Zulip MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that exposes Zulip REST API capabilities as tools for LLMs. This server allows AI assistants to interact with your Zulip workspace programmatically.

Features

🔄 Resources (Contextual Data)

User Directory: Browse organization members with roles and status
Stream Directory: Explore available streams and permissions
Message Formatting Guide: Complete Zulip markdown syntax reference
Organization Info: Server settings, policies, and custom emoji
User Groups: Available groups for mentions and permissions

🛠️ Tools (25 Available Actions)

Helper Tools (LLM-Friendly Discovery)

search-users - Find users by name/email before sending DMs
get-started - Test connection and get workspace overview

Message Operations

send-message - Send to streams or direct messages
get-messages - Retrieve with advanced filtering and search
get-message - Get detailed information about specific message
upload-file - Share files and images
edit-message - Modify content or move topics
delete-message - Remove messages (admin permissions required)
get-message-read-receipts - Check who read messages
add-emoji-reaction - React with Unicode or custom emoji
remove-emoji-reaction - Remove emoji reactions from messages

Scheduled Messages & Drafts

create-scheduled-message - Schedule future messages
edit-scheduled-message - Modify scheduled messages
create-draft - Create new message drafts
get-drafts - Retrieve saved drafts
edit-draft - Update draft content

Stream Management

get-subscribed-streams - List user's stream subscriptions
get-stream-id - Get stream ID by name
get-stream-by-id - Detailed stream information
get-topics-in-stream - Browse recent topics

User Operations

get-users - List organization members
get-user-by-email - Find users by email
get-user - Get detailed user information by ID
update-status - Set status message and availability
get-user-groups - List available user groups

📝 Zulip Terminology: Streams vs Channels

In Zulip, "streams" and "channels" refer to the same concept:

Stream = Official Zulip terminology (used in API, tools, interface)
Channel = Common term from Slack/Discord/Teams
Same thing = Conversation spaces where teams discuss topics

This MCP server uses "stream" to match Zulip's official documentation and API.

Installation & Setup

Prerequisites

Node.js 18+ with npm
TypeScript 5+
Access to a Zulip instance (e.g., https://your-organization.zulipchat.com)
Zulip API credentials (bot token or API key)

Quick Start

Clone and install dependencies:

git clone <repository-url>
cd zulip-mcp-server
npm install

Configure environment variables:

cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env with your Zulip credentials

Build and run:

npm run build
npm start

Environment Configuration

Create a .env file with your Zulip credentials:

ZULIP_URL=https://your-organization.zulipchat.com
ZULIP_EMAIL=your-bot-email@yourcompany.com
ZULIP_API_KEY=your-api-key-here
NODE_ENV=production

Getting Zulip API Credentials

For Bot Access (Recommended):
- Go to your Zulip organization settings
- Navigate to "Bots" section
- Create a new bot or use existing one
- Copy the bot email and API key
For Personal Access:
- Go to Personal Settings → Account & Privacy
- Find "API key" section
- Generate or reveal your API key

Claude Desktop Integration

To use this MCP server with Claude Desktop, add the following configuration to your Claude Desktop config file:

Option 1: Using Environment Variables (Recommended)

Add to your Claude Desktop configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zulip": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/zulip-mcp-server/dist/server.js"],
      "env": {
        "ZULIP_URL": "https://your-organization.zulipchat.com",
        "ZULIP_EMAIL": "your-bot-email@yourcompany.com", 
        "ZULIP_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Option 2: Using .env File

If you prefer using a .env file, ensure it's in the project directory and use:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zulip": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/zulip-mcp-server/dist/server.js"],
      "cwd": "/path/to/zulip-mcp-server"
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop Config Location:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Cursor Integration

To use this MCP server with Cursor IDE, add the following to your Cursor MCP settings:

Cursor MCP Configuration

Add to Cursor's MCP settings file (.cursor-mcp/config.json in your workspace or global settings):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zulip": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/zulip-mcp-server/dist/server.js"],
      "env": {
        "ZULIP_URL": "https://your-organization.zulipchat.com",
        "ZULIP_EMAIL": "your-bot-email@yourcompany.com",
        "ZULIP_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      },
      "capabilities": {
        "tools": true,
        "resources": true
      }
    }
  }
}

Cursor MCP Config Location:

Workspace: .cursor-mcp/config.json in your project root
Global: Platform-specific Cursor settings directory

Raycast MCP Extension

To use this MCP server with Raycast, configure it in the MCP extension settings:

Raycast MCP Configuration

Add to Raycast MCP extension configuration:

{
  "servers": {
    "zulip": {
      "name": "Zulip Integration",
      "description": "Send messages and interact with Zulip workspace",
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/zulip-mcp-server/dist/server.js"],
      "env": {
        "ZULIP_URL": "https://your-organization.zulipchat.com",
        "ZULIP_EMAIL": "your-bot-email@yourcompany.com",
        "ZULIP_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      },
      "icon": "💬",
      "categories": ["communication", "productivity"]
    }
  }
}

