NewsAPI MCP Server

Search News

search_news

Find relevant news articles from thousands of sources using keyword queries. Filter by date, language, domain, or source to get targeted results from the last 30 days.

Instructions

Search news articles from the past 30 days.

Note: The free tier of NewsAPI only returns articles from the last 30 days.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`query`	Yes	Search keywords or phrase (required).
`domains`	No	Comma-separated domains to restrict search (e.g. "bbc.co.uk,techcrunch.com").
`sort_by`	No	Sort order: "relevancy", "popularity", or "publishedAt" (default: "publishedAt").	publishedAt
`sources`	No	Comma-separated source IDs (e.g. "bbc-news,cnn").
`to_date`	No	Newest article date in ISO 8601 format (e.g. "2025-01-31").
`language`	No	2-letter ISO 639-1 language code (default: "en").	en
`from_date`	No	Oldest article date in ISO 8601 format (e.g. "2025-01-01").
`page_size`	No	Number of results to return (default: 10, max: 100).

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`query`	Yes	The search query
`articles`	No	Matching news articles
`total_results`	No	Total number of results available

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.1.2Sep 20, 2026

TDQS

A3.5/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description carries the burden of behavioral disclosure. It adds a key constraint: the free tier only returns articles from the last 30 days, which is not in the schema. However, it does not mention rate limits, pagination, or other potential behaviors, so it is only partially transparent.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is two sentences, front-loading the primary purpose and adding a note as a separate clause. It is concise, clear, and contains no redundant information. Every sentence contributes value.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the complexity (8 parameters, output schema present, no annotations), the description is adequate but not rich. It covers the core function and a key limitation, but it would benefit from explicitly distinguishing when to use this tool versus the sibling get_top_headlines. The output schema covers return values, so that gap is acceptable.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

All 8 parameters have schema descriptions, providing 100% coverage. The tool description adds no additional parameter-level semantics beyond what the schema already states. The 30-day note is a global constraint, not parameter-specific. Since the schema is complete, a baseline score of 3 is appropriate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description states a specific verb ('search') and resource ('news articles') with a clear time constraint (past 30 days). This distinguishes it from the sibling tool get_top_headlines, which is about current headlines. The purpose is unambiguous and directly actionable.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description does not explicitly mention when to use this tool versus the sibling get_top_headlines. It implies a search over past articles, but there is no explicit comparison, exclusion, or alternative routing. The only guidance is the free-tier limitation, which is a behavioral note rather than usage guidance.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Deploy Server