---
title: Introduction
description: Welcome to the Federal Reserve Economic Data MCP Server documentation
icon: 'home'
---
<img
className="block dark:hidden"
src="/images/fred-hero-light.svg"
alt="FRED MCP Server Hero Light"
/>
<img
className="hidden dark:block"
src="/images/fred-hero-dark.svg"
alt="FRED MCP Server Hero Dark"
/>
# Federal Reserve Economic Data MCP Server
<Note>
**About**: This open-source project was created by Stefano Amorelli and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by the Federal Reserve or the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. "FRED" is a registered trademark of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, used here for descriptive purposes only.
</Note>
<Warning>
**Important**: By using this software, you agree to comply with the [FRED® API Terms of Use](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/docs/api/terms_of_use.html). Users are solely responsible for ensuring their use of FRED data complies with all applicable terms and conditions. The developers of this software are not responsible for any misuse or violations of FRED's terms of service.
</Warning>
A powerful Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides universal access to all **800,000+ Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED®)** time series through three comprehensive tools. Built for AI assistants, researchers, and developers who need reliable economic data.
## What is FRED MCP Server?
The FRED MCP Server bridges the gap between AI assistants and the vast repository of economic data maintained by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. It enables:
<CardGroup cols={2}>
<Card
title="Comprehensive Data Access"
icon="database"
href="/core-concepts/fred-data"
>
Access over 800,000 economic time series from 100+ sources
</Card>
<Card
title="AI-Native Integration"
icon="robot"
href="/core-concepts/mcp-protocol"
>
Seamlessly integrate with Claude, ChatGPT, and other AI assistants
</Card>
<Card
title="Advanced Analytics"
icon="chart-line"
href="/api-reference/fred-get-series"
>
Built-in data transformations and frequency adjustments
</Card>
<Card
title="Real-Time Updates"
icon="clock"
href="/examples/economic-indicators"
>
Get the latest economic indicators as they're released
</Card>
</CardGroup>
## Why Use FRED MCP Server?
### For Researchers and Analysts
- **Instant Access**: Query any economic indicator without manual downloads
- **Historical Data**: Access decades of historical economic data
- **Automated Workflows**: Build reproducible research pipelines
- **Data Transformations**: Apply percentage changes, growth rates, and more
### For AI Application Developers
- **MCP Standard**: Built on the open Model Context Protocol standard
- **Type-Safe**: Full TypeScript support with comprehensive type definitions
- **Error Handling**: Robust error handling and validation
- **Rate Limiting**: Built-in rate limiting to respect API constraints
### For Financial Professionals
- **Market Indicators**: Track GDP, unemployment, inflation, and more
- **Policy Analysis**: Monitor Federal Reserve policy indicators
- **International Data**: Access global economic indicators
- **Custom Aggregations**: Transform data to match your analysis needs
## Key Features
<AccordionGroup>
<Accordion title="Browse Economic Categories" icon="folder-tree">
Navigate through FRED's hierarchical category structure to discover available data series. Browse by topic, source, or release schedule.
</Accordion>
<Accordion title="Search Capabilities" icon="magnifying-glass">
Search across all 800,000+ series using keywords, tags, or specific filters. Find exactly the data you need quickly.
</Accordion>
<Accordion title="Data Retrieval & Transformation" icon="arrow-right-arrow-left">
Retrieve any series with built-in transformations including growth rates, percentage changes, logarithmic scaling, and frequency conversions.
</Accordion>
<Accordion title="Real-Time Updates" icon="arrows-rotate">
Access the latest economic data as soon as it's released by the Federal Reserve and other authoritative sources.
</Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>
## Quick Example
Here's how easy it is to get started with FRED MCP Server:
<CodeGroup>
```typescript Claude Desktop
// Ask Claude:
"What's the current US unemployment rate?"
// Claude uses fred_get_series tool:
{
"tool": "fred_get_series",
"params": {
"series_id": "UNRATE",
"limit": 12
}
}
```
```python Research Script
# Use with any MCP client
client.call_tool(
"fred_search",
{
"search_text": "inflation",
"tag_names": "usa,monthly",
"limit": 5
}
)
```
```javascript Analysis
// Get GDP growth rate
const gdpGrowth = await mcp.callTool(
"fred_get_series",
{
series_id: "GDP",
units: "pc1", // Percent change from year ago
frequency: "q" // Quarterly
}
);
```
</CodeGroup>
## Academic Citation
If you use this project in your research, please cite it:
<Tabs>
<Tab title="APA">
```text
Amorelli, S. (2025). Federal Reserve Economic Data MCP (Model Context
Protocol) Server (Version 1.0.2) [Computer software]. Zenodo.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14536707
```
</Tab>
<Tab title="BibTeX">
```bibtex
@software{amorelli_2025_14536707,
author = {Amorelli, Stefano},
title = {{Federal Reserve Economic Data MCP (Model Context
Protocol) Server}},
month = jan,
year = 2025,
publisher = {Zenodo},
version = {1.0.2},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.14536707},
url = {https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14536707}
}
```
</Tab>
</Tabs>
## Next Steps
<CardGroup cols={2}>
<Card
title="Quick Start"
icon="rocket"
href="/quickstart"
>
Get up and running in under 5 minutes
</Card>
<Card
title="Installation Guide"
icon="download"
href="/installation"
>
Detailed installation instructions for all platforms
</Card>
<Card
title="API Reference"
icon="code"
href="/api-reference/overview"
>
Complete reference for all available tools
</Card>
<Card
title="Examples"
icon="flask"
href="/examples/basic-usage"
>
Learn by example with real-world use cases
</Card>
</CardGroup>
## Community & Support
- **GitHub**: [stefanoamorelli/fred-mcp-server](https://github.com/stefanoamorelli/fred-mcp-server)
- **NPM Package**: [fred-mcp-server](https://www.npmjs.com/package/fred-mcp-server)
- **Author**: [Stefano Amorelli](https://amorelli.tech)
- **License**: AGPL-3.0
<Info>
Join our community on [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/stefanoamorelli/fred-mcp-server/discussions) to share ideas, ask questions, and connect with other users.
</Info>
