Code Index
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that helps large language models index, search, and analyze code repositories with minimal setup
What is Code Index?
Code Index is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to model context protocol (mcp) server that helps large language models index, search, and analyze code repositories with minimal setup
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that helps large language models index, search, and analyze code repositories with minimal setup
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that helps large langu
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx code-indexConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Code Index
Code Index MCP is a server that indexes a local code repository and exposes semantic search, file discovery, and code summarization tools to AI assistants, giving them accurate codebase awareness without requiring the entire source tree to be pasted into context. It supports advanced search with regex and fuzzy matching, automatic file watching that keeps the index up to date as you edit, and deep indexing for thorough structural analysis. Developers use it to let AI assistants navigate large repos, find relevant files, and understand module structure when working on refactoring, onboarding, or debugging tasks.
Prerequisites
- Python 3.9+ and the uv/uvx tool installed
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Codex CLI
- A local code repository with an absolute path you can provide to the server
- No API keys required — all indexing runs locally
Install via uvx (recommended)
uvx downloads and runs the package in an isolated environment without a permanent installation step.
uvx code-index-mcpOr install via pip
Install permanently into your Python environment with pip.
pip install code-index-mcpConfigure Claude Desktop
Add the server to claude_desktop_config.json. Pass --project-path with the absolute path to your repository so the server indexes it on startup. If omitted, you can set the path later using the set_project_path tool.
{
"mcpServers": {
"code-index": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"code-index-mcp",
"--project-path",
"/absolute/path/to/your/repo"
]
}
}
}Configure for Codex CLI (alternative)
Add to ~/.codex/config.toml for use with the OpenAI Codex CLI. On Windows add the required Windows environment variables under the env key.
[mcp_servers.code-index]
type = "stdio"
command = "uvx"
args = ["code-index-mcp", "--project-path", "/path/to/repo"]Build the index
After connecting, ask Claude to build or refresh the code index. For large repositories, use build_deep_index for a more thorough structural analysis.
Enable file watching
Ask Claude to configure the file watcher so the index stays current as you make edits during your session.
Code Index Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop config block for Code Index MCP with a project path set at startup.
{
"mcpServers": {
"code-index": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"code-index-mcp",
"--project-path",
"/Users/dev/my-project"
]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example prompts for searching, navigating, and summarizing a codebase.
- "Set the project path to /Users/dev/my-react-app and build the index"
- "Find all TypeScript files matching the pattern src/components/**/*.tsx"
- "Search for all usages of the 'authenticate' function using regex"
- "Give me a summary of src/api/userService.ts"
- "Which files import from the database module?"Troubleshooting Code Index
Index build fails or returns no results
Confirm the --project-path argument is an absolute path and the directory exists. Relative paths are not supported. Run 'uvx code-index-mcp --project-path /your/path' in a terminal to see startup errors before debugging from within Claude Desktop.
On Windows, uvx fails with environment variable errors
Add the required Windows environment variables to your MCP config: HOME, APPDATA, LOCALAPPDATA, and SystemRoot. Set them to your actual user paths (e.g., HOME = 'C:\\Users\\yourname'). These are needed because uvx depends on them internally.
Search results are stale after editing files
Use the configure_file_watcher tool to enable automatic re-indexing, or manually call refresh_index after making significant changes. The file watcher monitors for modifications and triggers incremental index updates.
Frequently Asked Questions about Code Index
What is Code Index?
Code Index is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that model context protocol (mcp) server that helps large language models index, search, and analyze code repositories with minimal setup It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Code Index?
Follow the installation instructions on the Code Index GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Code Index?
Code Index works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Code Index free to use?
Yes, Code Index 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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