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Fetch MCP Server

by tokenizin

Fetch MCP Server

This MCP server provides functionality to fetch web content in various formats, including HTML, JSON, plain text, and Markdown.

Components

Tools

  • fetch_html

    • Fetch a website and return the content as HTML

    • Input:

      • url (string, required): URL of the website to fetch

      • headers (object, optional): Custom headers to include in the request

    • Returns the raw HTML content of the webpage

  • fetch_json

    • Fetch a JSON file from a URL

    • Input:

      • url (string, required): URL of the JSON to fetch

      • headers (object, optional): Custom headers to include in the request

    • Returns the parsed JSON content

  • fetch_txt

    • Fetch a website and return the content as plain text (no HTML)

    • Input:

      • url (string, required): URL of the website to fetch

      • headers (object, optional): Custom headers to include in the request

    • Returns the text content of the webpage with HTML tags, scripts, and styles removed

  • fetch_markdown

    • Fetch a website and return the content as Markdown

    • Input:

      • url (string, required): URL of the website to fetch

      • headers (object, optional): Custom headers to include in the request

    • Returns the content of the webpage converted to Markdown format

Resources

This server does not provide any persistent resources. It's designed to fetch and transform web content on demand.

Related MCP server: Fetch MCP Server

Getting started

  1. Clone the repository

  2. Install dependencies: npm install

  3. Build the server: npm run build

Usage

To use the server, you can run it directly:

npm start

This will start the Fetch MCP Server running on stdio.

Usage with Desktop App

To integrate this server with a desktop app, add the following to your app's server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "fetch": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "{ABSOLUTE PATH TO FILE HERE}/dist/index.js"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Features

  • Fetches web content using modern fetch API

  • Supports custom headers for requests

  • Provides content in multiple formats: HTML, JSON, plain text, and Markdown

  • Uses JSDOM for HTML parsing and text extraction

  • Uses TurndownService for HTML to Markdown conversion

Development

  • Run npm run dev to start the TypeScript compiler in watch mode

  • Use npm test to run the test suite

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

Available Tools

4 tools
fetch_htmlC

Fetch a website and return the content as HTML

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
urlYesURL of the website to fetch
headersNoOptional headers to include in the request

TDQS

C2.9/5.0
Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description carries full burden but offers minimal behavioral context. It states the basic operation but doesn't disclose important traits like error handling, timeout behavior, authentication needs, rate limits, or what happens with invalid URLs. For a network tool with zero annotation coverage, this is insufficient.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single, efficient sentence that communicates the core functionality without unnecessary words. It's appropriately sized and front-loaded with the essential information.

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?

For a network fetch tool with no annotations and no output schema, the description is inadequate. It doesn't explain what gets returned beyond 'HTML' (structure, errors, status codes), doesn't mention network behavior, and provides no guidance on usage versus siblings. The complexity warrants more complete documentation.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents both parameters (url and headers). The description doesn't add any parameter-specific information beyond what's in the schema. Baseline 3 is appropriate when the schema does the heavy lifting.

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 action ('fetch') and resource ('a website'), specifying the return format ('content as HTML'). It distinguishes from sibling tools by mentioning HTML output, but doesn't explicitly contrast with fetch_json, fetch_markdown, or fetch_txt beyond format differences.

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 the sibling tools (fetch_json, fetch_markdown, fetch_txt). The description implies it's for fetching websites, but doesn't specify scenarios where HTML output is preferred over JSON, Markdown, or plain text alternatives.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

fetch_jsonC

Fetch a JSON file from a URL

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
urlYesURL of the JSON to fetch
headersNoOptional headers to include in the request

TDQS

C2.9/5.0
Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. 'Fetch a JSON file from a URL' implies a read operation but doesn't specify error handling, authentication needs, rate limits, or what happens if the URL doesn't return valid JSON. This leaves significant behavioral gaps for an agent.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is extremely concise at just one sentence with zero wasted words. It's front-loaded with the core purpose and appropriately sized for a simple tool, making it easy to parse quickly.

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 lack of annotations and output schema, the description is incomplete for effective tool use. It doesn't explain what the tool returns (parsed JSON object? raw response?), error conditions, or behavioral constraints, leaving the agent with insufficient context for a fetch operation.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The schema description coverage is 100%, with both parameters clearly documented in the schema itself. The description doesn't add any meaningful parameter semantics beyond what's already in the schema, so it meets the baseline for high schema coverage without providing extra value.

