# index-server [Health: Active]

**Category:** 💻 Developer Tools  
**Repository:** https://github.com/jagilber-org/index-server  
**GitHub Stars:** 0  
**npm Downloads (last month):** 205  
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**Installs:** 0  
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**Directory Page:** https://allmcps.com/mcp/index-server

## Description
MCP instruction indexing server for AI assistant governance: search, CRUD, validation, usage.

## Claude Desktop Quick Installation
Install path detected from listing signals. Uses `npx` (confidence: high):

```json
"mcpServers": {
  "index-server": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y","@jagilber-org/index-server@latest"]
  }
}
```

## Documentation

## What index-server does

The index-server MCP server provides AI agents with a persistent catalog of instructions and reusable knowledge. Agents can search and read entries, contribute new content, modify or remove existing records, and validate material before it is used. The catalog is intended to support governance across sessions and repositories rather than keeping guidance only in a single chat or project.

Entries can carry version history and audit information, and the server supports approval workflows. Repository-specific knowledge can be promoted into the shared catalog with `promote_from_repo`.

An optional administrative dashboard exposes catalog health, usage analytics, and drift detection. It can run over HTTP or HTTPS, including with a generated self-signed certificate.

## How it works

Agents connect through the Model Context Protocol. A typical workflow searches first with `index_search`, then retrieves a selected instruction using `index_dispatch` with `action="get"`. Reusable knowledge can be added with `index_add`, or promoted from a repository with `promote_from_repo` after local validation.

The server stores its data in a configured instruction directory. Set `INDEX_SERVER_DIR` to a stable location outside editor and MCP configuration paths so the catalog can be backed up independently. Searches use normal indexing by default. Setting `INDEX_SERVER_SEMANTIC_ENABLED` to `1` enables embedding-based similarity search; the first search downloads an approximately 90 MB model, after which searches use semantic mode automatically.

MCP clients can also discover read-only prompts and resources for setup, configuration, and verification. The available prompts are `setup_index_server`, `configure_index_server`, and `verify_index_server`. Guide resources include quickstart, client configuration, and verification documentation.

## Setup and configuration

Node.js 22 or newer is required for the npx and source installation methods. The quickest setup uses the published package:

```bash
npx -y @jagilber-org/index-server@latest --setup
```

The setup wizard can generate configuration for supported clients. To start the server with the dashboard, use `--dashboard`. Docker Compose is also available, with HTTP on port 8787 and a TLS profile that creates self-signed certificates. Source installation requires cloning the repository, running `npm install`, and building with `npm run build`.

The dashboard can create certificates with `--init-cert`, but `openssl` must be available on `PATH`. The README provides VS Code, Copilot CLI, and Claude Desktop configuration examples using stdio transport. The index-server MCP server can also be configured manually in an MCP client configuration file.

## Tools and capabilities

The documented tool surface includes:

- `index_search` for finding relevant indexed guidance
- `index_dispatch` for retrieving an instruction by ID and dispatching actions
- `index_add` for contributing knowledge
- `promote_from_repo` for promoting repository content
- CRUD and validation operations exposed through the broader MCP tool set
- Prompts and resources for setup, configuration, and verification

## Limitations and notes

Semantic search is optional and downloads a model on first use. HTTPS certificate generation requires an external `openssl` executable. The dashboard's generated certificates are self-signed, so deployment security and trust configuration require additional consideration.

The server requires Node.js 22 or newer for npx and source-based installation. GitHub Packages installation requires authentication with a suitable `GITHUB_TOKEN`, while the public npx path is presented as the recommended local option. The index-server MCP server should be treated as a governed snapshot catalog: agents should prefer current repository files over indexed content when both exist.

_Full upstream README: https://allmcps.com/mcp/index-server/readme_