Installation & Setup

Get the ActivityPub MCP Server up and running in your environment. This guide covers installation, configuration, and initial setup.

Prerequisites

Node.js 18+

The server requires Node.js version 18 or higher.

Download Node.js

Claude Desktop (Optional)

For the best experience, install Claude Desktop for seamless AI integration.

Download Claude

MCP Inspector (Optional)

Useful for testing and debugging MCP connections.

npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/inspector

Quick Installation

The fastest way to get started is using npx:

Install and Configure

npx activitypub-mcp install

This command will:

Install the latest version of the server
Detect your MCP client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, etc.)
Automatically configure the client
Verify the installation

Manual Configuration

If you prefer manual setup, add this to your Claude Desktop configuration:

{`{
  "mcpServers": {
    "activitypub": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "activitypub-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "LOG_LEVEL": "info"
      }
    }
  }
}`}

⚙️ Configuration Options

Customize the server behavior with environment variables:

Variable	Default	Description
`LOG_LEVEL`	`info`	Logging level: debug, info, warning, error, fatal
`USER_AGENT`	`ActivityPub-MCP-Server/1.0`	Custom User-Agent for HTTP requests
`REQUEST_TIMEOUT`	`30000`	HTTP request timeout in milliseconds
`CACHE_TTL`	`300`	Cache time-to-live in seconds

Verification

Verify your installation is working correctly:

Step 1: Test MCP Connection

Use the MCP Inspector to test the connection:

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector

Connect to: npx activitypub-mcp

Step 2: Test Basic Functionality

Try discovering a fediverse actor:

# In MCP Inspector or Claude Desktop
discover-actor @mastodon@mastodon.social

Step 3: Check Server Info

Verify the server is providing information:

# Request the server-info resource
activitypub://server-info

Advanced Setup

Development Setup

For development or local testing:

git clone https://github.com/cameronrye/activitypub-mcp.git
cd activitypub-mcp
npm install
npm run build
npm run mcp

Docker Setup

Run the server in a container:

docker run -p 8080:8080 \
  -e LOG_LEVEL=debug \
  activitypub-mcp

Custom Installation Path

Install to a specific location:

npm install -g activitypub-mcp
activitypub-mcp

Next Steps

Claude Desktop Integration

Set up seamless integration with Claude Desktop for the best AI experience.

Basic Usage Guide

Learn the essential commands and workflows for everyday use.

Practical Examples

See real-world examples and use cases to get you started.