Discourse MCP

Name: Discourse MCP
Author: Discourse

Read, search and, when allowed, post to and administer a Discourse forum over MCP

Official · Discourse TypeScript Local · stdio Communication Productivity

GitHub npm Website

69 popularity score ★ 79 ↓ 26k/wk

Connect your client

Local (npm)

Add in one click

Add to Cursor Add to VS Code Add to LM Studio Add to Goose

Opens the app, which asks before it adds the server.

Or add it by command or config

Claude CodeTerminal

claude mcp add discourse -- npx -y @discourse/mcp@latest

Claude Desktopclaude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "discourse": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@discourse/mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Cursor~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "discourse": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@discourse/mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

VS Code.vscode/mcp.json

{
  "servers": {
    "discourse": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@discourse/mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Codex~/.codex/config.toml

[mcp_servers.discourse]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "@discourse/mcp@latest"]

Gemini CLITerminal

gemini mcp add --scope user discourse npx -- -y @discourse/mcp@latest

What it does

Discourse MCP is the Discourse team's own MCP server for working with Discourse forums. It runs on your machine over stdio (or, with --transport http, as a loopback HTTP endpoint for a single client) and talks to a forum's JSON API. You either pick a forum at runtime with discourse_select_site or pin the server to one with --site.

With no key it reads what an anonymous visitor could: topic search, topic filters (latest, top, hot), whole topics, single posts, user profiles and a user's posts. With an Admin API key or a per-user User API key it also reaches private messages, drafts, chat messages, Data Explorer queries and staff-only listings. Writing is off until you pass --allow_writes; then tools for creating posts, topics, categories, users, uploads, drafts and private messages are registered.

Tools are grouped into toolsets chosen with --toolsets. The default catalog leaves out the administrative domains, which must be picked by name: moderation queue, groups, tag groups, themes, webhooks, site settings, analytics reports, the experimental workflows plugin, and Discourse AI agents, custom tools and features. In v0.3.1 the code registers 141 built-in tools in all (catalog.ts, plus twelve group member and owner tools generated in groups/members.ts), far more than the README's tool list shows; it also lists tools from a forum's own Tool Execution API unless --tools_mode discourse_api_only is set. All tools return JSON only, a breaking change made in 0.2.x.

What it needs

Runtime	Node.js 24+

Node.js 24 or newer (npx). A Discourse forum to point it at: public forums can be read without a key. For private messages, drafts, writes and admin toolsets, an Admin API key (key plus username, made in the forum's admin panel) or a User API key that any member can create with the package's generate-user-api-key command, passed in --auth_pairs or a --profile file. Data Explorer, workflows, AI and analytics toolsets need the matching Discourse plugins enabled on the forum.

Limits

Writes are off by default and are paced to about one request a second. Search returns 10 results by default, up to 50 with max_results; topic reads return 5 posts by default, up to 50; post text is cut at 50,000 characters unless --max-read-length is changed. Local file uploads only work from folders named in --allowed_upload_paths. HTTP mode serves one client session per process and must be restarted after it closes. The workflows toolset targets a plugin its makers call experimental, and workflow runs are not dry runs. Bulk webhook redelivery, bulk site-setting changes and secret settings are deliberately not supported.

Who it suits

Suits forum owners, moderators and community teams who want an assistant to read threads, triage the review queue or run admin tasks on their own Discourse, and anyone who wants read-only access to a public forum without a key. Because it is published by Discourse and covers admin areas, it fits sites that want one maintained server rather than a scraper. Pick something else if you only need a few read tools and cannot run Node 24, or if you cannot keep admin-level keys on the machine running it.

