Quick Configuration
Choose the setup that matches your environment.
Before You Start
- Confirm you have the account, endpoint, or API key required for Exa.
- Start with minimum scopes and read-only access where possible.
- Keep secrets in environment variables instead of hardcoding them in JSON.
Last verified: 2026-06-13
Environment: Node.js 18+, exa-mcp-server over stdio (Exa search API)
Install command:
npx -y exa-mcp-serverLocal config
JSON Local config json
{
"exa": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "exa-mcp-server"],
"env": {
"EXA_API_KEY": "${EXA_API_KEY}"
}
}
}After copying
Check the Exa JSON before running it in OpenClaw, then verify the server with a real prompt.
Verify prompt
Search for "Model Context Protocol specification" and return the top 3 sources with URLs.
Expected success output
You should see ranked results with titles, URLs, and snippets from Exa.
Common Pitfalls & Fixes
- ⚠️ Watch out: Choosing the right search mode and controlling result quality/recency.
- 🔑 Always store API keys in environment variables, never hardcode them in JSON.
- 🛡️ Start with read-only scopes if available to verify connection safely.
Security checklist
- Keep EXA_API_KEY in an environment variable, not in committed JSON.
- Treat returned pages as untrusted web content and verify citations before acting.
Common errors
| Error | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
401 Unauthorized | EXA_API_KEY is missing or invalid. | Create an Exa API key at exa.ai and expose it as EXA_API_KEY before starting OpenClaw. |
Rate limit exceeded | The free quota or current plan limit was reached. | Reduce repeated searches, wait for reset, or upgrade the Exa plan. |
No results | The query was too narrow or used the wrong search mode. | Broaden the query and let Exa choose neural vs keyword search. |
Example Prompts
Once connected, try these prompts to test capabilities:
- Search for the latest MCP best practices and summarize the top 3 sources with links.
- Find an official spec or reference for Model Context Protocol and extract key points.
- Collect 5 credible sources about secure MCP configuration and synthesize recommendations.
Verification Checklist
- Run 1-2 real prompts to confirm Exa returns usable data.
- Check that error messages are clear enough for troubleshooting.
- Document the required scopes, dependencies, and env vars for future reuse.