Web Scout MCP: DuckDuckGo Web Search & Extraction

What is Web Scout MCP?

Web Scout MCP (Multi‑Client Platform server) is a lightweight, open‑source extension that adds two powerful web utilities to any MCP‑enabled environment:

1. DuckDuckGo Web Search – A privacy‑centric search engine that delivers fast, reliable results without tracking.
2. URL Content Extractor – Pulls clean, readable text from any web page, stripping away scripts, styles and navigation.

Built with Node.js ≥ 18 and published on npm, Web Scout MCP can be added to chat‑bot clients such as Claude Desktop, Cursor, or any other MCP‑supporting platform. It works out of the box, with minimal configuration and zero external dependencies beyond what MCP already supplies.

Why You Should Use It

If you’ve built an AI assistant that needs up‑to‑date information, Web Scout MCP fills a critical gap—search + fetching content—without the complexity of writing your own scraper or using paid APIs.

Quick Start: Installing and Running

1. CLI Install (Recommended for quick demos)

# globally if you want a command everywhere
npm i -g @pinkpixel/web-scout-mcp

# locally in your project
npm i @pinkpixel/web-scout-mcp

2. Run with NPM Scripts

# Start the server directly (no need to write a Node script)
npx @pinkpixel/web-scout-mcp

3. Add as an MCP Server to Your Client

For example, Claude Desktop’s config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "web-scout": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@pinkpixel/web-scout-mcp@latest"]
    }
  }
}

The client will automatically launch the server when needed. No extra configuration is required.

Using the Tools

DuckDuckGo Web Search

Send a JSON request to the DuckDuckGoWebSearch tool:

{
  "method": "DuckDuckGoWebSearch",
  "params": {
    "query": "latest AI breakthroughs",
    "maxResults": 5
  }
}

You’ll receive a concise list of titles, URLs, and snippets—ready for your assistant to use.

URL Content Extraction

{
  "method": "UrlContentExtractor",
  "params": {
    "url": [
      "https://example.com/article1",
      "https://example.com/article2"
    ]
  }
}

The response contains the plain text from each page, making it trivial to feed the content straight into LLM prompts.

Advanced: Docker and CI/CD

Web Scout MCP ships with a pre‑built Dockerfile that sets up a minimal Node runtime. Build and run locally:

docker build -t web-scout-mcp .

docker run -p 8080:8080 web-scout-mcp

Or add it to your CI pipeline to auto‑test web‑search integration before deployment.

Contributing and Extending

The source repo is open to community contributions:

• Feature Requests – Open an issue on GitHub.
• Bug Reports – Follow the CONTRIBUTING guide.
• Pull Requests – Ensure tests pass and documentation updates are included.

The repo includes a solid test suite, a comprehensive README, and an automated changelog. Anyone familiar with TypeScript or JavaScript can jump in.

Final Thoughts

Web Scout MCP offers a quick, privacy‑focused way to let your AI assistant fetch and read real‑world information without juggling separate search APIs. Whether you’re a hobbyist building a chatbot prototype or an enterprise developing a production‑grade AI agent, this lightweight tool plugs directly into your MCP workflow and opens up the web in a sandboxed, dependable manner.

Try it today, and give your assistant the ability to surf, search, and summarize the internet in real time.