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Knihobot MCP

by birosrichard

Knihobot MCP — Unofficial

An unofficial, read-only Model Context Protocol server, independently developed as an interoperability and convenience layer for end-user queries against publicly available information in the Knihobot.cz book catalog.

It lets MCP clients search the catalog, inspect a specific physical copy, compare copies of the same edition, and retrieve Knihobot recommendations. It does not sign in to or access customer accounts, carts, orders, authentication-protected data, or private data.

WARNING

Knihobot does not publicly document the API used by this project. Endpoints and response formats may change or access may be restricted without notice, causing this server to stop working. This project is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Knihobot.

Features

  • Search by title, author, ISBN, and catalog filters

  • Inspect live prices, availability, metadata, and copy images

  • Compare currently available copies of an edition

  • Retrieve catalog suggestions and recommendations

  • Validate upstream responses before exposing structured MCP output

  • Limit concurrency and cache repeated requests

Related MCP server: zee5-catalog-mcp

Requirements

  • Node.js 20 or later

  • npm

Installation

git clone https://github.com/birosrichard/knihobot-mcp
cd knihobot-mcp
npm ci
npm run build

MCP client configuration

Add the server to your MCP client configuration. Replace the path with the absolute path to the cloned repository:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "knihobot": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/knihobot-mcp/dist/index.js"]
    }
  }
}

The server uses the stdio transport. Diagnostic messages are written to stderr so they do not corrupt MCP messages on stdout.

Tools

  • search_books searches for titles, authors, ISBNs, and other text. It supports pages 1–20 plus availability, language, author, publisher, category, condition, binding, year, and price filters.

  • suggest_books returns matching books, authors, publishers, categories, labels, and series.

  • get_book_detail returns metadata and live sale information for one physical copy. It accepts titleId and bookId from search or suggestion results.

  • list_available_copies lists physical copies currently offered for an editionId.

  • get_recommendations returns recommended books for an editionId.

Knihobot's catalog model uses titleId for a language-specific title group, editionId for an edition, and bookId for a physical copy offered for sale. These are upstream implementation details and may change.

Configuration

The server works without credentials. The following environment variables are optional:

  • KNIHOBOT_BASE_URL: API origin; defaults to https://knihobot.cz

  • KNIHOBOT_TIMEOUT_MS: request timeout in milliseconds; defaults to 10000

  • KNIHOBOT_CACHE_TTL_MS: cache lifetime in milliseconds; defaults to 60000 and cannot exceed 300000

  • KNIHOBOT_MAX_CONCURRENT: maximum concurrent upstream requests; defaults to 2 and cannot exceed 4

The server reads these values from its process environment; it does not load a .env file. All numeric values must be positive integers.

Example prompts

  • "Find Czech editions of Dune under 500 CZK."

  • "Show all available copies of this edition and compare their prices."

  • "Recommend books related to this edition."

Development

npm ci
npm run dev
npm run check

npm run check compiles the TypeScript project and runs the test suite. Tests use mocked HTTP responses and do not require access to Knihobot.

Responsible use and limitations

This project is an independent interoperability tool. It does not replicate or redistribute the Knihobot catalog and does not maintain a persistent copy of Knihobot's database. It provides no bulk catalog export; its bounded, short-lived in-memory cache exists only to reduce repeated identical requests.

Use reasonable request rates and comply with Knihobot's website terms, robots.txt where technically applicable, and applicable law. Do not use this project to circumvent authentication, CAPTCHA, rate limits, bot protection, Cloudflare protections, or any other technical access control. If Knihobot denies or challenges a request, the server reports the restriction instead of attempting to bypass it.

Catalog data, prices, stock levels, images, recommendations, trademarks, and other upstream content remain subject to the rights of their respective owners and may become stale immediately after a tool call. Do not rely on this project as a guaranteed or supported commercial API.

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md.

License

The project's source code is licensed under the ISC License. The ISC License applies only to this project's source code. Upstream product data, images, trademarks, and other content remain subject to the rights of their respective owners.

Available Tools

5 tools
get_book_detailGet Knihobot book detailA
Read-onlyIdempotent

Get metadata and live sale information for one physical copy. Use titleId and bookId returned by search_books or suggest_books.

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
bookIdYesKnihobot physical book copy ID
titleIdYesKnihobot grandmother/title ID

Output Schema

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescription
urlYes
isbnYes
yearYes
priceYes
titleYes
bookIdYes
isbn10Yes
isbn13Yes
ratingYes
seriesYes
authorsYes
flagIdsYes
inStockYes
stateIdYes
titleIdYes
editionIdYes
imageUrlsYes
pageCountYes
publisherYes
annotationYes
categoriesYes
originalTitleYes

TDQS

A4/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already provide readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true. The description adds value by saying 'live sale information,' which aligns with and reinforces the openWorldHint by warning that data may change between calls. No contradiction with annotations. It does not add further detail about response shape, but the output schema covers that.

