OpenAPI Schema Explorer
A MCP server that exposes OpenAPI schema information to LLMs like Claude. This server allows an LLM to explore and understand large OpenAPI schemas through a set of specialized tools, without needing to load the whole schema into the context
What is OpenAPI Schema Explorer?
OpenAPI Schema Explorer is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to mcp server that exposes openapi schema information to llms like claude. this server allows an llm to explore and understand large openapi schemas through a set of specialized tools, without needing to...
A MCP server that exposes OpenAPI schema information to LLMs like Claude. This server allows an LLM to explore and understand large OpenAPI schemas through a set of specialized tools, without needing to load the whole schema into the context
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- A MCP server that exposes OpenAPI schema information to LLMs
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
NPM
npx -y mcp-openapi-schemaManual Installation
npx -y mcp-openapi-schemaConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use OpenAPI Schema Explorer
The mcp-openapi-schema server exposes a large OpenAPI or Swagger specification to AI assistants through a set of targeted MCP tools, allowing LLMs to explore API endpoints, retrieve request/response schemas, list components, and search across the spec — all without loading the entire schema into the context window at once. This makes it practical to work with large, enterprise-scale API specs that would otherwise overflow the model's context limit. It supports both JSON and YAML schema files and works with any MCP client including Claude Desktop and the Claude CLI.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 16+ installed
- An OpenAPI 3.x or Swagger 2.x schema file (JSON or YAML format) accessible on your local filesystem
- An MCP client such as Claude Desktop or the Claude CLI
Test the server with a sample schema
Run the server directly with npx, passing the path to your OpenAPI schema file as the first argument. Use the Petstore sample to verify setup.
npx -y mcp-openapi-schema ./petstore.jsonLocate your OpenAPI schema file
Ensure your OpenAPI schema file is accessible at a known absolute path on your filesystem. Both JSON and YAML formats are supported.
Configure Claude Desktop
Add the server to your claude_desktop_config.json, passing the absolute path to your schema file as an argument.
{
"mcpServers": {
"openapi-schema": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-openapi-schema", "/absolute/path/to/your-api-spec.yaml"]
}
}
}Add via Claude CLI (alternative)
If you use the Claude CLI instead of Claude Desktop, add the server with a single command.
claude mcp add openapi-schema npx -y mcp-openapi-schema /absolute/path/to/your-api-spec.yamlRestart your MCP client and verify
Restart Claude Desktop or refresh the Claude CLI session. Ask Claude to list the available API endpoints to confirm the schema was loaded successfully.
OpenAPI Schema Explorer Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop configuration pointing to a local OpenAPI YAML file.
{
"mcpServers": {
"openapi-schema": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-openapi-schema", "/Users/you/projects/my-api/openapi.yaml"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Sample prompts that use the ten tools exposed by this server to explore an API spec.
- "What endpoints are available in this API?"
- "Show me the details for the POST /pets endpoint including all parameters"
- "What is the request body schema for creating a new order?"
- "What response schema does GET /users/{id} return for a 200 status?"
- "List all reusable schema components in this API spec"
- "Search the schema for anything related to 'authentication'"Troubleshooting OpenAPI Schema Explorer
Server starts but reports 'file not found' for the schema
Use an absolute path to the schema file in the args array, not a relative path. The working directory when Claude Desktop launches the server may differ from your project directory. Run `pwd` and construct the full path (e.g. /Users/you/projects/api/spec.yaml).
YAML schema fails to parse
Validate your YAML file for syntax errors using a linter such as `npx yaml-validator your-spec.yaml` or an online YAML validator. Common issues include inconsistent indentation, tab characters instead of spaces, or invalid UTF-8 characters.
Tools return incomplete results for very large schemas
The server is designed to load large schemas but summarize results per-tool to stay within context limits. If a specific component seems missing, use the search-schema tool with a keyword rather than listing all components at once, as list-components may paginate or truncate results.
Frequently Asked Questions about OpenAPI Schema Explorer
What is OpenAPI Schema Explorer?
OpenAPI Schema Explorer is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that mcp server that exposes openapi schema information to llms like claude. this server allows an llm to explore and understand large openapi schemas through a set of specialized tools, without needing to load the whole schema into the context It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install OpenAPI Schema Explorer?
Install via npm with the command: npx -y mcp-openapi-schema. 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 OpenAPI Schema Explorer?
OpenAPI Schema Explorer works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is OpenAPI Schema Explorer free to use?
Yes, OpenAPI Schema Explorer 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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Set Up OpenAPI Schema Explorer in Your Editor
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Quick Config Preview
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