Box MCP Server vs Silica Core
A side-by-side look at the Box MCP Server and Silica Core MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Box MCP Server for file systems work as a local process; choose Silica Core for file systems as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Box MCP Server when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the File Systems domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
BOX_USER_ID, BOX_JWT_BASE64, BOX_JWT_CONFIG_PATH, BOX_JWT, BOX_DEV_TOKEN.
Choose Silica Core when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the File Systems domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You want tools like
silica_files, silica_search, silica_read.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | File Systems | File Systems |
| Quality signal | 40/100 · Fair | 55/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | API key required | Not declared |
| Pricing | BYOK (pay the provider) | Not declared |
| Required env vars | BOX_USER_IDBOX_JWT_BASE64BOX_JWT_CONFIG_PATHBOX_JWTBOX_DEV_TOKEN | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 11 | 68 |
| Directory activity | 3 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | Not listed | 5 |
| Full listing | View Box MCP Server | View Silica Core |
Tools & capabilities
Box MCP Server tools
No tool names declared yet. Check the project README from the listing page.
Silica Core tools 5
silica_filesthe inventory and what the index did with each file: `indexed`, `changed`, `excluded`, `failed`, `unconvertedsilica_searchranked passages: path, section, line, BM25, matched terms, `coverage`, and the query terms absent from the corpussilica_reada slice by lines or by heading (a page, in a PDF), the outline, and a `version` to carry forwardsilica_code_packan AST context pack for one source file inside a character budgetsilica_write_noteone atomic write, linted for structure and unresolved wikilinks
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Box MCP Server
{
"mcpServers": {
"hmk-box-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"box-mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"BOX_USER_ID": "YOUR_BOX_USER_ID_HERE",
"BOX_JWT_BASE64": "YOUR_BOX_JWT_BASE64_HERE",
"BOX_JWT_CONFIG_PATH": "YOUR_BOX_JWT_CONFIG_PATH_HERE",
"BOX_JWT": "YOUR_BOX_JWT_HERE",
"BOX_DEV_TOKEN": "YOUR_BOX_DEV_TOKEN_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Silica Core
{
"mcpServers": {
"silica-core": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"silica-core"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Box MCP Server is categorized under File Systems and uses a local stdio subprocess. Silica Core belongs to File Systems and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Box MCP Server for file systems work and Silica Core for file systems.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
Box MCP Server is bring-your-own-key: usage is billed by the API provider you supply a key for. Auth: api key required. Silica Core has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add hmk-box-mcp-server and silica-core as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Box MCP Server has a quality signal of 40/100 (Fair) with 3 views, 0 installs and 11 GitHub stars. Silica Core has 55/100 (Good) with 0 views, 0 installs and 68 GitHub stars.