Guardian MCP Server

Name: Guardian MCP Server
Author: cyanheads

by cyanheadsversion 0.2.0i★ 2iRuns on your computer

Registry nameio.github.cyanheads/guardian-mcp-server

Install

Overview

Description from the maker (original English)

Guardian Open Platform: search and retrieve full article text from The Guardian archive.

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

These three are never merged into one score: opinions, measurements and popularity are different things.

User voiceiNo reviews yetReviews open together with accounts in a later step
Our basic checksi2 of 2 passedChecked from public information; code not scanned yet
UsageiVery new↓ 85/wk · ★ 2

What you can do with it

We have not written a plain-language summary for this one yet. Below are the facts we read from the registry.

Connection: Runs on your computer
Transport: stdio, Streamable HTTP
Category: Search & AI memory
You need to fill in: GUARDIAN_API_KEY

Install

Pick the AI app you use, then copy the settings.

Before you install

Basic checks: 2 of 2 passed
Runs on your computer with your user’s permissions (files, network, apps).
You fill in yourself: GUARDIAN_API_KEY, MCP_LOG_LEVEL

You need

npmNode.js installed (for the npx command)

Which app do you use?

ClaudeClaude CodeCursorVS CodeChatGPT

Pick your app above. We remember it, so next time the button says “Install in …”.

Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config, and paste this into claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "guardian": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/guardian-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "GUARDIAN_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Run this in your terminal

claude mcp add guardian --env GUARDIAN_API_KEY=your-value --env MCP_LOG_LEVEL=your-value -- npx -y @cyanheads/guardian-mcp-server

Fill in the empty values before running it.

Open in Cursor

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "guardian": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/guardian-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "GUARDIAN_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

Open in VS Code

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .vscode/mcp.json in your project

{
  "servers": {
    "guardian": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/guardian-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "GUARDIAN_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

This one runs on your computer, and ChatGPT can only connect to servers on the internet. Pick another app.

Your choice stays on this device in a cookie; no account needed.

Values you fill in

GUARDIAN_API_KEY required env
API key for The Guardian Open Platform (https://open-platform.theguardian.com/).
MCP_LOG_LEVEL env
Sets the minimum log level for output (e.g., 'debug', 'info', 'warn').

These settings are generated from the maker’s registry entry. If the README says otherwise, follow the README.

Which apps can use it

Based on how this server connects and on each app’s own docs, checked Nov 10, 2026.

Run on your computer in

Claude Goose LM Studio Msty Studio Cherry Studio Cursor VS Code + GitHub Copilot Visual Studio Windsurf (Devin Desktop)Zed Kiro Cline Continue JetBrains AI Assistant Claude Code Codex CLI Gemini CLI OpenCode nodecode Warp LibreChat Raycast

All apps, with pros and cons →

What it can do

Runs on your computer; the tool list appears in your AI app after you install it.

Basic checksi

We check information anyone can see; we have not read the code. Checks that do not apply are left out of the count. · Checked Nov 10, 2026

✓ Pass
Maker matches the repo
The registry name was verified with the GitHub account cyanheads, which owns the repo
✓ Pass
Still maintained
Code last changed 24 days ago
… Not checked yet
Has a licence
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
– Not applicable
Endpoint responds
This one runs on your computer; there is no internet endpoint
– Not applicable
Sign-in with OAuth
Runs on your computer and uses local settings instead
… Not checked yet
No hidden instructions in tool descriptions
Runs on your computer; we can only read tool lists from internet endpoints

Compared with others in Search & AI memoryi

More stars than 80% of the other 5876 servers in this category
Published to the registry more recently than 61% of the other 5876 servers in this category
Basic checks equal to or better than 100% of the other 5876 servers in this category

Compared with every active server in this category in the registry. Stars count only when the publisher owns the repo.

Common questions

Is Guardian MCP Server safe?

It passed 2 of 2 applicable basic checks. We have not read the code. Before adding a key or token, see what access the server asks for and use a key with only the permissions you need.

What keys or codes does it need?

You need to fill in: GUARDIAN_API_KEY

Does it run on my computer or in the cloud?

It runs on your computer. Your AI app starts it when needed, and data does not pass through the maker’s servers (unless it calls an online service itself).

Is it still maintained?

The GitHub repo last changed 24 days ago, and the latest version (0.2.0) reached the registry 25 days ago.

Which apps can use it?

Apps that support MCP, such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code. You also need Node.js on your computer.

What can I use instead?

In the same category: Ruflo, Context7, Metabase

Alternatives

Servers in the same category from other makers, sorted by stars.

