About Anakin
Anakin is an MCP server that gives AI agents access to Anakin web-data and automation actions. It combines scraping, search, research, site monitoring, and cloud-browser tasks, with a CLI that can configure detected clients.
Key features
- 01Scrape pages to Markdown or JSON
- 02Search and research the web with citations
- 03Map domains and crawl sites
- 04Run Wire read and write actions
- 05Monitor sites and detect changes
- 06Perform natural-language browser tasks
Use cases
- 01Collect structured data from web pages
- 02Research a topic across multiple sources
- 03Track changes to a site or page
- 04Automate a supported site's read or form action
MCP support
The server exposes Anakin REST API capabilities as typed MCP tools for compatible clients. Its CLI can configure detected clients, while authentication uses an Anakin API key.
Configuration
Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.
npx -y @anakin-io/mcpANAKIN_API_KEYSecretAnakin API key. Get one free at https://anakin.io/dashboard (500 credits, no card required).Local servers need a runtime on your machine (e.g. Node.js 18+). Config file locations differ by client; see your client’s docs.
Tools
21Saved tool list · updated 2w ago
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| url | string | Yes | The URL to scrape. |
| country | string | No | Two-letter country code for the proxy egress location (e.g. "us", "de", "in"). Defaults to "us". |
| sessionId | string | No | Optional saved-browser-session ID for login-protected pages. Pair with useBrowser=true. |
| forceFresh | boolean | No | Skip the cache and refetch. Defaults to false; cached results are typically good for 24h. |
| useBrowser | boolean | No | Render the page with a stealth headless browser. Required for SPAs and dynamic content; otherwise prefer the default (fetch-based) for speed and lower cost. |
| sessionName | string | No | Optional saved-browser-session name (alternative to sessionId). |
| generateJson | boolean | No | Have AI extract structured JSON from the page in addition to / instead of markdown. Use for product pages, listings, articles, anywhere the caller wants typed fields. |
Details
From the project README@anakin-io/mcp
Model Context Protocol server for Anakin.
Gives AI agents in Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, and any other MCP-compatible client native access to web scraping, search, crawling, mapping, agentic research, and Wire actions — without writing any glue code.
Status: alpha (v0.1.x). Tool surface and arguments may change between minor versions until v1.0.
Quick install (recommended)
One command configures every detected agent client:
npx -y @anakin-io/mcp@latest init --all
You'll be prompted for your API key (or set ANAKIN_API_KEY first to skip the prompt). Get one free at anakin.io/dashboard — 500 credits, no card required.
After it finishes, restart your agent client(s). The anakin MCP server will appear in the tool list, exposing the tools below.
Manual install
If you prefer to edit config files yourself, see Manual setup per client.
What's exposed
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
scrape | Fetch one URL → markdown (or AI-extracted JSON with generateJson: true). |
search | AI web search with citations. Synchronous. |
map | Discover all URLs on a domain. |
crawl | Bulk-fetch markdown across a site. |
agentic_search | Multi-source deep research (1–5 min). |
wire_discover | Find a Wire action for a task by natural-language intent. |
wire_catalog | Browse supported sites and a site's actions + param schemas. |
wire_read_action | Run a Wire read action (extracts data, no state change). |
wire_write_action | Run a Wire write action (state-changing; never payments). |
wire_identities | List saved accounts/credentials for auth-required actions. |
wire_login | Sign in to a credentials-mode site → credential_id. |
wire_build | Request a brand-new action for a site not yet in the catalog. |
wire_build_status | Check a wire_build request — status, published actions, skips (or list recent builds). |
monitor_create | Watch a page/site/Wire action on a schedule; alert on change. |
monitor_list | List your monitors (or fetch one by id). |
monitor_changes | Detected changes for a monitor. |
monitor_control | Pause / resume / run-now / delete a monitor. |
ai_visibility_search | Ask ChatGPT/Gemini/Google AI Overview the same question, compare answers. |
ai_visibility_sources | List available AI answer engines. |
session_list | List saved browser login sessions (ids for sessionId params). |
session_delete | Permanently delete a saved session. |
browser_task | Natural-language task in an AI-driven cloud browser (up to ~5 min). |
Wire runs pre-built automation actions across hundreds of sites. Actions are
read (extract listings, category products, prices, reviews, profiles,
dashboard metrics) or write (log in, submit a form) — many read actions need
no auth. The loop is: wire_discover (or wire_catalog) to find an action_id
and its type, then wire_read_action or wire_write_action (matching the type)
to run it; add a credential_id only when the action's auth mode is required.
Payment execution and fund transfers are refused by policy.
Each tool is a thin wrapper around the Anakin REST API — there is no scraping logic in this package, just MCP-protocol glue. The HTTP client is self-contained (src/client.ts); no runtime dependency on the @anakin-io/sdk Node SDK.
