Discourse MCP Server: Setup for Claude, Cursor and Other Apps

• Finds forum topics that match a search

  Searches a Discourse site and returns matching topics with their titles and links, plus how many results there are. You can use Discourse search syntax, like tags and categories.

  Try: “Search the forum for topics about slow uploads.”

  Network · discourse_search

• Finds the exact posts that match, with snippets

  Searches for individual posts instead of whole topics. Each match keeps its highlighted snippet, author, topic and category. This is keyword search, not AI search.

  Try: “Which posts mention the 2FA bug, and who wrote them?”

  Network · discourse_search_posts

• Lists topics that match filter rules

  Returns topics that match Discourse filter rules, such as a category, a tag or an ordering. Use it when you want a list rather than a text search.

  Try: “Show the newest topics in the support category.”

  Network · discourse_filter_topics

• Reads a topic and its posts

  Returns a topic's details and its posts. Very large post limits can take several requests.

  Try: “Summarize the topic about the new theme.”

  Network · discourse_read_topic

• Reads chosen posts from a long topic

  Reads up to 50 posts from a topic: the earliest, latest, around a given post, or only those by one user. It reports how long the topic is, without claiming it read it all.

  Try: “Read the last 10 replies in topic 4521.”

  Network · discourse_read_topic_posts

• Reads one post

  Returns a single post with its author, time and raw text.

  Try: “Show me post 3 in topic 4521.”

  Network · discourse_read_post

• Lists what a user has posted

  Returns a user's posts and replies page by page, with a short excerpt of each.

  Try: “What has user alice posted recently?”

  Network · discourse_list_user_posts

• Shows a user's profile

  Returns a user's name, trust level, join date and bio, and whether they are an admin or moderator.

  Try: “Who is user alice and what is her trust level?”

  Network · discourse_get_user

• Lists the forum's users (admin key)

  Lists users through the admin API, about 100 per page. It needs an admin API key.

  Try: “List the newest users on the forum.”

  Network · discourse_list_users

• Reads messages from a chat channel

  Returns the messages in a Discourse chat channel with sender, time and thread details.

  Try: “Show the last messages in chat channel 12.”

  Network · discourse_get_chat_messages

• Lists your private message inbox

  Lists personal or group private-message mailboxes. It needs a key for that site, because private messages are never public.

  Try: “List my unread private messages.”

  Network · discourse_list_private_messages

• Reads one private message thread

  Returns a private message with its posts and who is allowed to see it. It refuses public topics.

  Try: “Read private message 987.”

  Network · discourse_read_private_message

• Fetches a saved draft

  Retrieves a draft you saved earlier, by its key.

  Try: “Get my draft for the release announcement.”

  Network · discourse_get_draft

• Shows a saved Data Explorer query

  Returns a saved Data Explorer query with its SQL and parameters. It needs an admin API key.

  Try: “Show the SQL of query 14.”

  Network · discourse_get_query

• Runs a Data Explorer query (admin key)

  Runs a saved Data Explorer query with your parameters and returns the rows. Queries run in a read-only transaction with a 10-second limit, and need an admin API key.

  Try: “Run query 14 for the last 30 days.”

  Network · discourse_run_query

• Starts a new topic (writes on)

  Creates a topic with a title, text, category and tags. It exists only when writes are turned on. Posting as another user needs an admin key.

  Try: “Start a topic called Agentic workflows in category 1.”

  Write · discourse_create_topic

• Replies in a topic (writes on)

  Adds a post to an existing topic. It exists only when writes are turned on. It reports the actual author so you can check who it posted as.

  Try: “Reply to topic 4521 with a short thank you.”

  Write · discourse_create_post

• Edits a topic's title, category or tags (writes on)

  Changes a topic's title, category, tags or featured link. It exists only when writes are turned on.

  Try: “Move topic 4521 to the how-to category.”

