# 🚀 Quick Setup Guide for NotebookLM MCP Server
> **The simplest way to get NotebookLM MCP Server running**
## 🎯 **Super Simple Setup (2 Commands)**
### **Step 1: Initialize with your NotebookLM URL**
```bash
notebooklm-mcp init https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/YOUR_NOTEBOOK_ID
```
**What happens:**
- ✅ Extracts notebook ID from URL automatically
- ✅ Creates `notebooklm-config.json` with optimal settings
- ✅ Sets up `chrome_profile_notebooklm/` directory
- ✅ Tests browser functionality and authentication
- ✅ Automatically switches to headless mode for production
### **Step 2: Start the server**
```bash
notebooklm-mcp --config notebooklm-config.json server
```
**That's it!** Your MCP server is ready for AutoGen, GitHub Copilot, or any MCP client.
---
## 📝 **Common Use Cases**
### **For AutoGen Users**
```python
from autogen_ext.tools.mcp import McpWorkbench, StdioServerParams
params = StdioServerParams(
command="notebooklm-mcp",
args=["--config", "notebooklm-config.json", "server", "--headless"]
)
workbench = McpWorkbench(params)
```
### **For GitHub Copilot Users**
Add to VS Code `settings.json`:
```json
{
"github.copilot.advanced": {
"mcp": {
"servers": {
"notebooklm": {
"command": "notebooklm-mcp",
"args": ["--config", "notebooklm-config.json", "server", "--headless"]
}
}
}
}
}
```
### **For Direct Chat Testing**
```bash
notebooklm-mcp --config notebooklm-config.json chat --message "Hello!"
```
---
## 🔧 **Troubleshooting**
### **Authentication Issues**
If you get authentication errors:
```bash
# Delete profile and re-run init
rm -rf chrome_profile_notebooklm
notebooklm-mcp init https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/YOUR_NOTEBOOK_ID
```
### **Config Issues**
If config is corrupted:
```bash
# Re-generate config
rm notebooklm-config.json
notebooklm-mcp init https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/YOUR_NOTEBOOK_ID
```
---
**✅ Result: From URL to working MCP server in under 2 minutes!**
```bash
# 1. Generate config + import existing Chrome profile
notebooklm-mcp quick-setup --config config.json --notebook YOUR_NOTEBOOK_ID --profile /path/to/chrome/profile --headless
