Brave Search MCP Server

Overview

The Brave Search MCP Server bridges the powerful, privacy‑focused search capabilities of the Brave Search API with AI assistants that consume MCP (Model Context Protocol) tools. By exposing a suite of search endpoints—web, local business, image, and video—the server allows assistants to retrieve up-to‑date information from the web without compromising user privacy or relying on proprietary search engines. This is particularly valuable for developers building AI workflows that need real‑time, location‑aware, or media‑rich data, as it removes the need to implement separate HTTP clients and handle authentication for each type of search.

At its core, the server implements a standardized MCP interface: each search operation is available as a tool with well‑defined parameters and a consistent JSON response format. The web search tool supports advanced filtering such as country, language, safe‑search levels, and freshness windows, enabling assistants to tailor results for specific audiences or compliance requirements. The local search tool automatically scopes queries to the user’s vicinity, returning detailed business information—including ratings, hours, and AI‑generated descriptions—making it ideal for travel or recommendation use cases. Video and image search tools provide rich metadata and, in the case of images, direct base64 data for immediate rendering within a chat interface.

Developers can integrate the server into their existing MCP‑enabled pipelines with minimal friction. The default STDIO transport aligns with established MCP conventions, but HTTP support remains available for remote deployment or containerized environments. Because the server mirrors the original Brave Search API schema, developers familiar with that API can transition smoothly, while new users benefit from a concise, well‑documented toolset. The inclusion of AI summarization flags (e.g., in web search) allows assistants to pre‑process results, reducing context length and improving downstream reasoning.

Typical use cases include:

• Information retrieval – an assistant fetches up‑to‑date news or technical documentation via web search and presents a concise summary.
• Local recommendations – a travel assistant queries local businesses, receiving ratings and descriptions to suggest nearby restaurants or attractions.
• Media discovery – a creative assistant searches for relevant images or videos, receiving thumbnails and metadata that can be embedded directly into responses.
• Safety‑aware queries – by adjusting the parameter, developers can enforce content filtering appropriate for different user groups.

What sets this MCP server apart is its focus on privacy, speed, and completeness. Brave Search’s policy of not tracking users means that the server can provide reliable results without compromising user data. The removal of base64 image payloads in version 2.x streamlines responses, keeping context lean while still offering direct image access when needed. Combined with a rich set of filtering options and AI‑friendly output, the Brave Search MCP Server equips developers to build more responsive, trustworthy, and feature‑rich AI assistants.