places-search

Instructions

Implementation Reference

• src/maps.ts:261-329 (handler)

  The main handler function for the 'places-search' tool. It uses Google Maps Text Search API to find places matching the query, optionally biased by location and radius. Formats up to 5 results using formatPlacesToMarkdown and returns as MCP content.

  export async function placesSearch(
    params: z.infer<typeof placesSearchSchema>,
    extra?: any
  ) {
    const apiKey = process.env.GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY;
    if (!apiKey) {
      throw new Error("GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY is required");
    }
  
    try {
      const requestParams: any = {
        query: params.query,
        key: apiKey,
      };
  
      if (params.location) {
        requestParams.location = params.location;
      }
      if (params.radius) {
        requestParams.radius = params.radius;
      }
  
      const response = await googleMapsClient.textSearch({
        params: requestParams,
      });
  
      const results = response.data.results;
      if (results.length === 0) {
        return {
          content: [
            {
              type: "text" as const,
              text: "No places found for the given query.",
            },
          ],
        };
      }
  
      const places = results.slice(0, 5).map((place) => ({
        name: place.name,
        formatted_address: place.formatted_address,
        latitude: place.geometry?.location.lat,
        longitude: place.geometry?.location.lng,
        place_id: place.place_id,
        rating: place.rating,
        types: place.types,
      }));
  
      return {
        content: [
          {
            type: "text" as const,
            text: formatPlacesToMarkdown(places),
          },
        ],
      };
    } catch (error) {
      return {
        content: [
          {
            type: "text" as const,
            text: `Error searching places: ${
              error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)
            }`,
          },
        ],
      };
    }
  }

• src/maps.ts:114-121 (schema)

  Zod schema for input validation of the places-search tool: required 'query' string, optional 'location' string (lat,lng), and 'radius' number.

  export const placesSearchSchema = z.object({
    query: z.string().describe("The search query"),
    location: z
      .string()
      .optional()
      .describe("Bias results around this location (e.g., 'lat,lng')"),
    radius: z.number().optional().describe("Search radius in meters"),
  });

• src/index.ts:80-87 (registration)

  Tool registration in the MCP server, using the placesSearch handler and placesSearchSchema from maps.ts.

  server.tool(
    "places-search",
    "Search for places using text query",
    placesSearchSchema.shape,
    async (params) => {
      return await placesSearch(params);
    }
  );

• src/maps.ts:16-38 (helper)

  Helper function used by placesSearch to format search results into a Markdown list with details like name, address, rating, location, and place ID.

  function formatPlacesToMarkdown(places: any[]): string {
    if (!places.length) return "No places found.";
    
    let markdown = `# Places Search Results (${places.length})\n\n`;
    
    places.forEach((place, index) => {
      markdown += `## ${index + 1}. ${place.name}\n`;
      markdown += `Address: ${place.formatted_address}  \n`;
      if (place.rating) {
        markdown += `Rating: ${place.rating}⭐  \n`;
      }
      if (place.latitude && place.longitude) {
        markdown += `Location: ${place.latitude}, ${place.longitude}  \n`;
        markdown += `Maps: [View](https://maps.google.com/?q=${place.latitude},${place.longitude})  \n`;
      }
      if (place.place_id) {
        markdown += `Place ID: \`${place.place_id}\`  \n`;
      }
      markdown += `\n`;
    });
    
    return markdown;
  }