Pexels MCP Server
README.md
# Pexels MCP Server
An MCP server to search for photos and videos on Pexels.
## Prerequisites
- Docker
- Pexels API Key (Get one at [https://www.pexels.com/api/](https://www.pexels.com/api/))
## Building the Docker Image
Run the following command in this directory:
```bash
docker build -t pexels-mcp .
```
## Running the Server
You can run the server directly with Docker. It communicates via Stdio, so it's designed to be called by an MCP client (like Claude Desktop or the MCP Toolkit).
To test it manually or use it, you generally configure your MCP client to run the docker command:
```bash
docker run -i --rm -e PEXELS_API_KEY=your_api_key_here pexels-mcp
```
## Configuration
### Claude Desktop
Add this to your `claude_desktop_config.json`:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"pexels": {
"command": "docker",
"args": [
"run",
"-i",
"--rm",
"-e",
"PEXELS_API_KEY=your_actual_api_key_here",
"pexels-mcp"
]
}
}
}
```
### Docker MCP Toolkit
If you are using the Docker MCP Toolkit, you may be able to add it via the UI by pointing to this image or running the container.
TDQS
A3.5/5.0
Scored across 3 tools
Disambiguation5/5
Each tool has a distinct purpose: retrieving a single photo by ID, searching photos, and searching videos. There is no overlap or ambiguity.
Naming Consistency5/5
All tools follow the 'pexels_verb_noun' pattern consistently, making the naming predictable and easy to understand.
Tool Count5/5
With only 3 tools, the server is tightly scoped to core Pexels operations. This is appropriate for a focused API wrapper.
Completeness3/5
Covers search for both photos and videos and retrieval of a specific photo, but lacks a tool to get a specific video by ID, which is a notable gap given symmetrical functionality.
Maintenance
ActivityInactive
ResponsivenessNo issues