Slack MCP Server vs Discourse MCP
A side-by-side look at the Slack MCP Server and Discourse MCP MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Slack MCP Server for communication work as a local process; choose Discourse MCP for communication as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Slack MCP Server when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Communication domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
SLACK_USER_TOKEN, SLACK_BOT_TOKEN, SLACK_WORKSPACE_URL. - You want tools like
channel_id, lookback_hours, limit.
Choose Discourse MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Communication domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You want tools like
discourse_select_site, discourse_search, discourse_filter_topics.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Communication | Communication |
| Quality signal | 49/100 · Fair | 87/100 · Excellent |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | API key required |
| Pricing | Not declared | Free |
| Required env vars | SLACK_USER_TOKENSLACK_BOT_TOKENSLACK_WORKSPACE_URL | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Verified |
| GitHub stars | 1 | 77 |
| Directory activity | 4 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 5 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 9 | 16 |
| Full listing | View Slack MCP Server | View Discourse MCP |
Tools & capabilities
Slack MCP Server tools 9
channel_idSlack channel ID (e.g., `C1234567890`)lookback_hoursHours to look back from nowlimitMax messages to retrieve (max: 1000)thread_tsThread timestamp (the `ts` field of the parent message)user_idSlack user ID (e.g., `U1234567`)typesComma-separated channel typesquerySearch termscountNumber of results (max: 100)message_tsMessage timestamp
Discourse MCP tools 16
discourse_select_siteValidate and select a Discourse site. Returns JSON with site URL and title.discourse_searchSearch site content. Returns JSON object with results array of matching topics (id, slug, title) and meta (total, has_more).discourse_filter_topicsDiscover topics through a filtered, top, or hot view. Filtered uses Discourse TopicsFilter syntax; top uses Discourse's authoritative top score and defaults to weekly; hot is defined exactly as daily top (not sentiment, controversy, or real-time velocity). Returns a uniform rich topic projection and truthful pagination metadata.discourse_read_topicRead topic metadata and posts. Large post limits can require multiple upstream requests. For moderation queues, prefer reviewable list/detail evidence instead of fanning this tool out across flagged topics.discourse_read_postRead a specific post. Returns JSON with id, topic_id, post_number, username, created_at, and raw content.discourse_read_topic_postsRead exact, earliest, latest, around-post, or username-filtered topic evidence. Selection is bounded to 50 posts and reports the visible stream size without claiming the entire topic was loaded.discourse_search_postsSearch post-level evidence with Discourse query syntax. Unlike discourse_search, this preserves matched posts, highlighted blurbs, authors, topics, categories, and truthful bounded continuation. This is keyword search, not Discourse AI semantic search.discourse_get_userGet user info. Returns JSON with id, username, name, trust_level, created_at, bio, admin, and moderator.discourse_list_user_postsGet paginated list of user posts/replies. Returns JSON object with posts array (id, topic_id, post_number, slug, title, created_at, excerpt, category_id) and meta (page, limit, has_more).discourse_list_usersList users via admin API. Requires admin API key. Returns ~100 users per page (Discourse's fixed page size). Returns JSON with users array and pagination meta.discourse_get_chat_messagesGet messages from a chat channel. Returns JSON object with channel_id, messages array (id, username, created_at, message, edited, thread_id, in_reply_to_id), and meta.discourse_get_draftRetrieve a specific draft by key. Returns JSON with draft_key, sequence, and parsed data (title, reply, categoryId, tags, action).- +4 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.
Slack MCP Server
{
"mcpServers": {
"slack-mcp-server": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"slack-mcp-server-v2"
],
"env": {
"SLACK_USER_TOKEN": "YOUR_SLACK_USER_TOKEN_HERE",
"SLACK_BOT_TOKEN": "YOUR_SLACK_BOT_TOKEN_HERE",
"SLACK_WORKSPACE_URL": "YOUR_SLACK_WORKSPACE_URL_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Discourse MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"discourse-discourse-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@discourse/mcp@latest"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Slack MCP Server is categorized under Communication and uses a local stdio subprocess. Discourse MCP belongs to Communication and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Slack MCP Server for communication work and Discourse MCP for communication.
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.
Slack MCP Server has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. Discourse MCP is listed as free. 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 slack-mcp-server and discourse-discourse-mcp as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Slack MCP Server has a quality signal of 49/100 (Fair) with 4 views, 0 installs and 1 GitHub stars. Discourse MCP has 87/100 (Excellent) with 5 views, 0 installs and 77 GitHub stars.