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arena-mcp

arena-mcp

by vortep-dev
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
TypeScript
Remote

arena-mcp

An MCP server for Are.na — visual search for design references (curated channels, image blocks, authors) right from Claude Code.

Built on the Are.na v2 API (https://api.are.na/v2): v3 flags search as Premium Only, while v2 offers free search and public content without a token.

Tools

Tool

What it does

arena_search

Search: type = all / channels / blocks / users

arena_channel

Channel metadata by slug or id (+ description)

arena_channel_contents

Blocks inside a channel (the images themselves, paginated)

arena_block

Details of a single block + channels it was added to

arena_user_channels

Channels of a specific author

Every result is a compact object with image (image URL) and arenaUrl (link to are.na) — handy for collecting references.

Related MCP server: pinterest-vision-mcp

Token (optional, but recommended)

Public content is readable without a token. ARENA_TOKEN (a personal access token from https://www.are.na/developers/personal-access-tokens) unlocks private channels, block/user search (a WAF blocks it without a token), and higher rate limits.

Installation

pnpm install && pnpm build
claude mcp add arena --scope user \
  --env ARENA_TOKEN=<your-token> \
  -- node /absolute/path/arena-mcp/dist/index.js

Check: claude mcp get arena → Status: ✔ Connected.

Development

  • pnpm build — compile to dist/

  • pnpm typecheck — type checking

  • API client — src/arena.ts, MCP wrapper — src/index.ts

Fresh-package gate (supply-chain) — via ~/.npmrc (minimum-release-age), install with pnpm only.

License

MIT © Alex Vortep

Available Tools

5 tools
arena_blockAre.na blockA

Details of a single block (image/link/text) by id, plus the channels it was added to.

Inputs: id (required).

arena_channelAre.na channelB

Channel metadata (reference collections) by slug or id, including the description.

Inputs: id (required).

arena_channel_contentsAre.na channel contentsA

Blocks inside a channel (the references themselves, with image URLs). Paginated. Use after arena_search to expand a collection you found.

Inputs: id (required), per, page.

arena_searchSearch Are.naB

Search Are.na (visual references: channels, image blocks, users). Returns compact objects with an image URL and an are.na link. Works without a token.

Inputs: query (required), per, page, type.

arena_user_channelsAre.na user channelsB

List a specific author's channels by slug or id — to dig through their collections.

Inputs: id (required), per, page.

Tool Schema Changelog

Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Loading tool schema changelog…

    Deploy Server
    One endpoint for every MCP toolRayrun runs every MCP server behind one URL and holds the credentials. Each call is decided per client, tool, and argument, then recorded.ray.runAd

    TDQS

    A3.7/5.0

    Scored across 5 tools

    Disambiguation5/5

    Each tool targets a distinct resource: search results, channel metadata, channel contents, individual blocks, and a user's channels. There is no meaningful overlap, and the intended workflow (search -> channel -> contents -> block) is clear.

    Naming Consistency5/5

    All tool names follow the same arena_ + noun pattern with snake_case and the server prefix applied uniformly. Even though search is more action-like, the overall naming is predictable and easy to extrapolate.

    Tool Count5/5

    Five tools is a well-scoped set for a read-only Are.na browsing server. Each tool covers a distinct primary object or action, and the count is neither bloated nor too thin for the apparent purpose.

    Completeness4/5

    The set covers the core read-only workflows: search, inspect channels, page through contents, view block details, and list a user's channels. Minor gaps exist, such as direct user profile metadata or broader discovery feeds, but they do not break the main usage flow.

    Maintenance

    ActivityInactive
    ResponsivenessOutdated data

    Resources

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