Kentucky Code vs PDFGate MCP Server
A side-by-side look at the Kentucky Code and PDFGate MCP Server MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Kentucky Code for legal work as a local process; choose PDFGate MCP Server for legal as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Kentucky Code when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Legal domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
- You want tools like
ky_statute, ky_search.
Choose PDFGate MCP Server when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Legal domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
PDFGATE_API_KEY. - You want tools like
generate_pdf, upload_file, get_document.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Legal | Legal |
| Quality signal | 61/100 · Good | 61/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | No auth required | API key required |
| Pricing | Free | BYOK (pay the provider) |
| Required env vars | None listed | PDFGATE_API_KEY |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 0 | 0 |
| Directory activity | 2 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 5 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 2 | 24 |
| Full listing | View Kentucky Code | View PDFGate MCP Server |
Tools & capabilities
Kentucky Code tools 2
ky_statuteGet the FULL TEXT of a section of the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) — Kentucky state law — by citation. "507.020" is murder; "383.580" is the landlord security-deposit statute. Accepts natural forms: "507.020", "KRS 507.020", "§ 507.020". Returns the current statutory text, the catchline, the "Effective:" date, and the legislative "History:" (the Acts that enacted and amended it). Kentucky publishes the CURRENT text only — a prior (pre-amendment) version's text is not available online, only its existence; this tool says so rather than guessing. Keyless. Use for "what does KRS 507.020 say" or to check a Kentucky statute a case or contract relies on.ky_searchSearch the Kentucky Revised Statutes BY TOPIC or keyword rather than citation — "security deposit", "concealed carry", "DUI per se limit", "homicide". Real full-text search over the statutory body text, not just catchlines: a query like "landlord" surfaces KRS 383.580 ("Security deposits") even though that catchline contains neither word. Returns matching citations and catchlines; call ky_statute with a citation for the full text. Keyless.
PDFGate MCP Server tools 24
generate_pdfGenerate a PDF from a URL or raw HTML. Provide either 'url' or 'html', not both.upload_fileUpload a PDF to PDFGate so it can be referenced by other operations. Provide either 'filePath' (local path) or 'url'.get_documentRetrieve metadata for a stored PDFGate document by its ID.delete_documentDelete a PDFGate document.flatten_pdfFlatten an interactive PDF into a static, non-editable PDF. Creates a new document; does not overwrite the original.extract_form_dataExtract form field values from a fillable PDF. Returns a JSON object mapping field names to their values.add_form_fieldsAdd interactive form fields to a stored PDF — from placeholder tags (refined via fieldOverrides) and/or explicitly positioned fields.compress_pdfCompress/optimise a PDF to reduce file size without changing visual content.protect_pdfEncrypt a PDF with a password and optional permission restrictions. Produces a new document; the original is unchanged.watermark_pdfApply a text or image watermark to a PDF. For type='text' provide 'text'; for type='image' provide 'watermarkImagePath'.download_fileDownload the raw PDF bytes of a stored document, returned as an embedded resource. For a shareable link instead, use get_document.create_envelopeCreate a signing envelope from one or more existing PDFGate documents. Each recipient is given either as email and name or as the recipientId of a stored recipient. Recipients marked embedded sign inside your application via create_embed_link and receive no emails. Use signingOrder to make recipients sign in sequence. Returns an envelope in 'created' status; call send_envelope to dispatch signing emails.- +12 more on the listing page
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.
Kentucky Code
{
"mcpServers": {
"kentucky-code": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@pipeworx/mcp-kentucky-code"
]
}
}
}
PDFGate MCP Server
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-server-37": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@pdfgate/mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"PDFGATE_API_KEY": "YOUR_PDFGATE_API_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Kentucky Code is categorized under Legal and uses a local stdio subprocess. PDFGate MCP Server belongs to Legal and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Kentucky Code for legal work and PDFGate MCP Server for legal.
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.
Kentucky Code is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. PDFGate MCP Server is bring-your-own-key: usage is billed by the API provider you supply a key for. Auth: api key required. 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 kentucky-code and mcp-server-37 as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Kentucky Code has a quality signal of 61/100 (Good) with 2 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars. PDFGate MCP Server has 61/100 (Good) with 5 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.