  Write · discourse_update_topic

• Edits the text of a post (writes on)

  Replaces the content of an existing post. It exists only when writes are turned on.

  Try: “Fix the typo in post 3 of topic 4521.”

  Write · discourse_update_post

• Creates a category (writes on)

  Adds a category with a name, colours and description. It exists only when writes are turned on.

  Try: “Create a category called AI Research.”

  Write · discourse_create_category

• Creates a user account (writes on, admin key)

  Creates a user through the signup API using an admin API key. It says whether the forum confirmed it. It exists only when writes are turned on.

  Try: “Create a user for a new teammate.”

  Write · discourse_create_user

• Edits a user profile or avatar (writes on)

  Changes profile fields and can set the avatar from an uploaded file. It exists only when writes are turned on.

  Try: “Update alice's bio.”

  Write · discourse_update_user

• Uploads an image or file (writes on)

  Uploads a file from base64 data, a web address or a local path. Local paths work only inside folders you list with the upload-paths setting. It exists only when writes are turned on.

  Try: “Upload this screenshot and embed it in my reply.”

  Write · discourse_upload_file

• Saves a draft (writes on)

  Creates or updates a draft and returns its key.

  Try: “Save this text as a draft reply.”

  Write · discourse_save_draft

• Deletes a draft (writes on)

  Deletes a draft by key. It needs the current sequence number so it does not clobber a newer edit.

  Try: “Delete my draft for the release announcement.”

  Delete · discourse_delete_draft

• Sends a new private message (writes on)

  Starts a private message to users, groups or email addresses. Unknown emails may create staged users. It exists only when writes are turned on.

  Try: “Message alice and the reviewers group about the claim.”

  Write · discourse_create_private_message

• Replies to a private message (writes on)

  Replies to an existing private message after checking it really is one. It exists only when writes are turned on.

  Try: “Reply to message 987 with the result.”

  Write · discourse_reply_private_message

• Adds someone to a private message (writes on)

  Adds a user or group to a private message, or sends an email invitation. It exists only when writes are turned on.

  Try: “Add the reviewers group to message 987.”

  Write · discourse_invite_to_private_message

• Saves a new Data Explorer query (writes on, admin key)

  Creates a saved Data Explorer query. It needs an admin key and writes turned on.

  Try: “Save a query that counts topics per category.”

  Write · discourse_create_query

• Edits a saved Data Explorer query (writes on, admin key)

  Changes only the fields you give on a saved query. It needs an admin key and writes turned on.

  Try: “Rename query 14.”

  Write · discourse_update_query

• Soft-deletes a Data Explorer query (writes on, admin key)

  Marks a saved query as deleted. An admin can restore it. It needs an admin key and writes turned on.

  Try: “Delete query 14.”

  Delete · discourse_delete_query

• Used by the assistant behind the scenes

  Chooses which Discourse site to use

  Checks that an address is a Discourse site and selects it. It is hidden when you start the server with a fixed site.

  Try: “Connect to https://try.discourse.org.”

  Network · discourse_select_site

Watch out for

• Turning writes on lets it post, edit and delete

  With the allow-writes setting, the assistant can create and edit topics, posts, users and private messages, and delete drafts and saved queries. Keep it off unless you need it. github.com

• Opt-in tool groups reach admin features

  Extra tool groups cover themes, webhooks, site settings and workflows, including deletes. They stay hidden unless you select them or choose all. github.com

• The forum can add its own tools

  In the default tools mode (auto), the server also looks for tools that the Discourse site publishes through its Remote Tool Execution API, and the toolset setting does not filter them. Start with --tools_mode discourse_api_only to keep to the built-in list. github.com

• An admin key reaches every user's data

  An admin key can list users and run Data Explorer queries against your forum. Use a user key unless you need admin tools. github.com

• Forum text can carry instructions

  Posts are written by strangers. Review what the assistant does after reading them, especially with writes on. github.com

Security advisories