Man Pages
MCP server for for searching and retrieving man pages from the local machine.
What is Man Pages?
Man Pages is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to mcp server for for searching and retrieving man pages from the local machine.
MCP server for for searching and retrieving man pages from the local machine.
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- MCP server for for searching and retrieving man pages from t
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx manConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Man Pages
The Man Pages MCP Server provides AI assistants with direct access to the Unix/Linux manual pages installed on the local machine, enabling them to search, retrieve, and reason over system documentation without leaving the conversation. It exposes tools for keyword-based man page search, full page retrieval by name and section, and section listing, plus resource URIs for direct access to any man page. Developers and system administrators benefit from this server when they want their AI assistant to reference accurate, version-specific command documentation rather than relying on potentially outdated training data.
Prerequisites
- Python 3.10+ installed on your system
- Linux or macOS with the standard `man` and `apropos` commands available on the system PATH
- The `uv` package manager installed (https://astral.sh/uv) for running the server
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or VS Code with GitHub Copilot
Clone the repository
Clone the man-mcp repository to your local machine.
git clone https://github.com/guyru/man-mcp.git
cd man-mcpInstall dependencies with uv
Use uv sync to install the project dependencies into a managed virtual environment.
uv syncTest the server locally
Run the server directly to verify it starts up and can access man pages on your system.
uv run python3 server/main.pyAdd the server to your MCP client configuration
Register the man-mcp server in your claude_desktop_config.json using uv run so the correct virtual environment is used automatically.
{
"mcpServers": {
"man-pages": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "uv",
"args": ["run", "--directory", "/absolute/path/to/man-mcp", "python3", "server/main.py"]
}
}
}Restart your MCP client and verify access
Restart Claude Desktop or your chosen client. The three man page tools (search_man_pages, get_man_page, list_man_sections) should now be available to the assistant.
Man Pages Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop configuration using uv to run the man-mcp server, pointing at the cloned repository directory.
{
"mcpServers": {
"man-pages": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "uv",
"args": ["run", "--directory", "/absolute/path/to/man-mcp", "python3", "server/main.py"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example prompts for accessing Unix manual pages through the MCP server.
- "Show me the man page for the ls command"
- "Search man pages for anything related to file permissions"
- "Get the section 2 man page for the open system call"
- "What options does the curl command support according to its man page?"
- "List all available man page sections on this system"
- "Search man pages for networking tools"Troubleshooting Man Pages
`man` or `apropos` command not found when the server starts
The server relies on the system `man` and `apropos` binaries. On minimal Linux containers or macOS without Xcode CLI tools, install man pages with your package manager (e.g. `sudo apt install man-db` on Ubuntu or `xcode-select --install` on macOS).
uv command not found when the MCP client starts the server
Ensure uv is installed and on the system PATH that your MCP client inherits. Use the full path to uv (e.g. /home/user/.cargo/bin/uv) as the `command` value in your config, or install uv globally.
Man page search returns no results for a known command
Run `apropos <keyword>` in your terminal to verify the man database is up to date. On some systems you may need to run `sudo mandb` or `sudo makewhatis` to rebuild the manual page index before searches work correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions about Man Pages
What is Man Pages?
Man Pages is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that mcp server for for searching and retrieving man pages from the local machine. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Man Pages?
Follow the installation instructions on the Man Pages GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Man Pages?
Man Pages works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Man Pages free to use?
Yes, Man Pages is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
Man Pages Alternatives — Similar Developer Tools Servers
Looking for alternatives to Man Pages? Here are other popular developer tools servers you can use with Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
Ecc
★ 188.2kThe agent harness performance optimization system. Skills, instincts, memory, security, and research-first development for Claude Code, Codex, Opencode, Cursor and beyond.
Javaguide
★ 155.8kJava 面试 & 后端通用面试指南，覆盖计算机基础、数据库、分布式、高并发、系统设计与 AI 应用开发
Gemini CLI
★ 104.5kA secure MCP server that wraps the Google Gemini CLI, allowing clients to query Gemini models using local OAuth sessions without requiring an API key. It provides tools for model interaction and diagnostics with built-in protection against command in
Awesome MCP Servers
★ 87.3k⭐ Curated list of Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers - tools that extend Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, and other MCP clients with custom capabilities.
MCP Servers
★ 86.0kModel Context Protocol Servers
CC Switch
★ 77.5kA cross-platform desktop All-in-One assistant for Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, OpenClaw, Gemini CLI & Hermes Agent. Only official website: ccswitch.io
Browse More Developer Tools MCP Servers
Explore all developer tools servers available in the MCPgee directory. Each server includes setup guides for Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
Set Up Man Pages in Your Editor
Choose your AI client for step-by-step setup instructions.
Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
Ready to use Man Pages?
Browse our complete directory of 33,000+ MCP servers, read setup guides for your editor, and start building with the Model Context Protocol.