Perplexity MCP Server

Overview

The Perplexity MCP Server is a Node.js implementation of Anthropic's Model Context Protocol (MCP) that enables Claude to interact with Perplexity's language models. This server provides a secure bridge between Claude and Perplexity AI's capabilities, allowing for enhanced AI interactions through tool use.

Available Tools

The server currently implements two main tools:

1. perplexity_chat

Advanced chat completion tool with full message history support.

{
  "name": "perplexity_chat",
  "description": "Generate a chat completion using Perplexity AI",
  "parameters": {
    "model": "string (optional) - One of: llama-3.1-sonar-small-128k-online, llama-3.1-sonar-large-128k-online, llama-3.1-sonar-huge-128k-online",
    "messages": "array of {role, content} objects - The conversation history",
    "temperature": "number (optional) - Sampling temperature between 0-2"
  }
}

2. perplexity_ask

Simplified single-query interface for quick questions.

{
  "name": "perplexity_ask",
  "description": "Send a simple query to Perplexity AI",
  "parameters": {
    "query": "string - The question or prompt to send",
    "model": "string (optional) - One of: llama-3.1-sonar-small-128k-online, llama-3.1-sonar-large-128k-online, llama-3.1-sonar-huge-128k-online"
  }
}

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/perplexity-mcp-server.git
   cd perplexity-mcp-server

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Create `.env` file:

PERPLEXITY_API_KEY=your-api-key-here

4. Build the project:

npm run build

Claude Desktop Configuration

To add this server to Claude Desktop, update your `claude_desktop_config.json`:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    //more servers...
    "perplexity": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["path\\to\\perplexity-mcp-server\\dist\\index.js"],
      "env": {
        "PERPLEXITY_API_KEY": "YOUR_PERPLEXITY_API_KEY"
      }
    }
    //more servers...
  }
}

The configuration file is typically located at:

• Windows: `%APPDATA%/Claude/config/claude_desktop_config.json`
• macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/config/claude_desktop_config.json`
• Linux: `~/.config/Claude/config/claude_desktop_config.json`

Development

Start the development server with automatic recompilation:

npm run dev

The server uses TypeScript and implements the MCP protocol using the `@modelcontextprotocol/sdk` package.

Architecture

Core Components

1. PerplexityServer Class

2. Tools System

Technical Details

• Built with TypeScript for type safety
• Uses `@modelcontextprotocol/sdk` for MCP implementation
• Communicates via stdio transport
• Environment-based configuration

Error Handling

The server implements comprehensive error handling:

• API error reporting
• Invalid tool requests handling
• Connection error management
• Process signal handling

Dependencies

• `@modelcontextprotocol/sdk`: ^1.0.3
• `dotenv`: ^16.4.7
• `isomorphic-fetch`: ^3.0.0

Contributing

1. Fork the repository

2. Create your feature branch (`git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature`)

3. Commit your changes (`git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature'`)

4. Push to the branch (`git push origin feature/amazing-feature`)

5. Open a Pull Request

Security

• API keys are managed through environment variables
• Input validation for all tool parameters
• Error messages are sanitized before output
• Process isolation through MCP protocol

License

This project is licensed under the ISC License.

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions:

1. Server Not Found

2. Authentication Errors

3. Tool Execution Errors