How do I install the bear notes mcp server?

Use a recorded configuration for your client, replace example credential values and paths, and verify the documented runtime. Restart or reconnect the client, then inspect the available tools.

What credentials does it need?

It reads `BEAR_DB_PATH` from the environment. Store these in your client's env block or a secrets manager — never commit them to a repository — and grant the narrowest scope that still covers your use case.

SSyncDev

Start a project

Bear Notes MCP Server

MCP server for interfacing with Bear's SQLite database

Local serverstdioTypeScript

What is the Bear Notes MCP Server?

MCP server for interfacing with Bear's SQLite database

What the server does

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides Claude with comprehensive access to your Bear notes using a hybrid sync-safe approach - combining direct database reads with Bear's API for writes.

✅ Maintainable code - Clear service boundaries and responsibilities
✅ 100% test coverage - 384 tests across all services
✅ Type safety - Eliminated 50+ any types
✅ Performance optimized - Multi-level caching and query optimization
✅ Production ready - Comprehensive logging, monitoring, and error handling
✅ Sync-safe operations - Hybrid approach eliminates iCloud conflicts

Credentials and setup notes

Bear app installed on macOS - Claude Desktop app - Node.js 18+ installed

More MCP options

Compare MCP servers by category, or browse hosted MCP servers if you prefer an endpoint over a local process.

Maintainer setup documentation.

Recorded tools

Check the linked publisher documentation and your connected client's tool list. Names and availability can vary with the server version and account permissions.

Tool	What it does
get_database_stats	Overview of your Bear database
get_notes	List notes with filtering options
get_note_by_id	Get specific note by ID
get_note_by_title	Find note by exact title
get_tags	List all tags with usage counts
get_notes_by_tag	Find notes with specific tag
get_notes_advanced	Complex filtering and sorting
get_notes_with_criteria	Multi-criteria search
search_notes_fulltext	Full-text search with relevance scoring
get_search_suggestions	Auto-complete for searches
find_similar_notes	Content similarity matching
get_related_notes	Find related notes by tags and content

How to install the Bear Notes MCP Server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bear": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/bear-notes-mcp/dist/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

From the project documentation. Replace placeholders and example paths before connecting.

Configuration

Bear app installed on macOS - Claude Desktop app - Node.js 18+ installed

Example prompts to try

“Use Bear Notes MCP to Organization.”
“Use Bear Notes MCP to Organize.”
“Use Bear Notes MCP to get database stats.”

Frequently asked questions

MCP server for interfacing with Bear's SQLite database Confirm the tools offered by your installed version in the connected client. Tool availability and permissions depend on the server and account configuration.

Alternatives to the Bear Notes MCP Server

PostgreSQL

Inspect PostgreSQL schemas and run read-only queries with the archived MCP reference server. Review its maintenance status before choosing it.

DatabasesTypeScript★ 63.0k

Notion

Official

Connect the Notion MCP server to search workspace content and work with pages and databases through Notion’s hosted OAuth service.

Productivity & Project ManagementRemoteTypeScript★ 3.3k

Midplane

Safe-by-default SQL guardrails for AI agents: AST-checked queries, per-table policy, audit log.

Databases

Hybridlog

Reads your own Garmin mirror: readiness, training load, muscle freshness, and read-only SQL.

DatabasesRemote

Databricks MCP Server

A Model Completion Protocol (MCP) server for Databricks that provides access to Databricks functionality via the MCP protocol. This allows LLM-powered tools to interact with Databricks clusters…