# 2. Start server immediately (no manual login needed!)
notebooklm-mcp --config config.json server
```
### **Method 2: One-Time Setup with New Profile**
```bash
# 1. Generate config for first-time setup
python examples/quick_setup.py YOUR_NOTEBOOK_ID
# 2. Run with generated config
notebooklm-mcp --config notebooklm-config.json chat
# Manual login required ONCE
# 3. All future runs - zero setup!
notebooklm-mcp --config notebooklm-config.json server
```
---
## 📋 **Detailed Quick Setup Options**
### **🔧 Generate Config with Python Script**
```bash
# Basic config (manual login required)
python examples/quick_setup.py 4741957b-f358-48fb-a16a-da8d20797bc6
# With existing Chrome profile (zero manual login!)
python examples/quick_setup.py YOUR_ID /home/user/.config/google-chrome/Default
# GUI mode instead of headless
python examples/quick_setup.py YOUR_ID --gui
# With custom profile location
python examples/quick_setup.py YOUR_ID /custom/chrome/profile
```
**Generated config example:**
```json
{
"headless": true,
"default_notebook_id": "4741957b-f358-48fb-a16a-da8d20797bc6",
"auth": {
"profile_dir": "./chrome_profile_notebooklm",
"import_profile_from": "/home/user/.config/google-chrome/Default",
"skip_manual_login": true
}
}
```
### **⚡ CLI Quick Setup Commands**
```bash
# Complete setup in one command
notebooklm-mcp quick-setup \
--config ./my-config.json \
--notebook 4741957b-f358-48fb-a16a-da8d20797bc6 \
--profile /path/to/existing/chrome/profile \
--headless
# Import existing Chrome profile
notebooklm-mcp import-profile \
--from-profile ~/.config/google-chrome/Default \
--to-profile ./notebooklm-chrome-profile
# Export current profile for sharing
notebooklm-mcp export-profile \
--to ./shared-notebooklm-profile
```
### **📁 Profile Management Workflow**
```bash
# 1. Setup once on your main machine
notebooklm-mcp chat --notebook YOUR_ID # Manual login once
notebooklm-mcp export-profile --to ./team-profile
# 2. Share profile with team/other machines
# Copy ./team-profile to other machines
# 3. Quick setup on any machine
notebooklm-mcp quick-setup \
-c config.json \
-n YOUR_ID \
-p ./team-profile \
--headless
# 4. Instant server start (no login needed!)
notebooklm-mcp server -c config.json
```
---
## 🎯 **Configuration Templates**
### **Template 1: Development Setup**
```json
{
"headless": false,
"debug": true,
"timeout": 120,
"default_notebook_id": "YOUR_NOTEBOOK_ID",
"auth": {
"profile_dir": "./dev-chrome-profile",
"use_persistent_session": true,
"auto_login": true
}
}
```
### **Template 2: Production/Headless Setup**
```json
{
"headless": true,
"debug": false,
"timeout": 30,
"default_notebook_id": "YOUR_NOTEBOOK_ID",
"auth": {
"profile_dir": "./prod-chrome-profile",
"import_profile_from": "./shared-team-profile",
"skip_manual_login": true
}
}
```
### **Template 3: Multi-Notebook Setup**
```json
{
"headless": true,
"default_notebook_id": "primary-notebook-id",
"auth": {
"profile_dir": "./multi-notebook-profile",
"use_persistent_session": true
},
"notebooks": {
"research": "notebook-id-1",
"documentation": "notebook-id-2",
"analysis": "notebook-id-3"
}
}
```
---
## 💡 **Pro Tips**
### **🚀 Fastest Possible Setup**
1. Get Chrome profile from working machine
2. Use `quick-setup` command with profile
3. Start server immediately - **zero manual steps!**
### **👥 Team Collaboration**
1. One person does initial setup
2. Export profile with `export-profile`
3. Share profile folder with team
4. Everyone uses `quick-setup` with shared profile
### **🔄 Environment-Specific Configs**
```bash
# Development
notebooklm-mcp --config configs/dev.json server
# Staging
notebooklm-mcp --config configs/staging.json server
# Production
notebooklm-mcp --config configs/prod.json server
```
### **📦 Docker Quick Deploy**
```dockerfile
# Copy pre-configured profile and config
COPY ./team-chrome-profile /app/chrome-profile
COPY ./production.json /app/config.json
# Zero-setup container start
CMD ["notebooklm-mcp", "server", "-c", "/app/config.json"]
```
---
## 🛠️ **Troubleshooting Quick Setup**
| Issue | Solution |
|-------|----------|
| **Profile import fails** | Check source profile permissions: `chmod -R 755 /path/to/profile` |
| **Config validation error** | Use `notebooklm-mcp config-show -c config.json` to debug |
| **Authentication still required** | Ensure `skip_manual_login: true` and valid profile imported |
| **Chrome crashes** | Add `"timeout": 120` for slower systems |
| **Permission denied** | Run `sudo chown -R $USER:$USER ./chrome_profile*` |
---
## 📋 **Quick Setup Checklist**
- [ ] **Choose setup method**: New profile vs. existing profile
- [ ] **Generate config**: Use script or CLI command
- [ ] **Import profile** (if using existing)
- [ ] **Test connection**: `notebooklm-mcp test -c config.json`
- [ ] **Start server**: `notebooklm-mcp --config config.json server`
- [ ] **Export profile** (for future sharing)
**Result: From install to working server in under 2 minutes!** 🎉
