mcp-shovels
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-shovelsShow me residential building permits in Chicago issued in 2024."
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-shovels
Shovels MCP — wraps the Shovels.ai API (shovels.ai)
Part of Pipeworx — an MCP gateway connecting AI agents to 1576+ live data sources.
Tools
Tool | Description |
| Resolve a US address to Shovels records, each carrying a |
| Search US building permits scoped to a location. Requires a |
| Search US construction contractors scoped to a location, with license, work history and aggregate job value. Requires a |
Related MCP server: FoundryNet Geo
Quick Start
Add to your MCP client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, etc.):
{
"mcpServers": {
"shovels": {
"url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/shovels/mcp"
}
}
}What this endpoint actually serves
tools/list at https://gateway.pipeworx.io/shovels/mcp returns the tools in the table
above plus the shared Pipeworx meta-tools — ask_pipeworx,
discover_tools, search_within, remember/recall and the rest of the
gateway-wide set. So the tool count you see is larger than this table: a
single-pack endpoint currently lists roughly 30 shared tools alongside the
pack's own. The connection's initialize response states its exact scope, and
is the authoritative answer for a given day.
This is deliberate, not multiplexing by accident. The meta-tools are what let a
scoped connection answer a question this pack does not cover — via
ask_pipeworx, which routes across the whole catalog — without you adding a
second MCP server. There is currently no way to mount a pack endpoint without
them; if the extra schemas cost you more context than the routing is worth,
connect to the full gateway once rather than to several pack endpoints.
Or connect to the full Pipeworx gateway to get every pack's tools listed directly, instead of just this one's:
{
"mcpServers": {
"pipeworx": {
"url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/mcp"
}
}
}Both URLs reach the same gateway and the same 1576+ data sources. The
only difference is which pack's tools are listed directly; ask_pipeworx
reaches all of them from either one.
No MCP client? Call it over HTTP
This pack takes your own API key (_apiKey) — we don't front one for it, so there's no curl here that would run without it. Inspect any tool: GET https://gateway.pipeworx.io/v1/tools/shovels_address_search. Find one: POST https://gateway.pipeworx.io/v1/tools/search_packs with {"query":"..."}.
Standalone (no gateway account)
This package also runs as a local stdio MCP server — no Pipeworx account, no gateway round-trip:
{
"mcpServers": {
"shovels": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@pipeworx/mcp-shovels"]
}
}
}Or run it directly to confirm it starts:
npx -y @pipeworx/mcp-shovelsIt speaks MCP over stdin/stdout and answers initialize/tools/list/tools/call
for only this pack's tools — none of the shared meta-tools the gateway
connection above adds. Same source, same tools, no ask_pipeworx routing.
Using with ask_pipeworx
Instead of calling tools directly, you can ask questions in plain English — this works on the pack endpoint above as well as on the full gateway:
ask_pipeworx({ question: "your question about Shovels data" })The gateway picks the right tool and fills the arguments automatically.
More
License
MIT
This server cannot be deployed
Maintenance
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