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Zim

v1.0.0•Knowledge & Memory•stable

A MCP server that enables AI models to access and search ZIM format knowledge bases offline

kiwixmcpmcp-serverzim
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What is Zim?

Zim is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to mcp server that enables ai models to access and search zim format knowledge bases offline

A MCP server that enables AI models to access and search ZIM format knowledge bases offline

This server falls under the Knowledge & Memory category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.

Features

  • A MCP server that enables AI models to access and search ZIM

Use Cases

Access and search ZIM format knowledge bases offline. Query offline Wikipedia and reference materials. Search knowledge bases without internet dependency.
ThinkInAI-Hackathon

Maintainer

LicenseMIT
Languagepython
Versionv1.0.0
UpdatedMay 17, 2026
Statushealthy
Maintenanceactive

Works with

ClaudeOpenAIwindowsmacoslinux
View SourceBrowse All Servers

Installation

Manual Installation

npx zim

Configuration

Configuration Details

Config File

claude_desktop_config.json

Performance

Response Metrics

Response Time< 200ms
ThroughputMedium

Resource Usage

Memory UsageLow
CPU UsageLow

How to Set Up and Use Zim

The Zim MCP Server enables AI models to search and read ZIM-format knowledge bases entirely offline, without any internet connection. ZIM is the compressed archive format used by Kiwix to distribute offline copies of Wikipedia, Project Gutenberg, Stack Overflow, and hundreds of other reference collections. By connecting Claude or another AI assistant to local ZIM files, you get instant, private access to massive knowledge bases that work even without connectivity.

Prerequisites

  • Python 3.9 or later installed
  • uv package manager installed for dependency management
  • One or more ZIM files downloaded from the Kiwix Library at library.kiwix.org
  • An MCP client such as Claude Desktop
  • Git installed to clone the repository
1

Clone the repository

Clone the zim-mcp-server repository to your local machine.

git clone https://github.com/ThinkInAI-Hackathon/zim-mcp-server.git
cd zim-mcp-server
2

Install dependencies with uv

Use uv to create a virtual environment and install all required Python dependencies from the lock file.

uv sync
3

Download ZIM files from the Kiwix Library

Visit library.kiwix.org and download the ZIM files for the knowledge bases you want offline access to (e.g., Wikipedia in English, Stack Overflow). Place them in a directory you will reference in the config.

4

Configure your MCP client

Add the zim-mcp-server to your Claude Desktop configuration. Pass the path to your ZIM files directory as an argument to server.py. On Windows, use double backslashes in paths.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zim-mcp-server": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "--directory",
        "/path/to/zim-mcp-server",
        "run",
        "server.py",
        "/path/to/zim/files"
      ]
    }
  }
}
5

Restart Claude Desktop and verify

Restart Claude Desktop. Ask Claude to list available ZIM files — the list_zim_files tool will return all ZIM archives found in the directory you configured.

Zim Examples

Client configuration

Claude Desktop configuration for the Zim MCP Server with paths to the cloned repository and your ZIM files directory.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zim-mcp-server": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "--directory",
        "/Users/yourname/zim-mcp-server",
        "run",
        "server.py",
        "/Users/yourname/zim-files"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Prompts to try

Example prompts for searching and reading from offline ZIM knowledge bases.

- "List all the ZIM knowledge bases I have available offline."
- "Search Wikipedia for 'quantum entanglement' and summarize the top results."
- "Get the full Wikipedia article on Artificial Intelligence from my local ZIM file."
- "Search Stack Overflow for 'Python async await' and show me the first 5 results."
- "Find information about the French Revolution in the Wikipedia ZIM and give me the key dates."

Troubleshooting Zim

list_zim_files returns an empty list

Verify that the path you passed as the argument to server.py actually contains .zim files. Check that the path is absolute and correctly escaped in your JSON config. You can test by running 'ls /path/to/zim/files/*.zim' in a terminal.

uv command not found when Claude Desktop starts the server

Install uv by following the instructions at docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation. After installation, ensure uv is in a system PATH that GUI applications can access (on macOS, add it to /etc/paths or /usr/local/bin).

search_zim_file returns no results for queries I expect to find

Ensure you are passing the full file path to the zimFilePath parameter, not just the filename. Also check that your query matches the language and content of the ZIM file — a French Wikipedia ZIM will not match English queries well.

Frequently Asked Questions about Zim

What is Zim?

Zim is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that mcp server that enables ai models to access and search zim format knowledge bases offline It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.

How do I install Zim?

Follow the installation instructions on the Zim GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.

Which AI clients work with Zim?

Zim works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.

Is Zim free to use?

Yes, Zim is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.

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Quick Config Preview

{ "mcpServers": { "zim": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "zim"] } } }

Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json

Read the full setup guide →

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