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?

Two sentences with no filler: the first states the tool's core function, the second tells the agent where to source the required IDs. Both sentences earn their place and the key information is front-loaded.

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

Completeness5/5

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

For a simple detail-retrieval tool with two fully described parameters, an output schema, and readOnly/openWorld annotations, nothing essential is missing. The description effectively completes the picture by linking the tool to its upstream siblings.

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

Parameters4/5

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

Schema coverage is 100%, so both parameters are already described. The description goes beyond the schema by explaining the provenance of the parameters — that titleId and bookId come from search_books or suggest_books — which is operationally useful for an agent deciding how to populate them.

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

Purpose4/5

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

The description states a specific verb ('Get') and resource ('metadata and live sale information for one physical copy'), clearly identifying what the tool does. The 'one physical copy' phrasing helps distinguish it from list-style siblings, though it does not explicitly name any alternative tool for contrast.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

The description gives clear usage context: 'Use titleId and bookId returned by search_books or suggest_books,' which tells the agent how to obtain the required arguments. However, it does not explicitly state when to prefer this tool over list_available_copies or other siblings, leaving some routing to inference.

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

get_recommendationsGet Knihobot recommendationsA
Read-onlyIdempotent

Return books recommended by Knihobot for a specific edition.

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
limitNo
editionIdYesKnihobot mother/edition ID

Output Schema

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescription
booksYes
editionIdYes

TDQS

A3.6/5.0
Behavior3/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, openWorldHint, idempotentHint, and non-destructive behavior, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds 'recommended by Knihobot' but does not disclose additional behavioral details such as result stability, pagination, or recommendation criteria. No contradiction with annotations.

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?

A single declarative sentence that front-loads the action ('Return books') and the resource ('recommended by Knihobot') with no filler or redundant wording.

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

Completeness4/5

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

For a simple read-only lookup with a required editionId, detailed output schema, and strong annotations, the essential call context is present. The only notable gap is the lack of clarification on how recommendations differ from suggest_books, which is a minor omission.

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?

The description reinforces that editionId is the target edition, which the schema already documents as 'Knihobot mother/edition ID'. It adds little for limit, though limit's default, minimum, and maximum are already in the schema. 50% schema description coverage is only partially compensated by the description.

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

Purpose4/5

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

The description states a clear action and resource: return books recommended by Knihobot for a specific edition. It is distinct from search_books, get_book_detail, and list_available_copies, but it does not explicitly differentiate itself from the similarly named suggest_books sibling.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

Usage is implied: call this tool when you have a specific editionId and want Knihobot's recommendations for it. However, there is no explicit when-not-to-use guidance or mention of alternatives such as suggest_books, leaving the selection decision partially to inference.

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

list_available_copiesList available Knihobot copiesA
Read-onlyIdempotent

List physical copies currently offered for one edition. Use editionId returned by get_book_detail or search_books.

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
editionIdYesKnihobot mother/edition ID

Output Schema

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescription
copiesYes
editionIdYes

TDQS

A4.3/5.0
Behavior3/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, openWorldHint, idempotentHint, and non-destructive behavior, so the description does not need to repeat those. The phrase 'currently offered' adds useful context that availability is dynamic and may change over time, and 'physical copies' clarifies the resource type. No additional behavioral detail is needed beyond what annotations already cover.

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?

Two short sentences with no filler. The action and object come first, and the parameter provenance is given in the second sentence. Every word contributes to correct invocation.

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

Completeness5/5

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

For a simple list-by-edition tool, the description covers the core purpose, the source of the required parameter, and the dynamic nature of the data. An output schema is present, so return values do not need to be spelled out in the description. Annotations cover safety and idempotency, leaving no critical gap.

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

Parameters4/5

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

The schema already documents editionId with a clear description and constraints, giving 100% coverage. The description adds value by telling the agent where to obtain editionId, which is practical semantic guidance beyond the schema field definition. This modest addition justifies a score above the baseline of 3.

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 and resource: it lists physical copies offered for one edition. It clearly distinguishes itself from sibling tools like search_books and get_recommendations by focusing on edition-level copy availability. The title and description together make the tool's role unambiguous.

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

Usage Guidelines4/5

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

The description tells the agent that editionId should come from get_book_detail or search_books, giving concrete usage flow. It implies this tool is for retrieving available copies for a known edition rather than searching for editions. It could be stronger with an explicit when-not-to-use statement, but the guidance is clear enough.

