F
licenseC
qualityNot graded
maintenanceEnables LLMs to interact with Outline wiki for document management, search, collections, and comments, with optional AI-powered features including RAG-based Q\&A and content summarization.
37
403 npm
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mcp-outline
by ytrafimovich
Provides tools for searching and retrieving documents from an Outline knowledge base.
Click on "Deploy Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type
@followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@mcp-outlinesearch our outline for the design system docs"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
mcp-outline
An MCP server that connects Claude Code to your Outline knowledge base, giving Claude tools to search and retrieve documents.
Tools
outline_search — full-text search across your Outline workspace
outline_get_document — fetch a document's full content by ID
Related MCP server: Outline Wiki MCP Server
Prerequisites
Node.js 18+
An Outline API key — go to Preferences → API & Access → New API key
Use the scope
documents:readto restrict the key to read-only document access:
Setup
1. Clone and install
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/mcp-outline.git ~/.claude/mcp-outline
cd ~/.claude/mcp-outline
npm installYou can clone it anywhere;
~/.claude/mcp-outlineis just a tidy location that keeps it with your Claude config.
2. Register the MCP server globally
Run this once from your terminal to add the server to your user-level Claude Code config (available in every project):
claude mcp add -s user outline \
npx tsx /Users/YOUR_USERNAME/.claude/mcp-outline/src/server.ts \
--env OUTLINE_API_KEY=YOUR_OUTLINE_API_KEY \
--env OUTLINE_BASE_URL=https://app.getoutline.comReplace:
/Users/YOUR_USERNAME/.claude/mcp-outlinewith the actual absolute path where you cloned the repoYOUR_OUTLINE_API_KEYwith your Outline API keyOmit
--env OUTLINE_BASE_URL=...if you use the defaulthttps://app.getoutline.com
The -s user flag registers the server at the user scope, so it is available globally in every Claude Code session without needing per-project configuration.
3. Verify
claude mcp listoutline should appear in the list of active MCP servers.
Usage
Once configured, Claude Code can use the Outline tools automatically when you ask questions about your docs:
"Search our Outline for the onboarding guide"
"Get the Outline document with ID abc-123"
License
ISC
Available Tools
2 toolsoutline_get_documentC
Get an Outline document by ID
ParametersJSON Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| id | Yes |
TDQS
C2.7/5.0
Behavior2/5
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations provided, so the description carries full burden. It only states 'Get' without disclosing side effects, authentication needs, rate limits, or whether it is read-only. Minimal behavioral context.
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 concise with a single sentence, which is efficient for a simple tool. However, it could be slightly expanded to include key details without losing brevity.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Completeness2/5
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Given no output schema and low schema coverage, the description should compensate with details about return values, errors, or prerequisites. It falls short, leaving the agent with insufficient information to fully understand the tool's behavior.
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 0%, yet the description only adds 'by ID' which vaguely explains the parameter. It does not specify the format, source, or typical value of the 'id' parameter.
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 'Get an Outline document by ID' which is a specific verb+resource. It distinguishes from the sibling 'outline_search' by implying retrieval of a single document rather than searching. However, it could be more specific about what the document contains.
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?
No guidance on when to use this tool versus outline_search or any alternatives. The description does not mention prerequisites, error conditions, or appropriate contexts.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
outline_searchC
Search Outline documentation
ParametersJSON Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| query | Yes | ||
| limit | No |
TDQS
C2.7/5.0
Behavior2/5
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, and the description does not disclose behavioral traits beyond the verb 'search'. Important details such as whether the search is full-text, case-sensitive, scoped to specific fields, or how results are ordered are missing. The agent cannot anticipate limitations or side effects.
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 sentence, which is concise and front-loaded. It states the core purpose without extraneous words. However, it could be slightly more informative without sacrificing brevity.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Completeness2/5
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Given the simple schema (2 parameters, no output schema) and no annotations, the description is too brief. It does not explain the search behavior, result format, or any pagination. A search tool would benefit from describing what is searched and how results are presented.
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 input schema has zero description coverage (0%), and the description does not add any meaning to the parameters 'query' and 'limit'. The parameter names are self-explanatory, but the description fails to explain expected formats, default behavior of limit, or any constraints beyond schema min/max.
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 tool performs a search on 'Outline documentation'. It distinguishes from the sibling tool 'outline_get_document' which implies retrieval of a specific document, so the search vs. get contrast is clear. However, it could be more specific about what kinds of documentation or what the search covers.
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?
No guidance is provided on when to use this tool versus alternatives. There is no mention of suitable contexts, exclusions, or comparison with the only sibling tool. The agent is left to infer usage from the name alone.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
Tool Schema Changelog
Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
2 tool updates
v1.0.0- First observed
outline_get_document - First observed
outline_search
TDQS
B3.1/5.0
Scored across 2 tools
Disambiguation5/5
The two tools have clearly distinct purposes: one retrieves a document by ID, and the other performs a search. There is no overlap or ambiguity.
Naming Consistency5/5
Both tools follow the pattern 'outline_<verb>[_<noun>]' with consistent snake_case and a common prefix, making them predictable.
Tool Count3/5
With only 2 tools, the surface is thin for a documentation server. While it covers basic retrieval and search, it lacks other expected operations, making it borderline.
Completeness3/5
The server provides get and search capabilities but is missing create, update, delete, and list operations. This represents notable gaps for typical document management.
Maintenance
ActivityInactive
ResponsivenessNo issues
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