Reading a card:↓ Downloads per weeki★ GitHub starsiThree pillars: reviews · checks · usageiUpdated = latest version published to the registryi

Ruflo

Agent teams, swarms, memory and hooks for Claude Code and Codex, served over MCP.

by ruvnetWidely used↓ 74.3K/wk★ 81.4KUpdated yesterday

Runs on your computer

Install

Context7

Feeds AI the latest docs for libraries and frameworks before it answers, so code it writes does not use outdated, removed functions.

by upstashWidely used↓ 1.2M/wk★ 64.4KUpdated yesterday

Computer or cloud

Install

Metabase

Lets AI clients search, explore, query, and visualize data in a Metabase instance.

by metabaseWidely used★ 50.3KUpdated 6 months ago

Runs in the cloud

Install

README from the maker

Open the README

Copied from the maker’s repo as written. PopNx MCP has not reviewed or endorsed it. HTML, images and scripts are removed. Links lead off this site.

@cyanheads/guardian-mcp-server Search, browse, and retrieve full article text from The Guardian's journalism archive (1999–present) via MCP. STDIO or Streamable HTTP. 3 Tools

Overview

The Guardian's journalism archive, 1999 to today. Search full text, browse by section or tag, and fetch individual articles.

Tools

Tool	Description
`guardian_search_articles`	Full-text search across The Guardian's archive with optional section, tag, contributor, and date filters
`guardian_get_article`	Fetch a single Guardian article by ID with body text and metadata
`guardian_browse_content`	Browse by section or tag, or discover available sections and tags, across four modes

Capability reference

`guardian_search_articles` tool

Boolean query syntax (AND/OR/NOT, quoted phrases), optional section/tag/contributor and from_date/to_date (YYYY-MM-DD) filters; order_by: relevance (default), newest, or oldest; page + page_size (1–50, default 10)
Articles carry metadata, HTML-stripped body text and a truncated flag; results include total, page, pages, page_size, and order_by
Fails with no_results or invalid_date (dates must be real calendar dates)
tag accepts comma (AND), pipe | (OR), hyphen - (NOT), and parentheses, e.g. environment/climate-crisis|environment/flooding. Wrap an OR expression in parentheses when also passing contributor.

`guardian_get_article` tool

Required article_id: the path-slug id returned by guardian_search_articles or guardian_browse_content
Returns HTML-stripped body text, metadata, contributors, pillar/section classification, and truncated
Fails with not_found

`guardian_browse_content` tool

Four mode values: section_latest (requires section_id), tag_latest (requires tag_id), list_sections, list_tags; page + page_size (1–50, default 10) for articles and tags
list_tags filters by optional query and tag_type (keyword, contributor, blog, series, tone, type, publication, newspaper-book, newspaper-book-section); output carries mode, total, and the matching results/sections/tags array
Fails with missing_section_id, missing_tag_id, section_not_found, or tag_not_found. tag_id accepts the same boolean expressions as search's tag.

All three tools also fail with status-specific HTTP errors. Not retryable: unauthorized (401), access_denied (403), request_rejected (400), validation_failed (422), invalid_request, request_conflict, request_not_found, and api_unsupported (501). Retryable: api_timeout (408/425/504), rate_limited (429), and api_error (other 5xx). Each error carries a recovery hint.

Features

Built on @cyanheads/mcp-ts-core: stdio and Streamable HTTP transports, pluggable auth (none / jwt / oauth), swappable storage (in-memory, filesystem, Supabase, Cloudflare KV/R2/D1), structured logging with optional OpenTelemetry tracing.

Guardian-specific:

Wraps the Guardian Open Platform API with a free non-commercial developer key
Full body text extraction — HTML stripped, not just headlines or abstracts
Contributor ID discovery via guardian_browse_content mode list_tags with tag_type=contributor
Section and tag taxonomy browsing (list_sections, list_tags) for filter discovery before searching
Free tier: 5,000 requests/day, 12 calls/second — the server applies no additional throttling

Agent-friendly output:

Search and article-returning browse modes cap previews at 2,000 words and set truncated; call guardian_get_article for the full text
Typed error reasons across all three tools, each paired with a recovery hint
total / page / pages on every paginated response so callers can track result scope

Getting started

Add the following to your MCP client configuration file. Register for a free Guardian Open Platform API key at open-platform.theguardian.com/access.

"mcpServers": { "guardian-mcp-server": { "type": "stdio", "command": "bunx", "args": ["@cyanheads/guardian-mcp-server@latest"], "env": { "MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE": "stdio", "MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "info", "GUARDIAN_API_KEY": "your-api-key" } } } }

Or with npx (no Bun required):

"mcpServers": { "guardian-mcp-server": { "type": "stdio", "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@cyanheads/guardian-mcp-server@latest"], "env": { "MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE": "stdio", "MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "info", "GUARDIAN_API_KEY": "your-api-key" } } } }

Or with Docker:

"mcpServers": { "guardian-mcp-server": { "type": "stdio", "command": "docker", "args": [ "run", "-i", "--rm", "-e", "MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE=stdio", "-e", "GUARDIAN_API_KEY=your-api-key", "ghcr.io/cyanheads/guardian-mcp-server:latest" ] } } }

For Streamable HTTP, set the transport and start the server:

MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE=http MCP_HTTP_PORT=3010 GUARDIAN_API_KEY=your-api-key bun run start:http

Server listens at http://localhost:3010/mcp

Prerequisites

Bun v1.4.0 or higher (or Node.js v24+).
A free Guardian Open Platform API key — register at open-platform.theguardian.com/access. The non-commercial developer tier is free and instant.