Updating
Configs created by this package pin @anakin-io/mcp@latest, so updates are
automatic — every time your client launches the server, npx runs the
newest published version. Just restart your client to pick up a release.
Already set up before v0.1.4? Your config likely uses an unpinned
@anakin-io/mcp, which npx keeps serving from cache. Run this once to switch
it to auto-updating — it keeps your API key and never prompts:
npx -y @anakin-io/mcp@latest update
Then restart your client. Confirm the version with:
npx -y @anakin-io/mcp@latest --version
Manual setup per client
Claude Desktop
Edit ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (Windows):
{
"mcpServers": {
"anakin": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@anakin-io/mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"ANAKIN_API_KEY": "ak-..."
}
}
}
}
Restart Claude Desktop.
Claude Code (Anthropic CLI)
Edit ~/.claude/settings.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"anakin": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@anakin-io/mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"ANAKIN_API_KEY": "ak-..."
}
}
}
}
Or use Claude Code's built-in command:
claude mcp add anakin npx -y @anakin-io/mcp@latest -e ANAKIN_API_KEY=ak-...
Cursor
Edit ~/.cursor/mcp.json (user-scoped) or ./.cursor/mcp.json (project-scoped):
{
"mcpServers": {
"anakin": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@anakin-io/mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"ANAKIN_API_KEY": "ak-..."
}
}
}
}
Restart Cursor.
Cline (VS Code extension — "Claude Dev")
Edit Cline's settings file inside VS Code's globalStorage:
| Platform | Path |
|---|---|
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/saoudrizwan.claude-dev/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json |
| Linux | ~/.config/Code/User/globalStorage/saoudrizwan.claude-dev/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json |
| Windows | %APPDATA%/Code/User/globalStorage/saoudrizwan.claude-dev/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json |
{
"mcpServers": {
"anakin": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@anakin-io/mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"ANAKIN_API_KEY": "ak-..."
}
}
}
}
Reload the Cline VS Code extension (or restart VS Code).
Continue (IDE extension)
Edit ~/.continue/config.json:
{
"experimental": {
"modelContextProtocolServers": [
{
"name": "anakin",
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@anakin-io/mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"ANAKIN_API_KEY": "ak-..."
}
}
]
}
}
If you have other entries under experimental.modelContextProtocolServers, append the anakin object to the existing array — don't overwrite. Reload the Continue extension.
Zed
Edit ~/.config/zed/settings.json (macOS / Linux) or %APPDATA%/Zed/settings.json (Windows):
{
"context_servers": {
"anakin": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@anakin-io/mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"ANAKIN_API_KEY": "ak-..."
}
}
}
}
Reload Zed.
Windsurf
Edit ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"anakin": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@anakin-io/mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"ANAKIN_API_KEY": "ak-..."
}
}
}
}
Restart Windsurf.
VS Code (with the MCP extension)
Edit .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace:
{
"servers": {
"anakin": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@anakin-io/mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"ANAKIN_API_KEY": "ak-..."
}
}
}
}
Reload VS Code.
Verify it's working
In Claude Desktop / Cursor / etc., ask the agent something like:
Scrape https://example.com using anakin and return the markdown.
The agent should call the scrape tool, return the page contents, and cite the call in its trace.
CLI reference
anakin-mcp Run the MCP server (default — clients spawn this).
anakin-mcp init Interactive client config.
anakin-mcp init --all Configure every detected client, no prompts.
anakin-mcp init --client=cursor Only configure one client.
anakin-mcp --version Print version.
anakin-mcp --help Print usage.
How agents discover Anakin
Two complementary paths:
- MCP (this package) — for clients that support it. Tools are typed and called natively. This is the high-quality path.
- SKILL.md — for any agent that can fetch a URL. The markdown describes the API end-to-end so an agent can use it via plain HTTP calls.
Most users on Claude Desktop / Cursor / Windsurf / VS Code will want option 1.
Development
git clone https://github.com/Anakin-Inc/anakin-mcp.git
cd anakin-mcp
npm install
npm run build
ANAKIN_API_KEY=ak-... node dist/cli.js # smoke-test the server
For local end-to-end testing with an actual MCP client, point the client at the absolute path of dist/cli.js:
{
"mcpServers": {
"anakin-dev": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/absolute/path/to/anakin-mcp/dist/cli.js"],
"env": { "ANAKIN_API_KEY": "ak-..." }
}
}
}
Related
@anakin-io/sdk— Node.js / TypeScript SDKanakin— Python SDKanakin-cli— Python CLI for human terminal use- SKILL.md — agent-onboarding doc for non-MCP agents
License
Comments
New to MCP?
From what the protocol is to installing your first server, these answers cover most first questions.
An open protocol that defines how AI applications connect to external tools and data in a uniform way. Clients talk to the model; MCP servers provide tools, resources and prompt templates. They exchange standard messages, so one server can be reused by many clients.