Raycast Setup Steps:

Install the Raycast MCP extension
Open Raycast preferences → Extensions → MCP
Add new server configuration
Paste the JSON configuration above
Update paths and credentials accordingly

Raycast Usage:

Use ⌘ + Space to open Raycast
Search for "Zulip" commands
Execute MCP tools directly from Raycast interface

Supported MCP Clients

This server is compatible with any MCP-compliant client. Here are the verified integrations:

Platform	Config Type	Status	Usage
Claude Desktop	JSON config	✅ Verified	AI conversations with Zulip integration
Cursor IDE	Workspace/Global config	✅ Verified	Code editor with Zulip notifications
Raycast	Extension config	✅ Verified	Quick commands and automation
Other MCP Clients	Standard MCP protocol	🔄 Compatible	Any MCP-compliant application

Universal MCP Command:

node /path/to/zulip-mcp-server/dist/server.js

Development

Scripts

npm run dev          # Development with hot reload
npm run build        # Build for production
npm test            # Run tests
npm run lint        # Lint TypeScript
npm run typecheck   # Type checking

Project Structure

src/
├── server.ts        # Main MCP server
├── zulip/
│   └── client.ts    # Zulip API client
└── types.ts         # TypeScript definitions

Testing

Test the server using MCP Inspector:

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector npm start

Usage Examples

Sending Messages

// Send to a stream
await callTool("send-message", {
  type: "stream",
  to: "general",
  topic: "Daily Standup",
  content: "Good morning team! 👋\n\n**Today's Goals:**\n- Review PR #123\n- Deploy feature X"
});

// Direct message
await callTool("send-message", {
  type: "direct",
  to: "user@example.com",
  content: "Hey! Can you review the latest changes when you have a moment?"
});

Getting Messages

// Get recent messages from a stream
await callTool("get-messages", {
  narrow: [["stream", "general"], ["topic", "announcements"]],
  num_before: 50
});

// Search messages
await callTool("get-messages", {
  narrow: [["search", "deployment"], ["sender", "admin@example.com"]]
});

Stream Management

// List subscribed streams
await callTool("get-subscribed-streams", {
  include_subscribers: true
});

// Get stream topics
await callTool("get-topics-in-stream", {
  stream_id: 123
});

Markdown Formatting Support

The server includes a comprehensive formatting guide resource. Zulip supports:

Standard Markdown: Bold, italic, code, links, lists
Mentions: @**Full Name** (notify), @_**Name**_ (silent)
Stream Links: #**stream-name**
Code Blocks: With syntax highlighting
Math: LaTeX expressions with $$math$$
Spoilers: ||hidden content||
Custom Emoji: Organization-specific emoji

Error Handling

The server provides comprehensive error handling:

Network connectivity issues
Authentication failures
Permission errors
Rate limiting
Invalid parameters
Zulip API errors

All errors include helpful messages for debugging.

Contributing

Fork the repository
Create a feature branch
Add tests for new functionality
Ensure TypeScript compilation passes
Submit a pull request

Support

For issues and questions:

Check Zulip API documentation: https://zulip.com/api/
Review MCP specification: https://modelcontextprotocol.io/
Open GitHub issues for bugs or feature requests

Install Server

HTTP connection URL

security – no known vulnerabilities

license - not found

quality - confirmed to work

How are these scores calculated?

remote-capable server

The server can be hosted and run remotely because it primarily relies on remote services or has no dependency on the local environment.

Tools

View all tools

A Model Context Protocol server that enables AI assistants to interact with Zulip workspaces by exposing REST API capabilities as tools for message operations, channel management, and user interactions.

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Zulip MCP Server

Features

🔄 Resources (Contextual Data)

🛠️ Tools (25 Available Actions)

Helper Tools (LLM-Friendly Discovery)

Message Operations

Scheduled Messages & Drafts

Stream Management

User Operations

📝 Zulip Terminology: Streams vs Channels

Installation & Setup

Prerequisites

Quick Start

Environment Configuration

Getting Zulip API Credentials

Claude Desktop Integration

Option 1: Using Environment Variables (Recommended)

Option 2: Using .env File

Cursor Integration

Cursor MCP Configuration

Raycast MCP Extension

Raycast MCP Configuration

Supported MCP Clients

Development

Scripts

Project Structure

Testing

Usage Examples

Sending Messages

Getting Messages

Stream Management

Markdown Formatting Support

Error Handling

Contributing

Support

Tools

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Azure DevOps MCP Server

MCP Personal Assistant Agent

Appwrite MCP Serverofficial

Zulip MCP Server

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