OpenRouter Web Search MCP Server

What is OpenRouter Web Search MCP Server?

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that provides a search_web tool. The tool performs web searches using OpenRouter's online models to generate concise, up-to-date answers as plain text. It is designed for developers integrating web search capabilities into MCP-compatible applications such as Claude Desktop.

How to use OpenRouter Web Search MCP Server?

Install the server with go install, set the required OPENROUTER_API_KEY environment variable, and configure it as an MCP server in your client settings (e.g., the mcpServers JSON block in Claude Desktop). Once running, invoke the search_web tool by passing a search query string.

Key features of OpenRouter Web Search MCP Server

• Exposes an MCP-compatible server over stdio
• Provides a search_web tool accepting a query string
• Uses OpenRouter's online models for fact-based answers
• Returns answers as plain text
• Configurable model name via MODEL_NAME environment variable

Use cases of OpenRouter Web Search MCP Server

• Adding real-time web search to AI assistants (e.g., Claude Desktop)
• Obtaining up-to-date answers from online sources within MCP workflows
• Integrating OpenRouter’s online‑capable models into LLM tool chains

FAQ from OpenRouter Web Search MCP Server

What are the prerequisites?

Go 1.18+ and a valid OpenRouter API key.

Which environment variables are required?

OPENROUTER_API_KEY (required) and MODEL_NAME (optional; defaults to google/gemini-2.5-pro-exp-03-25:free:online).

How do I configure this server in Claude Desktop?

Add a JSON entry under mcpServers with the command openrouter-websearch-mcp and the environment variable OPENROUTER_API_KEY.

What does the search_web tool return?

It returns a plain‑text answer generated by the configured OpenRouter online model.

Is there a specific model that must be used?

The server expects a model that supports the :online suffix. The default model already supports this.