Outline

What is mcp-outline?

mcp-outline is an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server designed to allow AI assistants, such as Claude, to seamlessly interact with Outline documentation services. It acts as a bridge, translating natural language commands into actions within Outline's document management system.

How to use mcp-outline?

It is recommended to run mcp-outline using Docker. First, install and run Docker. Then, build the Docker image using docker buildx build -t mcp-outline .. To integrate with Cursor, add the provided JSON configuration to the "MCP Servers" tab. For development, prerequisites include Python 3.10+ and an Outline account with API access. After cloning the repository, install in development mode (uv pip install -e ".[dev]") and configure by creating a .env file with your Outline API key. The server can be run in development mode with the MCP Inspector (mcp dev src/mcp_outline/server.py) or via a provided script (./start_server.sh).

Key Features of mcp-outline

• Document Search: Search for documents using keywords.
• Collection Management: List collections and view their document structures.
• Document Reading: Read document content and export it as markdown.
• Comment Management: View and add comments on documents.
• Document Creation: Create new documents within existing collections.
• Document Editing: Update document content and move documents between collections.
• Backlink Management: View documents that link to a specific document.

Use Cases of mcp-outline

mcp-outline can be used for various tasks related to Outline documentation through natural language commands:

• Searching for information: "Search for documents containing "project planning""
• Exploring document structure: "Show me all available collections"
• Retrieving document content: "Get the content of document with ID "docId123""
• Creating new content: "Create a new document titled "Research Report" in collection "colId456" with content "# Introduction\n\nThis is a research report...""
• Collaborating on documents: "Add a comment to document "docId123" saying "This looks great, but we should add more details to the methodology section.""
• Organizing documents: "Move document "docId123" to collection "colId789""

FAQ from mcp-outline

Q: What are the prerequisites for running mcp-outline? A: You need Python 3.10+ and an Outline account with API access and an API key.

Q: How can I run mcp-outline? A: The recommended way is using Docker. Alternatively, you can run it in development mode after installing dependencies and configuring the .env file.

Q: Can I integrate mcp-outline with other AI assistants? A: Yes, it is designed to work with AI assistants that support the Model Context Protocol (MCP), such as Claude.

MCP Outline Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server enabling AI assistants to interact with Outline (https://www.getoutline.com)

Overview

This project implements a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants (like Claude) to interact with Outline document services, providing a bridge between natural language interactions and Outline's document management capabilities.

Features

Currently implemented:

• Document Search: Search for documents by keywords
• Collection Management: List collections and view document structure
• Document Reading: Read document content, export as markdown
• Comment Management: View and add comments on documents
• Document Creation: Create new documents in collections
• Document Editing: Update document content and move documents
• Backlink Management: View documents that link to a specific document

Add to Cursor with Docker

We recommend running this python MCP server using Docker to avoid having to install dependencies on your machine.

1. Install and run Docker (or Docker Desktop)
2. Build the Docker image docker buildx build -t mcp-outline .
3. In Cursor, go to the "MCP Servers" tab and click "Add Server"

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "mcp-outline": {
         "command": "docker",
         "args": [
           "run",
           "-i",
           "--rm",
           "--init",
           "-e",
           "DOCKER_CONTAINER=true",
           "-e",
           "OUTLINE_API_KEY",
           "-e",
           "OUTLINE_API_URL",
           "mcp-outline"
         ],
         "env": {
           "OUTLINE_API_KEY": "<YOUR_OUTLINE_API_KEY>",
           "OUTLINE_API_URL": "<YOUR_OUTLINE_API_URL>"
         }
       }
     }
   }
   

   OUTLINE_API_URL is optional, defaulting to https://app.getoutline.com/api

4. Debug the docker image by using MCP inspector and passing the docker image to it:

   npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector docker run -i --rm --init -e DOCKER_CONTAINER=true --env-file .env mcp-outline
   

Development

Prerequisites

• Python 3.10+
• Outline account with API access
• Outline API key (get this from your Outline account settings)

Installation

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/Vortiago/mcp-outline.git
cd mcp-outline

# Install in development mode
uv pip install -e ".[dev]"

Configuration

Create a .env file in the project root with the following variables:

# Outline API Configuration
OUTLINE_API_KEY=your_outline_api_key_here

# For cloud-hosted Outline (default)
# OUTLINE_API_URL=https://app.getoutline.com/api

# For self-hosted Outline
# OUTLINE_API_URL=https://your-outline-instance.example.com/api

Running the Server

# Development mode with the MCP Inspector
mcp dev src/mcp_outline/server.py

# Or use the provided script
./start_server.sh

# Install in Claude Desktop (if available)
mcp install src/mcp_outline/server.py --name "Document Outline Assistant"

When running the MCP Inspector, go to Tools > Click on a tool > it appears on the right side so that you can query it.

Usage Examples

Search for Documents

Search for documents containing "project planning"

List Collections

Show me all available collections

Read a Document

Get the content of document with ID "docId123"

Create a New Document

Create a new document titled "Research Report" in collection "colId456" with content "# Introduction\n\nThis is a research report..."

Add a Comment

Add a comment to document "docId123" saying "This looks great, but we should add more details to the methodology section."

Move a Document

Move document "docId123" to collection "colId789"

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

Development

# Run tests
uv run pytest tests/

# Format code
uv run ruff format .

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Built with MCP Python SDK
• Uses Outline API for document management