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dash-mcp-server-node

dash-mcp-server-node

Official
by Kapeli
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
JavaScript
Local

mcp-server-dash (Node.js)

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides tools to interact with the Dash documentation browser API.

Dash 8 is required. You can download Dash 8 at https://kapeli.com/dash.

Overview

The Dash MCP server provides tools for accessing and searching documentation directly from Dash, the macOS documentation browser. MCP clients can:

  • List installed docsets

  • Search across docsets and code snippets

  • Load documentation pages from search results

  • Enable full-text search for specific docsets

Related MCP server: DocsetMCP

Tools

  1. list_installed_docsets

    • Lists all installed documentation sets in Dash

  2. search_documentation

    • Searches across docsets and snippets

  3. load_documentation_page

    • Loads a documentation page from a load_url returned by search_documentation

  4. enable_docset_fts

    • Enables full-text search for a specific docset

Requirements

  • macOS (required for Dash app)

  • Dash installed

  • Node.js 18 or higher

Configuration

Using npx

in claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
      "dash-api": {
          "command": "npx",
          "args": [
              "-y",
              "git+https://github.com/Kapeli/dash-mcp-server-node.git",
              "dash-mcp-server"
          ]
      }
  }
}

in Claude Code

claude mcp add dash-api -- npx -y "git+https://github.com/Kapeli/dash-mcp-server-node.git" dash-mcp-server

From source

git clone https://github.com/Kapeli/dash-mcp-server-node.git
cd dash-mcp-server-node
npm install
npm run build

in claude_desktop_config.json

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

in Claude Code

claude mcp add dash-api -- node /absolute/path/to/dash-mcp-server-node/dist/index.js

Development

npm install
npm run dev      # watch mode
npm test         # run tests
npm run lint     # type check

Available Tools

4 tools
enable_docset_ftsC

Enable full-text search for a specific docset.

Inputs: identifier (required).

list_installed_docsetsA

List all installed documentation sets in Dash. An empty list is returned if the user has no docsets installed. Results are automatically truncated if they would exceed 25,000 tokens.

Inputs: no named parameters.

load_documentation_pageA

Load a documentation page from a load_url returned by search_documentation. Returns the page content as plain text with markdown-style links.

Inputs: load_url (required).

search_documentationB

Search for documentation across docset identifiers and snippets. Results are automatically truncated if they would exceed 25,000 tokens.

Inputs: query (required), docset_identifiers (required), max_results, search_snippets.

Tool Schema Changelog

Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

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    Deploy Server
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    TDQS

    A3.8/5.0

    Scored across 4 tools

    Disambiguation5/5

    Each tool targets a distinct operation: listing installed docsets, searching documentation, enabling full-text search, and loading a documentation page. There is no meaningful overlap between any pair, so an agent can reliably select the right tool.

    Naming Consistency5/5

    All tools follow a consistent snake_case verb_noun pattern: list_installed_docsets, search_documentation, enable_docset_fts, and load_documentation_page. The noun phrases are specific and the naming style is uniform throughout.

    Tool Count5/5

    Four tools is a compact, well-scoped set for a documentation browsing server. Each tool contributes a necessary part of the workflow with no redundancy or bloat.

    Completeness4/5

    The core workflow is covered: list installed docsets, enable full-text search, search across documentation, and load pages. The main missing piece is a paired disable_docset_fts operation, but that is an optional control rather than a blocking gap.

    Maintenance

    ActivityInactive
    ResponsivenessNo recent community issues

    Resources

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