Tools Reference

Complete reference for Context7 MCP tools: resolve-library-id and query-docs

Tools Reference

Context7 MCP Server provides two tools that LLMs can use to access up-to-date documentation and code examples.

Overview

The workflow for using Context7 tools:

1. Identify Library Need

   User asks a question that requires library documentation.

2. Resolve Library ID

   If the library ID is unknown, use resolve-library-id to find it.

3. Query Documentation

   Use query-docs with the library ID to retrieve relevant documentation.

4. Generate Response

   LLM uses the documentation to generate an accurate, up-to-date response.

resolve-library-id

Resolves a package or product name to a Context7-compatible library ID.

When to Use

Call this tool when:

• User mentions a library by name (e.g., “Next.js”, “MongoDB”, “React”)
• You need to find the Context7-compatible library ID
• User does not provide an explicit library ID in format /org/project

Parameters

query · string · required

The question or task you need help with. This is used to rank library results by relevance.

Example: "How do I set up authentication in Next.js?"

Do not include sensitive information such as API keys, passwords, credentials, personal data, or proprietary code.

libraryName · string · required

Library name to search for and retrieve a Context7-compatible library ID.

Example: "nextjs", "mongodb", "react"

Response Format

The tool returns a list of matching libraries with detailed metadata:

Available Libraries:

1. /vercel/next.js
   Name: Next.js
   Description: The React Framework for Production
   Code Snippets: 1,234
   Source Reputation: High
   Benchmark Score: 98
   Versions: 15.1.0, 15.0.0, 14.2.0, 14.1.0, 14.0.0

2. /nextauthjs/next-auth
   Name: NextAuth.js
   Description: Authentication for Next.js
   Code Snippets: 456
   Source Reputation: High
   Benchmark Score: 95
   Versions: 5.0.0, 4.24.0

Response Fields

Library ID · string

Context7-compatible identifier in format /org/project

Example: /vercel/next.js

Name · string

Human-readable library or package name

Example: Next.js

Description · string

Short summary of the library’s purpose

Example: The React Framework for Production

Code Snippets · number

Number of available code examples in the documentation

Higher values indicate more comprehensive documentation

Source Reputation · string

Authority indicator for the library’s source

Values: High, Medium, Low, Unknown

Benchmark Score · number

Quality indicator (0-100, where 100 is highest quality)

Based on documentation completeness, code examples, and community engagement

Versions · array

List of available versions for this library

Example: 15.1.0, 15.0.0, 14.2.0

Use format /org/project/version to query specific versions

Selection Process

When multiple libraries match, the LLM should select based on:

1. Name similarity - Exact matches prioritized
2. Description relevance - Match to query intent
3. Documentation coverage - Higher Code Snippet counts preferred
4. Source reputation - High/Medium reputation more authoritative
5. Benchmark score - Higher scores indicate better quality

Usage Example

User Prompt

How do I set up authentication in Next.js?

{
  "name": "resolve-library-id",
  "arguments": {
    "query": "How do I set up authentication in Next.js?",
    "libraryName": "nextjs"
  }
}

Available Libraries:

1. /vercel/next.js
   Name: Next.js
   Description: The React Framework for Production
   Code Snippets: 1,234
   Source Reputation: High
   Benchmark Score: 98
   Versions: 15.1.0, 15.0.0, 14.2.0

Best Practices

Do not call this tool more than 3 times per question. If you cannot find what you need after 3 calls, use the best result you have.

• Provide specific, descriptive queries for better relevance ranking
• Use exact library names when possible
• Check all returned options before selecting
• If ambiguous, ask user for clarification
• Clearly state your selection and reasoning

Error Handling

If no libraries are found:

No libraries found matching the provided name.

Actions:

1. Try alternative library names or spellings
2. Check for typos in libraryName
3. Suggest related libraries to user
4. Ask user for more specific library information

---

query-docs

Retrieves and queries up-to-date documentation and code examples from Context7.

When to Use

Call this tool when:

• You have a Context7-compatible library ID from resolve-library-id
• User provides explicit library ID (e.g., /mongodb/docs, /vercel/next.js)
• You need specific documentation for a programming task

Prerequisites

You must call resolve-library-id first to obtain the library ID, unless the user explicitly provides a library ID in the format /org/project or /org/project/version.

Parameters

libraryId · string · required

Exact Context7-compatible library ID retrieved from resolve-library-id or provided by user.

Format: /org/project or /org/project/version

Examples:

• /mongodb/docs
• /vercel/next.js
• /supabase/supabase
• /vercel/next.js/v14.3.0-canary.87

query · string · required

The question or task you need help with. Be specific and include relevant details.

Good examples:

• "How to set up authentication with JWT in Express.js"
• "React useEffect cleanup function examples"
• "Configure MongoDB connection pooling"

Bad examples:

• "auth" (too vague)
• "hooks" (too generic)
• "help" (no context)

Do not include sensitive information such as API keys, passwords, credentials, personal data, or proprietary code.

