@leindex/mcp

LeIndex MCP Server - Auto-installing binary wrapper

A lightweight npm package that automatically downloads and configures LeIndex for use as an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server in AI coding tools.

What is This?

This package provides the leanest LeIndex distribution:

• ✅ MCP server functionality (stdio mode)
• ✅ Auto-downloads LeIndex binary on install
• ✅ Works with Cursor, Claude Code, Zed, VS Code, and other MCP clients
• ❌ No dashboard
• ❌ No HTTP server (leindex serve)
• ❌ No CLI tools (leindex search, leindex index, etc.)

Use this if: You want LeIndex as an MCP server in your AI coding tool, managed entirely through npm.

Don't use this if: You need the full LeIndex CLI, dashboard, or HTTP server.

Installation

As an MCP Server (recommended)

Add to your MCP configuration in your AI tool:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "leindex": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@leindex/mcp"]
    }
  }
}

The binary will be automatically downloaded on first use.

As a Project Dependency

npm install --save-dev @leindex/mcp
# or
yarn add --dev @leindex/mcp
# or
pnpm add --save-dev @leindex/mcp

MCP Configuration Examples

Cursor IDE

Add to Cursor settings (~/.cursor/mcp.json or Settings → MCP):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "leindex": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@leindex/mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

Add to ~/.config/claude-code/mcp_servers.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "leindex": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@leindex/mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Zed IDE

Add to ~/.config/zed/settings.json:

{
  "context_servers": {
    "leindex": {
      "command": {
        "path": "npx",
        "args": ["@leindex/mcp"]
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code (with MCP extension)

Add to .vscode/settings.json:

{
  "mcp.mcpServers": {
    "leindex": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@leindex/mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop

Add to Claude Desktop config:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
• Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "leindex": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@leindex/mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Comparison: NPM Package vs Full Installation

| Feature | @leindex/mcp (npm) | cargo install leindex (full) | |---------|---------------------|-------------------------------| | MCP Server | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | | Auto-install | ✅ Downloads on npm install | ❌ Manual install | | Dashboard | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (leindex dashboard) | | HTTP Server | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (leindex serve) | | CLI Tools | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (leindex search, index, etc.) | | Binary Size | ~32MB (single binary with all features) | ~32MB (single binary with all features) | | Update Method | npm update | cargo install leindex | | Best For | AI tool integration | Full development workflow |

When to Use NPM Package

• You're using LeIndex exclusively through an MCP client (Cursor, Claude Code, etc.)
• You want automatic updates through npm
• You don't need the CLI, dashboard, or HTTP server
• You want the leanest installation

When to Use Full Installation

• You use LeIndex CLI tools directly
• You need the dashboard for project metrics
• You want to run the HTTP server for remote access
• You prefer cargo/rust ecosystem for management

How It Works

1. On npm install: The postinstall script downloads the appropriate LeIndex binary for your platform (macOS/Linux/Windows, x64/arm64)
2. Binary Storage: Downloaded to node_modules/@leindex/mcp/bin/
3. MCP Mode: When called via npx @leindex/mcp, launches LeIndex in MCP stdio mode
4. Updates: By default the installer resolves the GitHub latest release and verifies the downloaded binary against SHA256SUMS

To pin a specific binary release instead of latest:

LEINDEX_BINARY_VERSION=1.5.2 npm install @leindex/mcp

Requirements

• Node.js: >= 16.0.0
• Platforms: macOS, Linux, Windows
• Architectures: x64, arm64

Environment Variables

| Variable | Description | Default | |----------|-------------|---------| | LEINDEX_HOME | Storage directory for indexes | ~/.leindex |

Note: Unlike the full installation, this package does not use LEINDEX_PORT (no HTTP server).

Troubleshooting

Binary Not Found

# Re-run install script
npm install

# Or manually download
cargo install leindex

Permission Denied (Linux/macOS)

chmod +x node_modules/@leindex/mcp/bin/leindex

Platform Not Supported

The npm package supports:

• macOS (x64, arm64)
• Linux (x64, arm64)
• Windows (x64, arm64)

For other platforms, install via cargo:

cargo install leindex

Available MCP Tools

Once configured, your AI tool can use these LeIndex tools:

| Tool | Purpose | |------|---------| | leindex_index | Index a project | | leindex_search | Semantic code search | | leindex_deep_analyze | Deep analysis with PDG | | leindex_context | Expand context around symbol | | leindex_file_summary | Structural file analysis | | leindex_symbol_lookup | Symbol definition lookup | | leindex_grep_symbols | Symbol search | | leindex_edit_preview | Preview edits | | leindex_edit_apply | Apply code edits | | leindex_rename_symbol | Rename symbols | | leindex_impact_analysis | Blast radius analysis | | leindex_diagnostics | Health check |

License

MIT - See LICENSE

Links

• GitHub Repository
• Full Documentation
• MCP Documentation