LinkedIn Custom MCP Server

# LinkedIn MCP Server [](https://badge.fury.io/py/linkedin-mcp-server) [](https://www.python.org/downloads/) [](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT) A powerful Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables AI agents like Claude to interact seamlessly with LinkedIn's professional network. Built with [FastMCP](https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp) for high performance and reliability. ## What is This? This MCP server bridges the gap between AI assistants and LinkedIn, allowing them to: - Create and manage LinkedIn posts with text and images - Comment on posts and engage with content - Access profile information - Search for companies, jobs, and people - Automate LinkedIn interactions through natural language Perfect for professionals who want to leverage AI to manage their LinkedIn presence efficiently. ## Features ### Core Capabilities - **Secure Authentication** - OAuth 2.0 flow with access token management - **Content Creation** - Publish text posts and image posts - **Content Management** - Update and delete posts - **Engagement** - Comment on posts and manage comments - **Profile Access** - Retrieve authenticated user profile information - **Company Intelligence** - Search and view company profiles - **Job Discovery** - Search job postings and view details - **People Search** - Find professionals on LinkedIn ### Built With - **FastMCP** - Modern Python MCP framework - **httpx** - Async HTTP client for API calls - **Pydantic** - Data validation and settings management - **OAuth 2.0** - Industry-standard authentication ## Installation ### Option 1: Using uvx (Recommended) The fastest way to get started: ```bash uvx linkedin-mcp-server ``` ### Option 2: Using pip Install from PyPI: ```bash pip install linkedin-mcp-server ``` ### Option 3: From Source For development or customization: ```bash git clone https://github.com/SARAMALI15792/LinkedIn_mcp_custom_server.git cd LinkedIn_mcp_custom_server pip install -e . ``` ## Quick Start Guide ### Step 1: Create LinkedIn App 1. Go to [LinkedIn Developer Portal](https://www.linkedin.com/developers/apps) 2. Click "Create app" 3. Fill in required information: - App name: Choose a descriptive name - LinkedIn Page: Associate with your page or create one - App logo: Upload a logo (optional but recommended) 4. Request access to these products: - **Sign In with LinkedIn using OpenID Connect** (instant approval) - **Share on LinkedIn** (instant approval) 5. In the "Auth" tab: - Add Redirect URL: `http://localhost:8000` - Copy your **Client ID** - Copy your **Client Secret** ### Step 2: Configure Environment Create a `.env` file in your working directory: ```ini LINKEDIN_CLIENT_ID=your_client_id_here LINKEDIN_CLIENT_SECRET=your_client_secret_here LINKEDIN_REDIRECT_URI=http://localhost:8000 ``` **Security Note:** Never commit the `.env` file to version control. It's already in `.gitignore`. ### Step 3: Configure Claude Desktop Edit your Claude Desktop configuration file: **Windows:** `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json` **macOS:** `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` **Linux:** `~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` Add the LinkedIn MCP server: ```json { "mcpServers": { "linkedin": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["linkedin-mcp-server"] } } } ``` **If installed via pip:** ```json { "mcpServers": { "linkedin": { "command": "linkedin-mcp-server" } } } ``` **For local development:** ```json { "mcpServers": { "linkedin": { "command": "python", "args": ["-m", "linkedin_mcp_server"], "env": { "LINKEDIN_CLIENT_ID": "your_client_id", "LINKEDIN_CLIENT_SECRET": "your_client_secret", "LINKEDIN_REDIRECT_URI": "http://localhost:8000" } } } } ``` ### Step 4: Authenticate with LinkedIn 1. Restart Claude Desktop 2. In Claude, type: **"Generate LinkedIn login URL"** 3. Copy and open the URL in your browser 4. Sign in to LinkedIn and authorize the application 5. You'll be redirected to `http://localhost:8000/?code=...` 6. Copy the `code` parameter value from the URL 7. In Claude, type: **"Exchange this code: [paste the code]"** 8. Done! You're now authenticated. **Your access token is automatically saved to `.env` and will be used for all future requests.** ## Usage Examples ### Authentication ``` User: "Generate LinkedIn login URL" Claude: [Provides OAuth URL with instructions] User: "Exchange this code: AQTvqXXXXXXXXXXX" Claude: "Success! Access Token saved. Expires in 5183999 seconds." ``` ### Creating Posts **Text Post:** ``` User: "Post to LinkedIn: Excited to announce the launch of our new AI-powered LinkedIn MCP server! Check it out on GitHub." Claude: [Creates post and returns post URN] ``` **Post with Image:** ``` User: "Post this image to LinkedIn with caption 'Team celebration': C:/Users/photos/team.jpg" Claude: [Uploads image and creates post with caption] ``` ### Managing Content **Update a Post:** ``` User: "Update post urn:li:share:7289123456789 to say: Updated announcement..." Claude: [Deletes old post and creates new one with updated text] ``` **Delete a Post:** ``` User: "Delete my post urn:li:share:7289123456789" Claude: [Deletes the post permanently] ``` ### Engagement **Comment on Posts:** ``` User: "Comment on post urn:li:share:7289123456789: