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Unsplash MCP Server

by jeffkit
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JavaScript
Remote

Unsplash MCP Server

English | δΈ­ζ–‡

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides photo search functionality using the Unsplash API with stdio transport.

Features

  • πŸ” Search photos on Unsplash with various filters

  • πŸ“„ Support for pagination, orientation filtering, and content filtering

  • πŸ“Š Returns formatted photo data including URLs, user info, and metadata

  • πŸ–ΌοΈ Two response formats: base64-encoded images (default) or JSON with URLs

  • πŸ”— Uses stdio transport for seamless MCP integration

  • ⚑ Command-line API key support for easy deployment

  • πŸš€ Concurrent image fetching for optimal performance

Related MCP server: Pexels MCP Server

Installation

From npm (Recommended)

npm install -g @jeffkit/unsplash-mcp-server

From source

git clone https://github.com/jeffkit/unsplash-mcp-server.git
cd unsplash-mcp-server
npm install
npm run build

API Key Setup

Get your Unsplash API access key:

  1. Visit https://unsplash.com/developers

  2. Create a new application

  3. Copy your Access Key

Usage

Command Line

# Using command line argument (default: image format)
npx -y @jeffkit/unsplash-mcp-server --access-key YOUR_API_KEY

# Using text format (returns JSON with URLs)
npx -y @jeffkit/unsplash-mcp-server --access-key YOUR_API_KEY --response-format text

# Using environment variable  
UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY @jeffkit/unsplash-mcp-server

# Show help
npx @jeffkit/unsplash-mcp-server --help

MCP Client Integration

Add to your MCP client configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "unsplash": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@jeffkit/unsplash-mcp-server", "--access-key", "YOUR_API_KEY"]
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

Especially for Claude Code, use the following command to add the MCP server to the MCP server list:

claude mcp add-json unsplash '{"command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@jeffkit/unsplash-mcp-server", "--access-key", "YOUR_API_KEY"]}'

With text format (JSON URLs):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "unsplash": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@jeffkit/unsplash-mcp-server", "--access-key", "YOUR_API_KEY", "--response-format", "text"]
    }
  }
}

Or with environment variable:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "unsplash": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@jeffkit/unsplash-mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Development

npm run dev -- --access-key YOUR_API_KEY
npm run dev -- --access-key YOUR_API_KEY --response-format text

Tools

search_photos

Search for photos on Unsplash with configurable response format.

Parameters:

  • query (required): Search term for photos

  • page (optional): Page number (default: 1)

  • per_page (optional): Number of photos per page (default: 10, max: 30)

  • orientation (optional): Filter by orientation ("landscape", "portrait", "squarish")

  • content_filter (optional): Content safety filter ("low", "high")

Response Formats:

Image Format (Default)

Returns base64-encoded images with metadata. Each image is returned as an MCP Image content type.

Text Format

Returns JSON with photo URLs and metadata:

{
  "total": 1000,
  "total_pages": 100,
  "current_page": 1,
  "per_page": 10,
  "results": [
    {
      "id": "photo_id",
      "description": "Beautiful landscape",
      "urls": {
        "raw": "https://...",
        "full": "https://...",
        "regular": "https://...",
        "small": "https://...",
        "thumb": "https://..."
      },
      "user": {
        "name": "Photographer Name",
        "username": "username"
      },
      "dimensions": {
        "width": 3000,
        "height": 2000
      },
      "likes": 100,
      "color": "#f0f0f0",
      "created_at": "2023-01-01T00:00:00Z"
    }
  ]
}

Response Format Configuration

The server can be configured at startup to return either:

  1. Image format (default): Base64-encoded images as MCP Image content with complete JSON metadata

  2. Text format: JSON with photo URLs and metadata as MCP Text content

Choose the format based on your MCP client's capabilities and use case.

Changelog

v1.0.2

  • ✨ Added complete image URLs in metadata for image mode

  • πŸ”§ Use original Unsplash API response structure for data integrity

  • πŸ“š Added Gemini CLI configuration examples

  • 🌏 Added Chinese documentation

v1.0.1

  • πŸ› Various bug fixes and performance improvements

v1.0.0

  • πŸŽ‰ Initial release

  • πŸ” Basic Unsplash photo search functionality

  • πŸ“Š Support for two response formats (image/text)

  • ⚑ stdio transport support

Available Tools

1 tool
search_photosB

Search for photos on Unsplash. Returns base64-encoded images.

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
queryYesSearch term for photos
pageNoPage number (default: 1)
per_pageNoNumber of photos per page (default: 10, max: 30)
orientationNoFilter by orientation
content_filterNoContent safety filter

TDQS

B3.1/5.0
Behavior2/5

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

With no annotations provided, the description carries full burden for behavioral disclosure. It mentions that the tool 'Returns base64-encoded images,' which is useful output information, but doesn't cover important behavioral aspects like rate limits, authentication requirements, pagination behavior beyond parameters, or what happens with invalid queries.

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 extremely concise with just two sentences that directly state the tool's purpose and output format. Every word earns its place with zero wasted text, making it front-loaded and efficient.

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?

For a search tool with 5 parameters and no output schema, the description provides basic purpose and output format but lacks important context about behavioral constraints, error handling, and usage scenarios. The 100% schema coverage helps, but the description should do more given the tool's complexity and lack of annotations.

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 schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents all 5 parameters thoroughly. The description doesn't add any parameter-specific information beyond what's in the schema, meeting the baseline of 3 when schema does the heavy lifting.

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 clearly states the action ('Search for photos') and resource ('on Unsplash'), providing a specific verb+resource combination. However, it doesn't distinguish from siblings since there are none, so it can't achieve a perfect 5.

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 provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives, prerequisites, or constraints. It simply states what the tool does without any context about appropriate usage scenarios.

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

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TDQS

B3.2/5.0
Disambiguation5/5

With only one tool, there is no possibility of confusion or overlap between tools. The tool's purpose is clearly defined as searching for photos on Unsplash, making it distinct by default.

Naming Consistency5/5

The single tool name follows a consistent verb_noun pattern (search_photos), and with only one tool, there is no inconsistency to evaluate. The naming is clear and predictable.

Tool Count2/5

One tool is too few for a server named 'Unsplash MCP Server', which implies broader functionality like browsing, downloading, or managing photos. This minimal set feels thin and under-scoped for the apparent domain.

Completeness1/5

The tool surface is severely incomplete for an Unsplash server. It only supports searching photos, with no obvious coverage for actions like getting photo details, downloading, or user interactions, leading to significant gaps in functionality.

Maintenance

ActivityMaintained
ResponsivenessNo issues

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