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

search_booksSearch Knihobot booksA
Read-onlyIdempotent

Search the public Knihobot catalog. Returns sale-ready title groups with the highlighted physical copy, price, availability and IDs needed by the detail tools.

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
pageNo
queryYesTitle, author, ISBN or other search text
yearMaxNo
yearMinNo
priceMaxNoMaximum price in CZK
priceMinNoMinimum price in CZK
authorIdsNo
bindingIdsNo
categoryIdsNo
inStockOnlyNoReturn only books currently in stock
languageIdsNoKnihobot language IDs; 1 is Czech and 3 is English
conditionIdsNo
publisherIdsNo

Output Schema

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescription
booksYes
queryYes
sourceUrlYes
paginationYes

TDQS

A3.8/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, and openWorldHint. The description adds useful behavioral context beyond those: results are grouped into 'sale-ready title groups,' a physical copy is 'highlighted,' and the returned IDs are intended for downstream detail tools. No contradiction with the annotations.

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?

Two sentences, no filler, with the primary action front-loaded and the return value summarized compactly. Every phrase adds useful information without redundancy.

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 13 parameters and many optional filter IDs, the description is too high-level to fully orient an agent. It covers the core search purpose and return shape, and the presence of an output schema and annotations helps, but it leaves filter semantics and defaults such as inStockOnly and languageIds to the schema, which itself is sparse on several parameters.

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

Parameters2/5

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

Schema description coverage is only 38%, and the description does not compensate for the many undocumented filter parameters. It does not explain authorIds, categoryIds, conditionIds, bindingIds, publisherIds, yearMin/yearMax, or pagination behavior. The only implicit semantic link is that 'Search' maps to the required query parameter.

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 action on a specific resource: 'Search the public Knihobot catalog.' It also clearly characterizes the result as 'sale-ready title groups with the highlighted physical copy, price, availability and IDs needed by the detail tools,' which distinguishes it from sibling detail tools like get_book_detail and list_available_copies.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

The description implies this is the entry point for searching the catalog and that results feed into detail tools, but it never explicitly states when to prefer this over suggest_books or get_recommendations, nor does it mention exclusions or when not to use it. Usage context is present but only implicit.

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

suggest_booksSuggest Knihobot entitiesB
Read-onlyIdempotent

Return fast public suggestions for books, authors, publishers, categories, labels and series.

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
queryYes
languageIdsNoKnihobot language IDs; defaults to Czech and English

Output Schema

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescription
queryYes
suggestionsYes

TDQS

B3/5.0
Behavior3/5

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

Annotations already declare the tool read-only, idempotent, and non-destructive, so the description does not need to repeat that safety profile. It adds 'fast' and 'public', which are useful behavioral hints, but it lacks details like whether results are ranked or how failures behave.

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

Conciseness4/5

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

The description is a single clear sentence with no filler. It front-loads the action and scope, though it could have added a routing hint without much extra length.

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?

The output schema covers return shape and annotations cover the safety profile, so those gaps are acceptable. However, missing usage guidance and query semantics leave an agent without enough context to confidently choose this tool over search_books or get_recommendations.

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

Parameters2/5

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

The query parameter has no schema description, and the tool description does not explain how matching works (prefix, fuzzy, full-text) or how languageIds affects results. With only 50% schema description coverage, the description should compensate for the undocumented query semantics, but it does not.

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

Purpose4/5

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

The description uses a specific verb ('Return') and clearly enumerates the resource types (books, authors, publishers, categories, labels, series). It conveys an autocomplete-style suggestion tool, though it does not explicitly distinguish it from siblings like get_recommendations.

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?

There is no guidance on when to use this tool versus search_books or get_recommendations. The intended use is only implied by the word 'suggestions', with no explicit alternatives, exclusions, or selection criteria.

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

TDQS

A3.8/5.0
Disambiguation5/5

Each tool targets a distinct operation: catalog search, fast suggestions, physical-copy detail, edition copy listing, and recommendations. The descriptions clearly explain when to use each tool and which IDs are required, so an agent should be able to disambiguate without confusion.

Naming Consistency5/5

All tool names follow a consistent verb_noun snake_case pattern: search_books, suggest_books, get_book_detail, list_available_copies, get_recommendations. The verbs and nouns are predictable and convey the operation and resource clearly.

Tool Count5/5

Five tools is a well-scoped size for a catalog-focused MCP server. Each tool covers a distinct browsing or lookup need without redundancy or unnecessary surface area.

Completeness4/5

The tool set covers the core read-only catalog workflow: discovering books through search or suggestions, viewing physical-copy details, listing available copies, and getting recommendations. Purchase, account, or inventory-management features are absent, but those appear outside the intended public catalog scope.

Maintenance

ActivityMaintained
ResponsivenessNo issues

Resources

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