generated: '2026-08-13'
method: searched
source: https://github.com/dataforseo/mcp-server-typescript (README, "CLI (optional)")
name: dataforseo-mcp-server
official: true
repository: https://github.com/dataforseo/mcp-server-typescript
package: https://www.npmjs.com/package/dataforseo-mcp-server
version: 3.0.0
published: '2026-08-11'

summary: >-
  DataForSEO ships one npm binary that is both an MCP server and a CLI. The
  binary defaults to MCP Streamable HTTP; it switches to CLI mode when the first
  argument is `docs` or `request`, or when --cli / --help / --version is passed.
  The CLI is thin by design — it exposes documentation browsing and a single
  authenticated request passthrough — but it means the whole 554-operation REST
  surface is callable from a shell without writing a client.

install:
  - method: npx
    command: npx -y dataforseo-mcp-server@latest
  - method: npm
    command: npm install -g dataforseo-mcp-server
  - method: local-clone
    command: npx .
    note: From a built local clone of the repo.

authentication:
  required: true
  type: http-basic
  env:
    - DATAFORSEO_LOGIN
    - DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD
  aliases:
    DATAFORSEO_LOGIN: DATAFORSEO_USERNAME
  note: >-
    OAuth is not used on the CLI or the stdio transport — env credentials are
    required. Get them at https://app.dataforseo.com/api-access.

commands:

  - group: docs
    description: Browse the DataForSEO API documentation.
    commands:
      - command: dataforseo-mcp-server docs index
        description: Fetch the full API documentation index.
      - command: dataforseo-mcp-server docs index --section "SERP API"
        description: Filter the index by API section.
      - command: dataforseo-mcp-server docs index --list-sections
        description: List available documentation sections.
      - command: dataforseo-mcp-server docs search <url>
        description: >-
          Fetch documentation for an endpoint by path or full docs URL (cURL
          example only by default).
      - command: dataforseo-mcp-server docs search <url> --need-code-example
        description: Include PHP, Node.js, Python and C# code examples.

  - group: request
    description: Make an authenticated DataForSEO API request.
    commands:
      - command: dataforseo-mcp-server request -X <method> -p <path>
        description: >-
          Call any v3 endpoint. Uses the `.ai` (AI-optimized) response path by
          default; --no-ai-mode disables that.
      - command: dataforseo-mcp-server request -X POST -p <path> --param k=v
        description: Recommended form — build the request body from repeated --param flags.
      - command: dataforseo-mcp-server request -X POST -p <path> -d '<json>'
        description: Pass the JSON body directly.

examples:
  - description: Browse SERP API endpoints
    command: npx dataforseo-mcp-server docs index --section "SERP API"
  - description: Read endpoint documentation
    command: npx dataforseo-mcp-server docs search serp/google/organic/live/regular
  - description: Documentation with multi-language code examples
    command: npx dataforseo-mcp-server docs search backlinks/referring_networks/live --need-code-example
  - description: Live Google organic SERP request
    command: >-
      npx dataforseo-mcp-server request -X POST -p /v3/serp/google/organic/live/regular
      --param keyword=dataforseo --param language_code=en --param location_code=2840

flags:
  - flag: --mode stdio
    description: Run as an MCP stdio server instead of the CLI or HTTP server.
  - flag: --cli
    description: Force CLI mode.
  - flag: --cache-dir <path>
    description: Override the documentation cache directory (CLI `docs` commands).
  - flag: --docs-cache-dir <path>
    description: Same, for MCP server startup args.
  - flag: --configuration <file>
    description: Load a field configuration that trims api_request/request responses to selected fields.

caching:
  documentation_ttl: 24 hours
  default_dirs:
    windows: '%LOCALAPPDATA%\dataforseo-mcp-server\docs-cache'
    macos: ~/Library/Caches/dataforseo-mcp-server/docs-cache
    linux: ~/.cache/dataforseo-mcp-server/docs-cache

related:
  - type: mcp
    url: mcp/dataforseo-mcp.yml
  - type: packages
    url: packages/dataforseo-packages.yml