search-mcp: Minimal Web Search MCP Server

A simple, reliable MCP server for web search using DuckDuckGo. No API keys required. Totally vibe-coded in ~25 minutes. Don't trust this app (even if it works for me).

Features

• Single tool: web_search - search the web via DuckDuckGo

• No API keys needed - uses free DuckDuckGo API

• Timeout handling - 10-second timeout per request to prevent hanging

• Minimal dependencies - only mcp and requests

• Proper MCP protocol - correct stdio transport implementation

Installation

Or with uv:

Usage

Direct Testing

Then send JSON-RPC requests via stdin:

Amazon Q Configuration

Add to your ~/.config/cursor/mcp.json or Kiro-CLI config:

Tool: web_search

Parameters:

• query (string, required): The search query

• max_results (integer, optional): Max results to return (default: 5)

Example:

Why This Works

1. Correct MCP protocol - properly implements stdio transport with persistent connection

2. Timeout handling - 10-second timeout on requests to prevent Amazon Q hangs

3. Error handling - gracefully handles network errors and timeouts

4. Simple codebase - ~150 lines, easy to debug or modify

5. No external service - uses DuckDuckGo's free API, no rate limiting issues

Troubleshooting

Module not found errors

Make sure you installed with pip install -e .:

Server not responding

Check that the Python path is correct in your config:

Timeout issues

The server has a 10-second timeout per request. If searches are timing out:

• Check your internet connection

• Verify DuckDuckGo is accessible

• Try simpler/shorter search queries

License

MIT