Great insights, thanks for sharing!" Claude: [Posts comment and returns comment URN] ``` **View Comments:** ``` User: "Show comments on post urn:li:share:7289123456789" Claude: [Retrieves and displays all comments] ``` ### Profile Information ``` User: "What's my LinkedIn email address?" Claude: [Retrieves profile and shows email] User: "Show me my LinkedIn profile" Claude: [Displays profile information: name, email, picture URL, etc.] ``` ### Company Research ``` User: "Search for companies: Microsoft" Claude: [Returns list of matching companies] User: "Get details for company urn:li:organization:1035" Claude: [Shows company profile information] ``` ### Job Search ``` User: "Find remote Python developer jobs" Claude: [Searches and displays matching job postings] User: "Search for Machine Learning Engineer positions in San Francisco" Claude: [Returns relevant job listings] User: "Get details for job urn:li:job:123456789" Claude: [Shows detailed job information] ``` ### People Search ``` User: "Search for AI researchers at Stanford" Claude: [Returns matching professionals] ``` ## Available Tools | Tool Name | Description | Read-Only | Destructive | |-----------|-------------|-----------|-------------| | `linkedin_get_oauth_url` | Generate OAuth 2.0 authorization URL | Yes | No | | `linkedin_exchange_code` | Exchange auth code for access token | No | No | | `linkedin_get_my_profile` | Get authenticated user's profile | Yes | No | | `linkedin_get_member_profile` | Get member profile by URN | Yes | No | | `linkedin_create_post` | Create text post | No | No | | `linkedin_create_image_post` | Create post with image | No | No | | `linkedin_update_post` | Update existing post (via delete + create) | No | Yes | | `linkedin_delete_post` | Delete post permanently | No | Yes | | `linkedin_get_recent_posts` | List recent posts | Yes | No | | `linkedin_create_comment` | Comment on content | No | No | | `linkedin_get_post_comments` | Get comments on post | Yes | No | | `linkedin_delete_comment` | Delete comment permanently | No | Yes | | `linkedin_get_company_profile` | Get company details by URN | Yes | No | | `linkedin_search_companies` | Search for companies | Yes | No | | `linkedin_search_jobs` | Search job postings | Yes | No | | `linkedin_get_job_details` | Get job details by URN | Yes | No | | `linkedin_search_people` | Search for people | Yes | No | ## Understanding LinkedIn URNs LinkedIn uses URNs (Uniform Resource Names) to identify resources: - **Person:** `urn:li:person:AbC123XyZ` - **Post/Share:** `urn:li:share:7289123456789` - **Comment:** `urn:li:comment:(ugcPost:7289123456789,7289987654321)` - **Organization:** `urn:li:organization:1035` - **Job:** `urn:li:job:123456789` When Claude returns a URN, you can use it to reference that resource in other commands. ## API Permissions and Limitations ### Available Permissions This server requests these OAuth scopes: - `openid` - OpenID Connect authentication - `profile` - Access to profile information - `email` - Access to email address - `w_member_social` - Create posts and comments ### Known Limitations Some LinkedIn API features require additional permissions that are restricted to approved partners: **Restricted Read Operations:** - `r_member_social` - Read user's posts (rarely granted to third-party apps) - Marketing Developer Platform - Advanced company/people search - Talent Solutions - Advanced job search features **What This Means:** - Creating posts: Works perfectly - Deleting posts: Works perfectly - Reading your own posts: May not work (requires restricted permission) - Advanced search: May require approval for Marketing/Talent APIs **Why?** LinkedIn restricts these APIs to protect user privacy and control third-party access to their platform. ## Project Structure ``` linkedin-mcp-server/ ├── linkedin_mcp_server/ # Main package │ ├── __init__.py # Package initialization │ ├── __main__.py # CLI entry point │ ├── server.py # MCP server with 18 tool definitions │ ├── config.py # Configuration with pydantic-settings │ ├── utils.py # Shared HTTP client utilities │ └── tools/ # Tool implementations │ ├── auth.py # OAuth 2.0 authentication flow │ ├── profile.py # Profile retrieval operations │ ├── post.py # Post and comment operations │ ├── company.py # Company search and profiles │ ├── job.py # Job search operations │ └── search.py # People search functionality ├── pyproject.toml # Package metadata and dependencies ├── requirements.txt # Pinned dependencies ├── README.md # This file ├── claude.md # Claude integration guide ├── LICENSE # MIT License └── get_profile.py # Example standalone script ``` ## Development ### Setting Up Development Environment ```bash # Clone repository git clone https://github.com/SARAMALI15792/LinkedIn_mcp_custom_server.git cd LinkedIn_mcp_custom_server # Install with dev dependencies pip install -e ".