Installation

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/cyanheads/guardian-mcp-server.git

Navigate into the directory:

cd guardian-mcp-server

Install dependencies:

bun install

Configure environment:

cp .env.example .env

Edit .env and set GUARDIAN_API_KEY

Configuration

Variable	Description	Default
`GUARDIAN_API_KEY`	Required. Free developer key from open-platform.theguardian.com/access.	—
`MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE`	Transport: `stdio` or `http`.	`stdio`
`MCP_HTTP_PORT`	Port for HTTP server.	`3010`
`MCP_SESSION_MODE`	HTTP session mode: `stateless`, `stateful`, or `auto` (resolves to `stateful`). The server declares `stateless`; an exported value overrides it.	`stateless`
`MCP_AUTH_MODE`	Auth mode: `none`, `jwt`, or `oauth`.	`none`
`MCP_LOG_LEVEL`	Log level (RFC 5424).	`info`
`LOGS_DIR`	Directory for log files (Node.js only).	`/logs`
`LOG_TOOL_FAILURE_PAYLOADS`	Log failed tool arguments and results, redacted by key name and capped by `LOG_TOOL_FAILURE_PAYLOAD_MAX_BYTES` (default `16384`). Secrets in free-form values remain visible.	`false`
`STORAGE_PROVIDER_TYPE`	Storage backend.	`in-memory`
`OTEL_ENABLED`	Enable OpenTelemetry instrumentation (spans, metrics, completion logs).	`false`
`OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT`	Base OTLP URL; traces use `/v1/traces`, metrics use `/v1/metrics`.	—
`OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_LOGS_ENDPOINT`	Opt-in OTLP log endpoint, used as-is.	—

See .env.example for the full list of optional overrides.

Running the server

Local development

Build and run:

  # One-time build

bun run rebuild

Run the built server

bun run start:stdio

or

bun run start:http

Run checks and tests:

  bun run devcheck   # Lint, format, typecheck, security

bun run test # Vitest test suite bun run lint:mcp # Validate MCP definitions against spec

Docker

docker build -t guardian-mcp-server .

docker run --rm -e GUARDIAN_API_KEY=your-api-key -p 3010:3010 guardian-mcp-server

The Dockerfile defaults to HTTP transport, stateless session mode, and logs to /var/log/guardian-mcp-server. OpenTelemetry peer dependencies are installed by default — build with --build-arg OTEL_ENABLED=false to omit them.

Project structure

Directory	Purpose
`src/index.ts`	`createApp()` entry point — registers tools and initializes the Guardian service.
`src/config`	Server-specific environment variable parsing (`GUARDIAN_API_KEY`).
`src/mcp-server/tools`	Tool definitions (`*.tool.ts`): `guardian_search_articles`, `guardian_get_article`, `guardian_browse_content`.
`src/services/guardian`	Guardian Open Platform API client, normalization, and type definitions.
`tests/`	Unit and integration tests.
`docs/`	Design document and directory tree.

Development guide

See CLAUDE.md / AGENTS.md for development guidelines and architectural rules. The short version:

Handlers throw, framework catches — no try/catch in tool logic
Use ctx.log for request-scoped logging, ctx.state for tenant-scoped storage
Register new tools in the createApp() tools array in src/index.ts
Wrap external API calls: validate raw → normalize to domain type → return output schema; never fabricate missing fields

Contributing

Issues are welcome. Run checks and tests before submitting:

bun run devcheck

bun run test

License

Apache-2.0 — see LICENSE for details.

Guardian MCP Server

Overview

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

What you can do with it

Install

Before you install

Values you fill in

Which apps can use it

What it can do

Basic checksi

Maker matches the repo

Still maintained

Has a licence

Endpoint responds

Sign-in with OAuth

No hidden instructions in tool descriptions

Compared with others in Search & AI memoryi

Common questions

Alternatives

Ruflo

Context7

Metabase

README from the maker

Overview

Tools

Capability reference

guardian_search_articles tool

guardian_get_article tool

guardian_browse_content tool

Features

Getting started

Server listens at http://localhost:3010/mcp

Prerequisites

Installation

Edit .env and set GUARDIAN_API_KEY

Configuration

Running the server

Local development

Run the built server

or

Docker

Project structure

Development guide

Contributing

License

`guardian_search_articles` tool

`guardian_get_article` tool

`guardian_browse_content` tool