Tools 56 of 141

discourse_select_site: Choose which Discourse forum later calls go to
discourse_search: Search topics on the forum
discourse_search_posts: Search posts, returning matching excerpts
discourse_filter_topics: List topics by filter query, or top and hot lists
discourse_read_topic: Read a topic and a page of its posts
discourse_read_topic_posts: Read chosen posts of a topic: by ID, latest, earliest or around a post
discourse_read_post: Read one post
discourse_get_post_replies: Show the replies to a post
discourse_list_latest_posts: List the newest posts across the site
discourse_get_user: Look up a user's profile
discourse_list_user_posts: List posts by one user
discourse_get_user_summary: Get a user's activity summary
discourse_list_user_actions: List a user's activity timeline
discourse_list_directory_items: Read user directory metrics
discourse_list_users: List users (admin key)
discourse_get_chat_messages: Fetch messages from a chat channel
discourse_get_draft: Read a saved draft
discourse_save_draft: Save a draft (writes)
discourse_delete_draft: Delete a draft (writes)
discourse_create_post: Reply in a topic (writes)
discourse_create_topic: Start a new topic (writes)
discourse_update_topic: Change a topic's title, category or tags (writes)
discourse_create_category: Create a category (writes)
discourse_create_user: Create a user account (writes, admin key)
discourse_update_user: Edit a user's profile (writes)
discourse_upload_file: Upload a file for use in posts (writes)
discourse_list_private_messages: List a personal or group mailbox (key needed)
discourse_read_private_message: Read a private message thread (key needed)
discourse_create_private_message: Send a new private message (writes)
discourse_reply_private_message: Reply in a private message thread (writes)
discourse_invite_to_private_message: Add a person or group to a private message (writes)
discourse_list_categories: List the forum's categories (administration toolset)
discourse_list_groups: List groups (groups toolset)
discourse_list_group_members: List a group's members and owners
discourse_list_group_posts: List posts written by a group's members
discourse_search_tag_groups: Search visible tag groups
discourse_list_tag_groups: List all tag groups (staff)
discourse_get_tag_group: Read one tag group (staff)
discourse_create_tag_group: Create a tag group (writes)
discourse_update_tag_group: Edit a tag group with a state check (writes)
discourse_delete_tag_group: Delete a tag group after confirmations (writes)
discourse_get_review_queue_count: Count pending items in the review queue
discourse_list_reviewables: List review queue items
discourse_list_reviewable_topics: List topics with pending review items
discourse_get_reviewable: Read one review item and its allowed actions
discourse_perform_reviewable_action: Take one moderation action on a review item (writes)
discourse_list_themes: List installed themes and components
discourse_get_theme: Read one theme's details
discourse_get_workflow_execution: Read the result of a workflow run
discourse_ai_list_agents: List Discourse AI agents
discourse_ai_get_agent: Read one AI agent's configuration
discourse_ai_list_custom_tools: List Discourse AI custom tools
discourse_ai_get_custom_tool: Read one AI custom tool
discourse_ai_get_custom_tool_guide: Get the guide for writing AI custom tools
discourse_ai_test_custom_tool: Run an AI custom tool as a test (writes)
discourse_ai_semantic_search: Search posts by meaning with Discourse AI

Popularity

69 popularity score, on our list (the bar is 36)

★ 79 ↓ 26k/wk

GitHub stars	79	22.8 points
Stars in 30 days	+2	2.4 points
npm downloads, last week	26,058	35.3 points
Official server	Yes	8 points

Measured 2026-11-08. How the score works.

Where it is published

Code	discourse/discourse-mcp ★ 79
npm	@discourse/mcp 0.3.1, 2026-08-25

What it can reach

Runs	On your machine
Reaches	The internet, Your account at a service, Sends messages, Files on your machine
Changes things	Yes: it can write, send, create or delete
Sign-in	None
Licence	MIT (npm)
Last code change	2026-11-05

Runs locally and calls only the Discourse sites you select, using the keys you give in --auth_pairs or a profile file. Reading public forums needs no key. With --allow_writes it can post, edit topics, create users and categories, send private messages and upload files; with opt-in toolsets and an admin key it can change site settings, install or edit themes (code that runs for every visitor), manage webhooks, groups and AI agents, and run workflows that may post, send chat messages or call external URLs. Uploads read local files only under --allowed_upload_paths. An Admin API key used with the system username acts as the site's system user. Debug logging records request URLs but not response bodies.

Over time

GitHub stars 79 +2 (+3 %)

7976

8 Oct 20268 Nov 2026

npm downloads a week 26k +26k (+6003 %)

30k139

20 Oct 20258 Nov 2026

Before the site measured it, read from npm's daily download counts.

Popularity score 69 +14 (+25 %)

6955

8 Oct 20268 Nov 2026

What is rising across the directory

Sources

Page checked 2026-10-15.

Badge for your README

Shows this server's rank in its category, and stars for a server that runs on your machine. It updates every hour.

MarkdownREADME.md

[![Discourse MCP on EveryMCPServer](https://everymcpserver.com/badge/discourse-mcp.svg)](https://everymcpserver.com/servers/discourse-mcp)

Connect your client

Add in one click

Or add it by command or config

What it does

What it needs

Limits

Who it suits

Tools 56 of 141

Similar servers

Commonly MCP Server

MCP WordPress

Reddit MCP Server

Microsoft 365 MCP Server

Docling MCP

Box MCP server