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 'Fetch a JSON file from a URL' clearly states the action (fetch) and resource (JSON file from URL), making the purpose immediately understandable. However, it doesn't differentiate from sibling tools like fetch_html or fetch_markdown, which perform similar fetch operations but for different content types.

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?

The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives. There are no explicit instructions about when to choose fetch_json over fetch_html, fetch_markdown, or fetch_txt, nor any context about prerequisites or exclusions for its use.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

fetch_markdownC

Fetch a website and return the content as Markdown

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
urlYesURL of the website to fetch
headersNoOptional headers to include in the request

TDQS

C2.9/5.0
Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It states the tool fetches a website and returns Markdown, but lacks details on error handling, rate limits, authentication needs, or what happens with invalid URLs. For a tool that performs network operations with no annotation coverage, this is a significant gap in transparency.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single, efficient sentence: 'Fetch a website and return the content as Markdown.' It is front-loaded with the core purpose, has zero waste, and is appropriately sized for the tool's complexity.

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 tool's complexity (network fetching with 2 parameters), lack of annotations, and no output schema, the description is incomplete. It doesn't explain return values, error cases, or behavioral traits like timeouts or content conversion limitations. For a tool with no structured safety or output information, the description should provide more context to be fully helpful.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents both parameters (url and headers). The description doesn't add any meaning beyond what the schema provides, such as examples of headers or URL formats. With high schema coverage, the baseline score of 3 is appropriate, as the description doesn't compensate but also doesn't detract.

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's purpose: 'Fetch a website and return the content as Markdown.' It specifies the verb ('fetch'), resource ('website'), and output format ('Markdown'). However, it doesn't explicitly differentiate from sibling tools like fetch_html, fetch_json, and fetch_txt, which likely fetch websites but return different formats.

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?

The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus its siblings (fetch_html, fetch_json, fetch_txt). It doesn't mention alternatives, exclusions, or specific contexts for preferring Markdown output over other formats. Usage is implied based on the need for Markdown, but no explicit guidelines are given.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

fetch_txtA

Fetch a website, return the content as plain text (no HTML)

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
urlYesURL of the website to fetch
headersNoOptional headers to include in the request

TDQS

A3.9/5.0
Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It mentions the action ('fetch') and output format, but lacks details on error handling, rate limits, authentication needs, timeouts, or what happens with non-text content. For a tool that performs network requests with no annotation coverage, this is a significant gap.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single, efficient sentence that is front-loaded with the core purpose. Every word earns its place by specifying the action, resource, and output format without redundancy or unnecessary details.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the tool's moderate complexity (network fetch with 2 parameters), no annotations, and no output schema, the description is incomplete. It covers purpose and usage but lacks behavioral details like error handling or output structure. It meets minimal viability but has clear gaps for a tool with no structured support.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents both parameters (url and headers). The description does not add any meaning beyond what the schema provides, such as examples or constraints on URL formats or header usage. Baseline 3 is appropriate when the schema does the heavy lifting.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the specific action ('fetch a website') and the resource ('website'), and distinguishes it from siblings by specifying the output format ('plain text (no HTML)'). This directly contrasts with fetch_html, fetch_json, and fetch_markdown, making the purpose unambiguous.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description explicitly states when to use this tool by specifying the output format ('plain text (no HTML)'), which inherently indicates when not to use it (e.g., when HTML, JSON, or Markdown is needed). This provides clear alternatives by naming the sibling tools implicitly through their output formats.

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.

  1. 4 tool updates
    • First observedfetch_html
    • First observedfetch_json
    • First observedfetch_markdown
    • First observedfetch_txt

TDQS

A3.6/5.0

Scored across 4 tools

Disambiguation5/5

Each tool has a clearly distinct purpose: fetch_html returns HTML, fetch_json fetches JSON files, fetch_markdown converts to Markdown, and fetch_txt provides plain text. There is no overlap in functionality, making tool selection straightforward for an agent.

Naming Consistency5/5

All tool names follow a consistent verb_noun pattern with 'fetch_' as the prefix, followed by the content type (html, json, markdown, txt). This predictable naming scheme enhances readability and usability.

Tool Count5/5

With 4 tools, the server is well-scoped for fetching different content types from URLs. Each tool earns its place by covering a specific format, avoiding bloat while providing comprehensive coverage for the domain.

Completeness5/5

The tool set offers complete coverage for fetching content in various formats (HTML, JSON, Markdown, plain text), with no obvious gaps. Agents can handle a wide range of fetching tasks without encountering dead ends.

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