Perplexity API Platform MCP Server
The official MCP server implementation for the Perplexity API Platform, providing AI assistants with real-time web search, reasoning, and research capabilities through Sonar models and the Search API.
Available Tools
perplexity_search
Direct web search using the Perplexity Search API. Returns ranked search results with metadata, perfect for finding current information.
perplexity_ask
General-purpose conversational AI with real-time web search using the sonar-pro model. Great for quick questions and everyday searches.
perplexity_research
Deep, comprehensive research using the sonar-deep-research model. Ideal for thorough analysis and detailed reports.
perplexity_reason
Advanced reasoning and problem-solving using the sonar-reasoning-pro model. Perfect for complex analytical tasks.
[!TIP]
Available as an optional parameter for perplexity_reason and perplexity_research: strip_thinking
Set to true to remove <think>...</think> tags from the response, saving context tokens. Default: false
Configuration
Get Your API Key
- Get your Perplexity API Key from the API Portal
- Replace
your_key_here in the configurations below with your API key
- (Optional) Set timeout:
PERPLEXITY_TIMEOUT_MS=600000 (default: 5 minutes)
- (Optional) Set custom base URL:
PERPLEXITY_BASE_URL=https://your-custom-url.com (default: https://api.perplexity.ai)
- (Optional) Set log level:
PERPLEXITY_LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG|INFO|WARN|ERROR (default: ERROR)
Claude Code
claude mcp add perplexity --env PERPLEXITY_API_KEY="your_key_here" -- npx -y @perplexity-ai/mcp-server
Or install via plugin:
export PERPLEXITY_API_KEY="your_key_here"
claude
# Then run: /plugin marketplace add perplexityai/modelcontextprotocol
# Then run: /plugin install perplexity
Codex
codex mcp add perplexity --env PERPLEXITY_API_KEY="your_key_here" -- npx -y @perplexity-ai/mcp-server
Cursor, Claude Desktop, Kiro, Windsurf, and VS Code
Most clients can be configured manually using the same mcpServers wrapper in their client config (as shown for Cursor). If a client has a different schema, check its docs for the exact wrapper format.
For manual setup, these clients all use the same mcpServers structure: