Usgs National Map vs Zoo MCP

In-depth architectural comparison of the Usgs National Map and Zoo MCP MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

U

Choose Usgs National Map when:

• You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
• You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
• Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Usgs National Map Details

Choose Zoo MCP when:

• You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
• You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
• Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Zoo MCP Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	U Usgs National Map Developer Tools	Zoo MCP Developer Tools
Summary	USGS The National Map (TNM) Access API MCP	An MCP server that provides access to the Zoo API for various CAD operations and tools.
Category & Scope	Developer Tools	Developer Tools
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "usgs-national-map": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "usgs-national-map"
      ]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zoo-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "zoo-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

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