SearchCAIE MCP Server
Server Configuration
Describes the environment variables required to run the server.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCP_HOST | No | The host address for the server. | 127.0.0.1 |
| MCP_PATH | No | The endpoint path for the MCP server. | /mcp |
| MCP_PORT | No | The port number for the server. | 8000 |
| MCP_API_BASE | No | The base URL for the Search CAIE API. | https://api.searchcaie.com/api |
| MCP_TRANSPORT | No | The transport protocol to use (e.g., stdio or streamable-http). | stdio |
| MCP_DEFAULT_SUBJECT | No | Optional default subject filter. If omitted, the server does not apply a subject filter by default. | |
| MCP_REQUEST_TIMEOUT | No | The timeout for requests in seconds. | 30 |
Instructions
Guidance the server publishes about itself, which clients place ahead of the tool catalog so the model reads it before choosing anything.
This server publishes no instructions, or was last inspected before Glama recorded them.
Capabilities
Features and capabilities supported by this server
Protocol revision2025-11-25
| Capability | Details |
|---|---|
| tools | {
"listChanged": true
} |
| logging | {} |
| prompts | {
"listChanged": false
} |
| resources | {
"subscribe": false,
"listChanged": false
} |
| extensions | {
"io.modelcontextprotocol/ui": {}
} |
| experimental | {} |
Tools
Functions exposed to the LLM to take actions
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| search_questionsB | Search past-paper questions with optional filters. Returns ranked questions with compact metadata. Each result includes:
NEXT STEP: Call get_questions(question_ids_list=[...]) with the recommended_ids to get full question text, mark scheme key points, and images. |
| search_multiA | Search multiple topics and deduplicate by question ID. Accepts either |
| get_questionsA | Fetch full question details and mark schemes for selected IDs. Accepts either Returns for each question:
Use include_images=True to get image URLs for ALL questions (not just image-based). Use include_ocr=True to get OCR text extracted from question images. |
| get_statsA | Get overall API statistics and service health. |
| search_examiner_reportsA | Search Cambridge examiner report commentary for insights on how a topic is examined. Returns examiner observations including:
Use AFTER searching questions to understand examiner expectations on the same topic. Examiner reports are the most authoritative source for HOW to answer, not WHAT to answer. |
| search_web_contextA | Get educational web content to supplement CAIE exam explanations. Returns summarized content from trusted CS education sites. Use when the student needs conceptual explanations beyond what mark schemes provide. Web content is supplementary — always prioritize official CAIE mark scheme points first. Returns: source title, URL, domain, and key educational content (max 800 chars per source). |
| search_topic_imagesA | Find educational diagrams and illustrations for a CAIE topic. Returns external web images (Wikipedia, GFG diagrams) — NOT past paper images. For actual question/mark scheme images, use get_questions with include_images=True. Use this when:
Returns: image URL, title, source domain. |
Prompts
Interactive templates invoked by user choice
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| exam_study_helper | Create a structured study plan for a specific topic using MCP tools. |
| topic_deep_dive | Analyze one or more topics across exam sessions. |
Resources
Contextual data attached and managed by the client
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| resource_stats | Current database statistics including total questions, papers, and marks. |
| resource_papers | Full catalog of indexed papers with metadata. |
TDQS
Scored across 7 tools
Tools have distinct purposes overall, but search_questions and search_multi overlap in searching questions; descriptions differentiate them (single vs multiple topics, deduplication). Minor confusion possible.
All tools use a consistent verb_noun snake_case pattern. 'get_' for retrieval and 'search_' for searching, with clear, predictable names.
Seven tools is well-scoped for a CAIE exam search server. Each tool addresses a specific need: searching, fetching details, examiner reports, statistics, supplementary content.
Core workflows are covered: search questions, get details, examiner reports, supplementary resources. Minor gaps like listing available subjects or papers are missing but not critical for the primary use case.