Pdf Content Search Mcp

What is Pdf Content Search Mcp?

Pdf Content Search Mcp is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) bridge that connects Claude, Cursor, and any MCP client to the PDF Content Search macOS app. It enables full‑text search and OCR across thousands of PDFs, returning results with page numbers, highlighted snippets, and bounding‑box coordinates.

How to use Pdf Content Search Mcp?

Install the PDF Content Search app (macOS 12+, one‑time purchase or 30‑day trial). The bridge ships inside the app bundle or can be built from source. Configure it with the PDF_CS_TOKEN and PDF_CS_PORT environment variables, then add it as an MCP server in Claude Desktop’s JSON config or via claude mcp add for Claude Code.

Key features of Pdf Content Search Mcp

• Full‑text search across thousands of PDFs in under a second
• Apple Vision OCR for scanned documents
• Page numbers, snippets, and bounding‑box coordinates in results
• Tools for search, filter, OCR, indexing, and document metadata
• Automatic session handling via Mcp-Session-Id header
• Stdio transport with meaningful JSON‑RPC error codes

Use cases of Pdf Content Search Mcp

• Ask Claude to find every invoice from a specific sender in a given year
• Search a contracts folder for “data processing agreement” and return the matching PDF and page number
• Integrate local PDF search into Cursor’s AI workflows
• Query metadata (date, category, sender) across large document collections

FAQ from Pdf Content Search Mcp

What is the difference between this MCP server and the PDF Content Search app?

The MCP server is an open‑source stdio‑to‑HTTP bridge. The app owns the index, OCR engine, and search; the bridge routes requests between MCP clients and the app’s API.

What are the system requirements?

macOS 12 (Monterey) or later, Swift 5.9+ if building from source, and the PDF Content Search app (installed and running).

How do I get the API token for configuration?

Open PDF Content Search → Settings → API Server, copy the token, and set it as the PDF_CS_TOKEN environment variable. The app also provides a “Set up Claude Desktop” button.

Can I use Pdf Content Search Mcp with other MCP clients?

Yes. Any client that supports stdio MCP servers can use this bridge (e.g., Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor).

What happens if the PDF Content Search app is not running?

The bridge returns a JSON‑RPC error with code ‑32000 (“Cannot reach PDF Content Search”), so the client surfaces a meaningful message instead of hanging.