MCP Server

Web search that doesn't wreck your AI's memory.

Remote serverstreamable-httpPython

What is the MCP MCP server?

Web search that doesn't wreck your AI's memory. Exposed over MCP by the mcp mcp server, that capability becomes something an assistant can invoke while it works, not something you go and do afterwards.

What it actually does

mcp-webgate is an MCP server that gives your AI clean, bounded web content — across all major AI clients: - IDEs: Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Zed, Cursor, Windsurf, VSCode - CLI Agents: Gemini CLI, Claude CLI, custom agents

webgate measures text in characters (not tokens). A rough conversion for English text:

Its toolset

Everything the assistant can do here goes through one of these:

  • Setup — base_url accepts any OpenAI-compatible endpoint: OpenAI, Ollama, LM Studio, vLLM, Together AI, Groq, and others
  • Summarization — When summarization_enabled = true, the LLM reads all fetched pages and writes a structured Markdown report with inline citations. Your AI receives
  • Reranking — Results are always reranked by BM25 (keyword overlap, zero cost) before being returned. Optionally, the LLM can do a second pass for semantic

Configuration

You will need 8 environment variables: WEBGATE_DEFAULT_BACKEND, WEBGATE_SEARXNG_URL, WEBGATE_LLM_ENABLED, WEBGATE_LLM_BASE_URL, WEBGATE_LLM_MODEL, WEBGATE_LLM_TIMEOUT, WEBGATE_DEBUG, WEBGATE_LOG_FILE. The server will not start without them, which is usually why the tools fail to appear on a first run. Keep credentials in your client's env block or a secrets manager rather than in a file you might commit.

Adding it to your client

Being a remote server, there is no local install. You register the endpoint with your client, authorise it once, and the tools appear.

When to reach for it

Among the AI and media services 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. MCP's toolset — Setup, Summarization, Reranking — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by annibale-x; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

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

Caveats

  • Your data travels to the provider's service, so the usual questions apply about what you send and what they retain.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • MCP clients confirm each tool call by default. Leave that on until you have watched what the mcp mcp server does with a few real requests.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
Setupbase_url accepts any OpenAI-compatible endpoint: **OpenAI**, **Ollama**, **LM Studio**, **vLLM**, **Together AI**, **Groq**, and others.
SummarizationWhen summarization_enabled = true, the LLM reads all fetched pages and writes a structured Markdown report with inline citations. Your AI receives the report instead of the raw text.
RerankingResults are always reranked by BM25 (keyword overlap, zero cost) before being returned. Optionally, the LLM can do a second pass for semantic relevance:

How to install the MCP MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "webgate": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["mcp-webgate"],
      "env": {
        "WEBGATE_DEFAULT_BACKEND": "your-value",
        "WEBGATE_SEARXNG_URL": "your-value",
        "WEBGATE_LLM_ENABLED": "your-value",
        "WEBGATE_LLM_BASE_URL": "your-value",
        "WEBGATE_LLM_MODEL": "your-value",
        "WEBGATE_LLM_TIMEOUT": "your-value",
        "WEBGATE_DEBUG": "your-value",
        "WEBGATE_LOG_FILE": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
WEBGATE_DEFAULT_BACKENDConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
WEBGATE_SEARXNG_URLEndpoint or connection string the server talks to.Yes
WEBGATE_LLM_ENABLEDConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
WEBGATE_LLM_BASE_URLEndpoint or connection string the server talks to.Yes
WEBGATE_LLM_MODELConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
WEBGATE_LLM_TIMEOUTConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
WEBGATE_DEBUGConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
WEBGATE_LOG_FILEConfiguration value read at startup.Optional

Example prompts to try

  • Use MCP to Setup.
  • Use MCP to Summarization.
  • Use MCP to Reranking.

Frequently asked questions

It connects MCP to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 3 tools (Setup, Summarization, Reranking) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with MCP directly.