Web Scout
A powerful MCP server extension providing web search and content extraction capabilities. Integrates DuckDuckGo search functionality and URL content extraction into your MCP environment, enabling AI assistants to search the web and extract webpage co
What is Web Scout?
Web Scout is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to powerful mcp server extension providing web search and content extraction capabilities. integrates duckduckgo search functionality and url content extraction into your mcp environment, enabling ai ass...
A powerful MCP server extension providing web search and content extraction capabilities. Integrates DuckDuckGo search functionality and URL content extraction into your MCP environment, enabling AI assistants to search the web and extract webpage co
This server falls under the Search & Data Extraction category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- A powerful MCP server extension providing web search and con
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx web-scout-mcp-serverConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Web Scout
Web Scout is a lightweight MCP server that gives AI assistants real-time web access through two focused tools: a privacy-respecting DuckDuckGo search that returns titles, URLs, and snippets, and a URL content extractor that strips away navigation, scripts, and ads to return clean readable text. It supports parallel URL fetching and requires no API keys, making it a zero-friction way to add web search and page reading to any MCP-compatible client.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18 or later
- npm or npx available on your PATH
- An MCP client such as Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf
- No API keys required — DuckDuckGo search is free and unauthenticated
Install the package
Install Web Scout globally, or use npx to run it on demand without a permanent installation.
npm install -g @pinkpixel/web-scout-mcpConfigure your MCP client
Add Web Scout to your MCP client configuration file. The server starts automatically when the client connects.
{
"mcpServers": {
"web-scout": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@pinkpixel/web-scout-mcp@latest"]
}
}
}Restart your MCP client
Restart Claude Desktop (or your chosen client) to pick up the new server configuration. The web-scout tools will appear in the tool list.
Verify the tools are available
Ask your AI assistant to list available tools or try a search query. You should see DuckDuckGoWebSearch and UrlContentExtractor.
Web Scout Examples
Client configuration (Claude Desktop)
Add Web Scout to Claude Desktop's config file so the search and extraction tools are always available.
{
"mcpServers": {
"web-scout": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@pinkpixel/web-scout-mcp@latest"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
These prompts use the DuckDuckGoWebSearch and UrlContentExtractor tools that Web Scout exposes.
- "Search the web for the latest news about Model Context Protocol and summarize the top 5 results."
- "Extract the full text content from https://modelcontextprotocol.io/introduction"
- "Search for 'best practices for AI agent security' and fetch the content of the top 3 articles."
- "Look up today's trending topics in machine learning and give me a brief overview."
- "Find the official documentation for the Anthropic API and extract the authentication section."Troubleshooting Web Scout
DuckDuckGo search returns no results or times out
DuckDuckGo may rate-limit rapid consecutive searches. Add a short delay between searches or reduce maxResults. If the issue persists, verify your network can reach duckduckgo.com.
UrlContentExtractor returns empty or garbled text
Some pages rely heavily on JavaScript rendering. Web Scout uses Cheerio (static HTML parsing) rather than a headless browser, so JavaScript-heavy single-page apps may return minimal content. Use a URL that serves HTML directly.
npx command not found or package fails to start
Ensure Node.js 18+ is installed and npx is available (`node --version`, `npx --version`). Try running `npx -y @pinkpixel/web-scout-mcp@latest` directly in a terminal to see the raw error.
Frequently Asked Questions about Web Scout
What is Web Scout?
Web Scout is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that powerful mcp server extension providing web search and content extraction capabilities. integrates duckduckgo search functionality and url content extraction into your mcp environment, enabling ai assistants to search the web and extract webpage co It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Web Scout?
Follow the installation instructions on the Web Scout GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Web Scout?
Web Scout works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Web Scout free to use?
Yes, Web Scout is open source and available under the Apache 2.0 license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Browse More Search & Data Extraction MCP Servers
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Set Up Web Scout 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
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