[dev]" ``` ### Running Tests ```bash pytest tests/ ``` ### Code Quality ```bash # Format code black linkedin_mcp_server/ # Lint ruff check linkedin_mcp_server/ # Type checking mypy linkedin_mcp_server/ ``` ### Running Locally ```bash # Using module syntax python -m linkedin_mcp_server # Using installed command linkedin-mcp-server ``` ## Troubleshooting ### Authentication Issues **Problem:** "Error: LINKEDIN_CLIENT_ID not configured" **Solution:** Create `.env` file with your LinkedIn app credentials **Problem:** "Unauthorized (401)" errors **Solution:** Your access token expired. Re-authenticate using the OAuth flow **Problem:** "Error exchanging code: invalid code" **Solution:** Authorization codes expire quickly. Generate a new OAuth URL and try again ### API Errors **Problem:** "Forbidden (403)" errors **Solution:** Your LinkedIn app may lack required permissions. Check your app's products in the Developer Portal **Problem:** "r_member_social permission required" **Solution:** This permission is restricted. LinkedIn rarely grants it to third-party apps. Focus on write operations instead **Problem:** Can't search companies/jobs/people **Solution:** These APIs may require Marketing/Talent Solutions products which need LinkedIn approval ### Connection Issues **Problem:** MCP server not connecting in Claude Desktop **Solution:** 1. Verify `claude_desktop_config.json` syntax is valid JSON 2. Check that the command path is correct 3. Restart Claude Desktop 4. Check Claude Desktop logs for error messages **Problem:** ".env file not found" **Solution:** Create `.env` file in the same directory where Claude Desktop runs the server, or specify environment variables in the config ## Security Best Practices 1. **Never commit credentials** - `.env` is in `.gitignore` for a reason 2. **Rotate tokens regularly** - Re-authenticate periodically for security 3. **Use HTTPS in production** - Update redirect URI to HTTPS for production apps 4. **Minimum permissions** - Only request scopes you actually need 5. **Review app access** - Regularly check LinkedIn's "Apps" section in settings ## Contributing Contributions are welcome! Here's how: 1. Fork the repository 2. Create a feature branch: `git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature` 3. Make your changes 4. Run tests: `pytest tests/` 5. Format code: `black linkedin_mcp_server/` 6. Commit: `git commit -m 'Add amazing feature'` 7. Push: `git push origin feature/amazing-feature` 8. Open a Pull Request ### Contribution Guidelines - Follow existing code style (Black formatter, 100 char line length) - Add tests for new features - Update documentation as needed - Keep commits focused and atomic - Write clear commit messages ## Roadmap Future enhancements being considered: - Token refresh flow implementation - Webhook support for real-time notifications - Enhanced error handling and retry logic - Pagination support for search results - Bulk operations for efficiency - Analytics and insights (if API access granted) - Connection management features - Message sending (if Messaging API access granted) ## FAQ **Q: Why can't I read my own posts?** A: The `r_member_social` permission required to read posts is restricted by LinkedIn. Most third-party apps cannot access this feature. **Q: How long do to access tokens last?** A: LinkedIn controls token expiration. Typically tokens last for 60 days, but this can vary. You'll need to re-authenticate when tokens expire. **Q: Can I use this for multiple LinkedIn accounts?** A: Currently, the server is designed for single-user authentication. Each `.env` file holds one access token. **Q: Is this officially supported by LinkedIn?** A: No, this is a community project. It uses LinkedIn's public APIs but is not officially endorsed by LinkedIn. **Q: Can I use this commercially?** A: Yes, the MIT license allows commercial use. However, check LinkedIn's terms of service and API usage policies. **Q: Why do some searches return empty results?** A: Search APIs may require additional LinkedIn products (Marketing/Talent) that need approval. Also, API access varies by account type. ## Support - **Report bugs:** [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/SARAMALI15792/LinkedIn_mcp_custom_server/issues) - **Documentation:** [GitHub README](https://github.com/SARAMALI15792/LinkedIn_mcp_custom_server#readme) - **Integration Guide:** [claude.md](https://github.com/SARAMALI15792/LinkedIn_mcp_custom_server/blob/main/claude.md) - **Discussions:** [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/SARAMALI15792/LinkedIn_mcp_custom_server/discussions) ## Resources - [FastMCP Documentation](https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp) - [Model Context Protocol Spec](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) - [LinkedIn API Documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/linkedin/) - [OAuth 2.0 Specification](https://oauth.net/2/) ## License This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details. ## Acknowledgments Built with: - **FastMCP** - For the excellent MCP framework - **Model Context Protocol** - For enabling AI-agent integrations - **LinkedIn API** - For providing professional networking capabilities - **Claude** - For inspiring and testing this integration ## Author **SARAM ALI** - Email: saramali15792@gmail.com - GitHub: [@SARAMALI15792](https://github.com/SARAMALI15792) - Project: [LinkedIn MCP Custom Server](https://github.com/SARAMALI15792/LinkedIn_mcp_custom_server) --- **Built with care for the AI and LinkedIn communities** | [Report Issues](https://github.com/SARAMALI15792/LinkedIn_mcp_custom_server/issues) | [Contribute](https://github.com/SARAMALI15792/LinkedIn_mcp_custom_server/pulls) | [Star on GitHub](https://github.com/SARAMALI15792/LinkedIn_mcp_custom_server)