Node.js API Docs is an MCP server that provides AI coding assistants with direct access to official Node.js API documentation. Developed by Liran Tal, the server connects Model Context Protocol clients directly to reference material for Node.js modules, classes, methods, and runtimes. Software engineers and JavaScript developers use this server to eliminate manual documentation lookups while working in AI development environments. By bringing reference data into the context window, it enables coding agents to search documentation, verify API signatures, check deprecation notices, and look up standard library behavior without switching context to external browser tabs. It helps developers write idiomatic Node.js code with accurate method signatures for modules like fs, path, stream, and http. The server can run directly via npx or inside an isolated Docker container, and it logs runtime activity to a local file in the operating system temporary directory for transparent debugging during local development workflows.
Category: Developer Tools & Code Intelligence
Tags: documentation, javascript, nodejs, reference
Follow these steps to configure the server in your MCP client: 1. Ensure you have Node.js and npm installed, or Docker if you prefer containerized execution. 2. For Claude Desktop on macOS or Linux, open ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json and add the server configuration: json { "mcpServers": { "nodejs-api-docs": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "mcp-server-nodejs-api-docs"] } } } 3. For Claude Desktop on Windows, use cmd with ["/c", "npx", "-y", "mcp-server-nodejs-api-docs"]. 4. For Cursor AI, edit ~/.cursor/mcp.json and insert the same configuration object. 5. Alternatively, run the server via Docker using image ghcr.io/lirantal/mcp-server-nodejs-api-docs:latest with the command argument run and flags -i --rm --init -e DOCKER_CONTAINER=true. 6. Restart your MCP client to load the server.
Consulting official Node.js method signatures and parameter types directly from Claude Desktop while writing backend application code. Searching Node.js core documentation for deprecation warnings or version changes across specific runtime modules and interfaces. Debugging complex stream or buffer implementations inside Cursor AI by retrieving authoritative reference docs on the fly. Validating asynchronous file system and network API usage patterns when generating Node.js scripts with AI agents.
Part of MCP Servers
You do not need to install it globally. You can run it on demand using npx with the command npx -y mcp-server-nodejs-api-docs inside your MCP client configuration file, such as Claude Desktop or Cursor AI. Alternatively, you can pull and run the Docker image from GitHub Container Registry.
The server allows AI assistants to search and access official Node.js documentation directly. This provides agents with accurate reference material for built-in modules, methods, event emitters, and classes, helping reduce hallucinations when generating or refactoring Node.js code.
It works with any MCP-compliant client that supports standard input/output transport, including Claude Desktop on macOS, Linux, and Windows, as well as Cursor AI via its MCP configuration file.
You can inspect the debug log file named mcp-server-nodejs-docs.log located in your operating system temporary directory, such as /tmp on Unix-like platforms or the TEMP path on Windows systems.
Yes, Node.js API Docs is an open-source project created by Liran Tal and is distributed under the Apache-2.0 license.