments, search, front matter,
📇 🏠 🍎 - MCP server for Bear notes via CloudKit — CRUD, tags, TODOs, attachments, search, front matter,
This server falls under the Knowledge & Memory category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- MCP protocol support
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
NPM
npx -y better-bearManual Installation
npx -y better-bearConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Better Bear
Better Bear is an MCP server for the Bear note-taking app on macOS that connects AI assistants to your Bear library via CloudKit, giving them full CRUD access to notes, tags, TODOs, and file attachments. It exposes 34 tools covering everything from full-text search and front-matter parsing to a context library system that lets you tag notes for inclusion in AI conversations. Mac users who write in Bear use it to have Claude search their knowledge base, create and update notes, manage TODOs, and maintain a curated context library of reference material.
Prerequisites
- macOS with Bear app installed and iCloud Drive enabled
- An active iCloud account (CloudKit is used for data access)
- Node.js 18 or later (for npx) or the better-bear binary installed via the install script
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop or Claude Code
- Run 'bcli auth' once to authenticate with your iCloud credentials
Run the installer script
The official installer script downloads the bcli binary, installs it, and sets up your PATH. Run it in your terminal.
curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/KuvopLLC/better-bear/main/install.sh | bashAuthenticate with iCloud
Run the auth command to link bcli to your iCloud account. This stores credentials locally for subsequent MCP server use.
bcli authInstall the MCP integration
Run the MCP installer which auto-detects Claude Desktop and Claude Code and writes the correct config entries. Use --desktop-only or --code-only to target a specific client.
bcli mcp installVerify the configuration
Check that the MCP server entry was written correctly. The status command shows which clients are configured and the current connection state.
bcli mcp statusRestart your MCP client
Quit and reopen Claude Desktop or Claude Code. Better Bear will be available as a set of 34 Bear tools in your AI assistant.
Better Bear Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop config entry for Better Bear using the npx runner. The bcli mcp install command generates this automatically, but you can also add it manually.
{
"mcpServers": {
"better-bear": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "better-bear"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example requests that exercise note search, creation, TODO management, and the context library.
- "Search my Bear notes for anything about project architecture decisions"
- "Create a new note titled 'Meeting Notes 2026-06-14' with the tag #work/meetings"
- "List all TODOs marked as incomplete across my notes"
- "Show me all notes tagged with #research and summarise their key points"
- "Append a new section to my 'API Design' note with the following text: ..."
- "Add the note 'System Design Patterns' to my context library with the subtag reference"Troubleshooting Better Bear
bcli auth fails or iCloud connection is refused
Ensure iCloud Drive is enabled in System Settings and that you are signed into the same Apple ID that Bear uses. If you have two-factor authentication enabled you may need to generate an app-specific password.
Notes are not showing up or search returns empty results
Better Bear syncs via CloudKit. Allow a few seconds for the initial sync after authentication. Run 'bcli health' to diagnose connectivity and 'bcli stats' to confirm the note count matches your Bear library.
MCP server not appearing in Claude Desktop after install
Run 'bcli mcp status' to verify the config was written. If it shows no desktop config, rerun 'bcli mcp install --desktop-only'. Also confirm that Claude Desktop was fully quit and relaunched after the install.
Frequently Asked Questions about Better Bear
What is Better Bear?
Better Bear is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that 📇 🏠 🍎 - mcp server for bear notes via cloudkit — crud, tags, todos, attachments, search, front matter, It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Better Bear?
Install via npm with the command: npx -y better-bear. Then add the server configuration to your AI client's JSON config file (e.g., claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json).
Which AI clients work with Better Bear?
Better Bear works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Better Bear free to use?
Yes, Better Bear is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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