Google Programmable Search Engine (PSE) MCP Server

What is Google Programmable Search Engine (PSE) MCP Server?

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for the Google Programmable Search Engine (PSE) API. It exposes a search tool that lets MCP-compatible clients (such as VS Code, Copilot, and Claude Desktop) perform web searches using Google Custom Search.

How to use Google Programmable Search Engine (PSE) MCP Server?

No manual cloning or installation is needed. Add the configuration snippet to your MCP client’s settings (e.g., VS Code’s settings.json or Cline’s cline_mcp_settings.json), replacing <api_key> and <cx> with your Google API key and custom search engine ID. An optional <siteRestricted> flag (true/false) controls the endpoint used.

Key features of Google Programmable Search Engine (PSE) MCP Server

• Single search tool with rich parameter support
• Configurable result size (1–10 per page)
• Language and safe search filtering
• Optional site‑restricted API endpoint
• Works with any stdio‑based MCP client

Use cases of Google Programmable Search Engine (PSE) MCP Server

• Perform targeted web searches from within an AI‑powered coding assistant
• Integrate Google Custom Search results into automated research workflows
• Build custom search experiences limited to specific sites (via siteRestricted)

FAQ from Google Programmable Search Engine (PSE) MCP Server

What credentials do I need?

You need a Google API key and a Custom Search Engine ID (cx). Both are available from the Google Cloud Console.

How does the siteRestricted flag work?

It determines whether the server uses the Site‑Restricted API endpoint or the standard Custom Search endpoint. The default value (true) uses the restricted endpoint; set it to false to use the standard endpoint.

What parameters does the search tool accept?

Required: q (query). Optional: page (number), size (1–10), sort (only "date"), safe (boolean), lr (language code), and siteRestricted (boolean).

What runtime does the server require?

The server runs via npx (Node.js package runner). No separate installation steps are needed.

Which transport does it use?

The server communicates over stdio, which is the default transport for MCP servers.