Claude Desktop Exa Search get_code_context_exa

Add Exa Search to Claude Desktop

1. 01

   Open ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json and merge this in. Keep any servers already there.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "exa-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "exa-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "EXA_API_KEY": "<EXA_API_KEY>"
      }
    }
  }
}

2. 02

   Save the file and restart Claude Desktop.

3. 03

   Ask for something get_code_context_exa does. Claude Desktop lists the server's tools on connect and calls get_code_context_exa itself — you do not invoke it by name.

4. 04

   If nothing happens, check the server is running and that Exa Search's identifier in your config matches the one above exactly.

Settings → Developer → Edit Config opens this file. Restart the app after saving. Claude Desktop docs

Same tool, other clients

• Claude Code
• Cursor
• VS Code
• Zed
• Windsurf