1. Clone this project ``` git clone https://github.com/JavaProgrammerLB/unsplash-mcp-server.git ```
Unsplash mcp server connects Unsplash to AI assistants that speak the Model Context Protocol. 1. Clone this project git clone https://github.com/JavaProgrammerLB/unsplash-mcp-server.git.
git clone https://github.com/JavaProgrammerLB/unsplash-mcp-server.gitSetup follows the standard MCP pattern: clone or install the server, then register it in your client's configuration file and restart the client. The configuration snippets on this page cover Claude Desktop, Claude Code and Cursor.
Before the server will start you need to supply one environment variable: UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY. Keep credentials in your client's env block or a secrets manager rather than committing them.
Developer-tool servers are usually the first ones people connect, because they turn "help me with this code" into an assistant that can actually read the repo and act on it. Unsplash sits in that group. Worth comparing against the other developer tools servers in this directory before you commit to one, since several overlap in scope but differ sharply in setup cost and permissions.
{
"mcpServers": {
"unsplash": {
"command": "java",
"args": [
"-Dspring.ai.mcp.server.stdio=true",
"-Dspring.main.web-application-type=none",
"-Dlogging.pattern.console=",
"-jar",
"/ABSOLUTE/PATH/target/unsplash-mcp-server-1.0.jar"
],
"env": {
"UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY": "${YOUR UNSPLASH ACCESS KEY}"
}
}
}
}Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.
| Variable | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY | Credential the server authenticates with. | Yes |
Kill hallucinated APIs — version-accurate, up-to-date library documentation injected straight into context.
Microsoft's official browser automation server — drive a real browser through the accessibility tree, no screenshots needed.
GitHub's official server — repos, issues, pull requests, Actions and code security, straight from your assistant.
Issue tracking at the speed of conversation — Linear's official hosted server with OAuth and zero install.
Local repository surgery — status, diffs, commits, branches and history for any repo on disk.
Timezone sanity for AI — current time anywhere and correct conversions, without the model doing date math.