Bocha AI Web Search MCP Server

# Bocha AI Web Search MCP Server An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for Bocha AI web search functionality. This server provides a powerful search

Local serverstdio

What is the Bocha AI Web Search MCP server?

Most search and retrieval work still happens through a UI a human drives. Bocha AI Web Search MCP server moves it into the conversation instead. # Bocha AI Web Search MCP Server An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for Bocha AI web search functionality. This server provides a powerful search tool that returns web content and related images, supporting both human-readable Markdown.

The short version

Bocha AI (博查AI) is a legal and compliant AI search service operating in the People's Republic of China(PRC), specifically designed for searching Chinese internet content. It provides comprehensive search capabilities while adhering to all relevant Chinese regulations and standards.

  • Web Search: Retrieve relevant web content, summaries, and images
  • Flexible Time Range: Search from the past day to unlimited time periods
  • Smart Summaries: Optional detailed text summaries
  • Dual Output Formats:
  • Markdown: Human-readable format with links and image previews
  • JSON: Structured data for programmatic processing

Getting it running

Installation goes through your MCP client rather than a global install: point it at already. on npm and it is fetched when the client starts. The copy-paste blocks for Claude Desktop, Claude Code and Cursor are further down this page.

The tools it exposes

The server publishes 1 tool. What each one is for:

  • bocha_web_search — A powerful web search tool that retrieves content from Chinese internet sources

What it needs from you

Configuration is passed through the environment: BOCHA_API_KEY, YOUR_BOCHA_API_KEY. Treat anything key-shaped as a real credential — scope it to the minimum the server needs, and rotate it if it ever lands in a shared config.

Things to watch

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • Keep per-call confirmation enabled while you learn its behaviour; it is the cheapest safeguard you have.

How it compares

Among the search and retrieval options, the useful question is rarely "what can it do" but "what does it cost you to run" — permissions, credentials, and how much of your context its toolset consumes. Bocha AI Web Search's toolset — bocha_web_search — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by yoko19191; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

This entry was verified against Bocha AI Web Search's own documentation before publication; SyncDev keeps the directory reviewed rather than auto-generated.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
bocha_web_searchA powerful web search tool that retrieves content from Chinese internet sources.

How to install the Bocha AI Web Search MCP server

## Configuration

**mcp.json**

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bocha-ai-search": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/ABSOLUTE/PATH/bocha-ai-mcp-server/build/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {
        "BOCHA_API_KEY": "<YOUR_BOCHA_API_KEY>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
BOCHA_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
YOUR_BOCHA_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes

Example prompts to try

  • Use Bocha AI Web Search to bocha web search.

Frequently asked questions

It is specifically built for searching Chinese internet content and operates as a legal, compliant AI search service within the People's Republic of China, adhering to all relevant Chinese regulations and standards.