Inkdrop MCP

How to Install and Use Inkdrop MCP

Inkdrop MCP is a Model Context Protocol server that works with the Inkdrop Local HTTP Server API. It helps you access and manage your notes and notebooks easily. Here’s a simple guide to get you started with installing and using Inkdrop MCP.

Step 1: Set Up a Local HTTP Server

First, you need to set up a local HTTP server for Inkdrop. This server will allow Inkdrop MCP to communicate with your local note data. Follow the official Inkdrop guide on setting up a local HTTP server, which ensures that everything is connected correctly.

Step 2: Add Server Config to Claude Desktop

Once your local HTTP server is ready, you need to configure Claude Desktop to recognize and use Inkdrop MCP. Depending on your operating system, find and edit the configuration file where MCP servers are listed:

• On MacOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• On Windows: %APPDATA%Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Next, add this JSON snippet to the configuration file. It tells Claude Desktop how to start the Inkdrop MCP server using Node.js (npx):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "inkdrop": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@inkdropapp/mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "INKDROP_LOCAL_SERVER_URL": "http://localhost:19840",
        "INKDROP_LOCAL_USERNAME": "your-local-server-username",
        "INKDROP_LOCAL_PASSWORD": "your-local-server-password"
      }
    }
  }
}

Make sure to replace "your-local-server-username" and "your-local-server-password" with your actual local server credentials.

Step 3: Install Inkdrop MCP Server

Inkdrop MCP runs with Node.js and can be installed using npx, which is part of Node.js. You don’t need to install anything globally. The command you added in the config (npx -y @inkdropapp/mcp-server) makes sure the server runs directly.

If you want to install it manually on your machine, open your terminal or command prompt and run:

npx -y @inkdropapp/mcp-server

This will start the MCP server and connect it to your local Inkdrop data as configured.

Step 4: Use Inkdrop MCP Tools

Inkdrop MCP provides several useful tools to manage your notes and notebooks. Here are some common ones:

• To read a note by its ID:

  {
    "tool": "read-note",
    "inputs": {
      "noteId": "note:1234567890abcdef"
    }
  }
  

• To search notes using keywords:

  {
    "tool": "search-notes",
    "inputs": {
      "keyword": "meeting"
    }
  }
  

• To list notes in a notebook, filtered by tags or keywords:

  {
    "tool": "list-notes",
    "inputs": {
      "bookId": "book:abcdef1234567890",
      "tagIds": ["tag:urgent"],
      "keyword": "project",
      "sort": "updatedAt",
      "descending": true
    }
  }
  

• To create a new note:

  {
    "tool": "create-note",
    "inputs": {
      "bookId": "book:abcdef1234567890",
      "title": "New Note Title",
      "body": "# Heading\nNote content in Markdown."
    }
  }
  

These examples show how to interact with the server using JSON objects that specify the tool you want to use and the information it needs.

Step 5: Debugging and Logs

If you want to debug Inkdrop MCP, it’s best to use the MCP Inspector tool:

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector "./dist/index.js"

Make sure the environment variables are set before running this.

Also, you can monitor server logs to see what is happening. For example, on MacOS, use:

tail -n 20 -f ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp-server-inkdrop.log

This command shows the latest 20 log lines and updates in real-time.

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Following these steps will help you install and start using Inkdrop MCP effectively. It makes managing your notes through a protocol simple and straightforward.