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MCP-Grep

MCP-Grep

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github.com/erniebrodeurDeveloper Tools24Updated 81w ago
Repository

About MCP-Grep

MCP-Grep is a Python MCP server that wraps the local system grep binary. It is aimed at users who want MCP clients and LLMs to search local logs and code directly.

Key features

  1. 01Wraps the system grep binary
  2. 02Provides a grep tool for pattern search
  3. 03Exposes a grep://info resource with binary details
  4. 04Supports case-insensitive and context-line options
  5. 05Supports fixed-string and recursive directory search
  6. 06Includes MCP Inspector integration for debugging

Use cases

  1. 01Letting an AI assistant find errors in log files
  2. 02Recursively searching a project for code snippets
  3. 03Running file searches from natural language prompts

MCP support

This is an MCP server that exposes a grep tool and a grep://info resource to MCP clients.

#mcp#vscode#anthropic#mcp-server

Configuration

Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.

mcp.json · Universal config
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "grep": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@smithery/cli"
      ]
    }
  }
}
Run commandnpx -y @smithery/cli

Local servers need a runtime on your machine (e.g. Node.js 18+). Config file locations differ by client; see your client’s docs.

Packages
npm@smithery/cli

Tools

No tool list yet

Local servers expose tools only once running on your machine, and the maintainer has not provided a tool list.

Details

From the project README

MCP-Grep

smithery badge

A grep server implementation that exposes grep functionality through the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

Installation

Installing via Smithery

To install Grep Server for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:

npx -y @smithery/cli install @erniebrodeur/mcp-grep --client claude
Manual Installation
pip install mcp-grep

Usage

MCP-Grep runs as a server that can be used by MCP-compatible clients:

# Start the MCP-Grep server
mcp-grep-server

# Or use the MCP Inspector for interactive debugging and testing
mcp-grep-inspector

The server exposes the following MCP functionality:

  • Resource: grep://info - Returns information about the system grep binary
  • Tool: grep - Searches for patterns in files using the system grep binary

Features

  • Information about the system grep binary (path, version, supported features)
  • Search for patterns in files using regular expressions
  • Support for common grep options:
    • Case-insensitive matching
    • Context lines (before and after matches)
    • Maximum match count
    • Fixed string matching (non-regex)
    • Recursive directory searching
  • Natural language prompt understanding for easier use with LLMs
  • Interactive debugging and testing through MCP Inspector

Example API Usage

Using the MCP Python client:

from mcp.client import MCPClient

# Connect to the MCP-Grep server
client = MCPClient()

# Get information about the grep binary
grep_info = client.get_resource("grep://info")
print(grep_info)

# Search for a pattern in files
result = client.use_tool("grep", {
    "pattern": "search_pattern",
    "paths": ["file.txt", "directory/"],
    "ignore_case": True,
    "recursive": True
})
print(result)

Natural Language Prompts

MCP-Grep understands natural language prompts, making it easier to use with LLMs. Examples:

# Basic search
Search for 'error' in log.txt

# Case-insensitive search
Find all instances of 'WARNING' regardless of case in system.log

# With context lines
Search for 'exception' in error.log and show 3 lines before and after each match

# Recursive search
Find all occurrences of 'deprecated' in the src directory and its subdirectories

# Fixed string search (non-regex)
Search for the exact string '.*' in config.js

# Limited results
Show me just the first 5 occurrences of 'TODO' in the project files

# Multiple options
Find 'password' case-insensitively in all .php files, show 2 lines of context, and limit to 10 results

MCP Inspector Integration

MCP-Grep includes an MCP Inspector integration for interactive debugging and testing:

# Start the MCP Inspector with MCP-Grep
mcp-grep-inspector

This opens a web-based UI where you can:

  • Explore available resources and tools
  • Test grep operations with different parameters
  • View formatted results
  • Debug issues with your grep queries

Development

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/erniebrodeur/mcp-grep.git
cd mcp-grep

# Install in development mode
pip install -e ".[dev]"

# Run tests
pytest

License

MIT

Comments

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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.