Response Format

The tool returns intelligently ranked documentation and code examples:

## Setting Up Authentication with JWT in Express.js

### Installation

\`\`\`bash
npm install jsonwebtoken express
\`\`\`

### Basic JWT Middleware

\`\`\`javascript
const jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');
const express = require('express');

const authenticateToken = (req, res, next) => {
  const authHeader = req.headers['authorization'];
  const token = authHeader && authHeader.split(' ')[1];

  if (!token) return res.sendStatus(401);

  jwt.verify(token, process.env.ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET, (err, user) => {
    if (err) return res.sendStatus(403);
    req.user = user;
    next();
  });
};

app.use(authenticateToken);
\`\`\`

### Generating Tokens

\`\`\`javascript
const token = jwt.sign(
  { userId: user.id }, 
  process.env.ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET,
  { expiresIn: '1h' }
);
\`\`\`

[Documentation Source: Express.js Authentication Guide]

The response includes:

• Relevant code examples
• API references
• Configuration instructions
• Best practices
• Links to source documentation

Usage Example

User Prompt

Create a Next.js middleware that checks for a valid JWT in cookies.

{
  "name": "resolve-library-id",
  "arguments": {
    "query": "Create a Next.js middleware that checks for a valid JWT",
    "libraryName": "nextjs"
  }
}

{
  "name": "query-docs",
  "arguments": {
    "libraryId": "/vercel/next.js",
    "query": "Create a middleware that checks for a valid JWT in cookies"
  }
}

Version-Specific Queries

To query a specific version, include it in the library ID:

Latest Version

{
  "libraryId": "/vercel/next.js",
  "query": "How to use App Router?"
}

{
  "libraryId": "/vercel/next.js/v14.3.0-canary.87",
  "query": "How to use App Router in version 14?"
}

Or mention the version in your query:

How do I set up Next.js 14 middleware? use context7

Context7 will automatically match the appropriate version from the versions list.

Best Practices

Do not call this tool more than 3 times per question. If you cannot find what you need after 3 calls, use the best information you have.

• Be specific in your queries for better results
• Include context about what you’re trying to accomplish
• Mention versions when relevant
• Ask focused questions rather than broad topics
• Use technical terms that appear in documentation

Error Handling

Invalid Library ID:

Documentation not found or not finalized for this library. 
This might have happened because you used an invalid Context7-compatible library ID.
To get a valid Context7-compatible library ID, use the 'resolve-library-id' 
with the package name you wish to retrieve documentation for.

Actions:

1. Verify library ID format is /org/project
2. Call resolve-library-id to get the correct ID
3. Check if the library exists in Context7

Library Not Found (404):

The library you are trying to access does not exist. 
Please try with a different library ID.

Actions:

1. Try searching with resolve-library-id
2. Verify library name spelling
3. Check if library is available in Context7 catalog

---

Tool Workflow

Complete Example

Here’s how the tools work together:

1. User Request

   Create a MongoDB connection with connection pooling in Node.js
   
2. Resolve Library

   {
     "name": "resolve-library-id",
     "arguments": {
       "query": "Create a MongoDB connection with connection pooling",
       "libraryName": "mongodb"
     }
   }
   

   Returns: /mongodb/docs

3. Query Documentation

   {
     "name": "query-docs",
     "arguments": {
       "libraryId": "/mongodb/docs",
       "query": "MongoDB connection pooling configuration in Node.js"
     }
   }
   

   Returns: Code examples and documentation for MongoDB connection pooling

4. Generate Response

   LLM uses the retrieved documentation to generate accurate, up-to-date code.

With Explicit Library ID

When user provides the library ID:

1. User Request

   Implement basic authentication with Supabase. 
   use library /supabase/supabase for API and docs.
   
2. Query Documentation (Skip Resolve)

   {
     "name": "query-docs",
     "arguments": {
       "libraryId": "/supabase/supabase",
       "query": "Implement basic authentication with Supabase"
     }
   }
   
3. Generate Response

   LLM uses the documentation to generate the authentication code.

Rate Limiting

Both tools are subject to rate limits based on authentication:

• Anonymous: Limited requests per hour
• Free API Key: Higher limits suitable for development
• Paid Plans: Professional and enterprise limits

See Configuration → Rate Limits for details.

Privacy & Security

Never include sensitive data in queries:

• API keys, passwords, or credentials
• Personal identifiable information (PII)
• Proprietary or confidential code
• Customer data
• Security tokens

All queries are sent to the Context7 API for:

• Intelligent reranking of documentation
• Context generation
• Relevance scoring

See Privacy Policy for details on data handling.

Annotations

Both tools include the readOnlyHint: true annotation, indicating they:

• Do not modify any data
• Only retrieve information
• Are safe to call multiple times
• Have no side effects

Next Steps

Cursor Setup

Install Context7 in Cursor

Configuration

Configure API keys and options

All Clients

See all supported clients

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions