install-image-search-mcp

Install Image Search MCP

Repository: https://github.com/Serbyte-Development/image-search-mcp

Goal

Install the MCP server locally, configure provider API keys, add it to the user's MCP client, and verify that the tools are available.

Instructions

1. Determine the user's operating system and MCP client from context or local inspection when possible. Ask only if it cannot be determined.

2. Prefer a packaged install instead of cloning the repository:

   brew install Serbyte-Development/tap/image-search-mcp
   

   If Homebrew is unavailable or the formula has not been published yet, use:

   pipx install --backend pip git+https://github.com/Serbyte-Development/image-search-mcp.git
   

   Fall back to cloning + a virtual environment only if neither packaged path is available.

3. Ask the user for whichever provider API keys they want to use. At least one provider must be configured:

   • PEXELS_API_KEY
   • UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY
   • PIXABAY_API_KEY

   Never print, commit, or expose secret values.

4. Configure the user's MCP client to launch the installed image-search-mcp command and pass the provider keys as environment variables.

   Example configuration shape:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "image-search": {
         "command": "image-search-mcp",
         "env": {
           "PEXELS_API_KEY": "...",
           "UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY": "...",
           "PIXABAY_API_KEY": "..."
         }
       }
     }
   }
   

   Only include keys the user actually configured. If the client requires a remote MCP endpoint instead of stdio, help the user deploy their own copy to Vercel, configure the provider keys as Vercel environment variables, and connect to https://<project>.vercel.app/mcp. Do not use the maintainer's deployment. Verify the endpoint after deployment; if host validation returns HTTP 421, expose Vercel system environment variables or set IMAGE_SEARCH_MCP_ALLOWED_HOSTS to the deployment host.