RedNote MCP - Xiaohongshu Content Search Tool
Overview
RedNote MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for searching and retrieving content from Xiaohongshu (Red Book) platform. It provides intelligent content extraction with automatic login management and parallel processing capabilities.
Features
- Smart Search: Keyword-based content search on Xiaohongshu
- Auto Login: Automatic cookie management and login handling
- Parallel Processing: Efficient concurrent content retrieval
- Rich Data Extraction:
- Note titles and content
- Author information and descriptions
- Interaction metrics (likes, favorites, comments)
- Images and hashtags
- Direct note links
Technical Stack
- Runtime: Node.js with TypeScript
- Browser Automation: Playwright
- Protocol: Model Context Protocol (MCP) SDK
- Validation: Zod schema validation
- Package Manager: pnpm
Data Structure
interface RedBookNote {
title: string; // Note title
content: string; // Note content
author: string; // Author name
authorDesc?: string; // Author description
link: string; // Note URL
likes?: number; // Like count
collects?: number; // Favorite count
comments?: number; // Comment count
tags?: string[]; // Hashtag list
images?: string[]; // Image URLs (WebP format)
}
Installation
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18+
- pnpm package manager
Setup
- Clone the repository:
git clone <repository-url>
cd rednote-mcp
- Install dependencies:
pnpm install
- Install Playwright browsers:
pnpm exec playwright install
- Build the project:
pnpm build
Usage
Running the MCP Server
pnpm start
Development Mode
pnpm dev
Testing
pnpm test
MCP Client Configuration
Claude Desktop
Add the following configuration to your Claude Desktop config file:
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"rednote-mcp": {
"command": "node",
"args": [
"C:\\ABSOLUTE\\PATH\\TO\\rednote-mcp\\build\\index.js"
]
}
}
}
For macOS/Linux users:
{
"mcpServers": {
"rednote-mcp": {
"command": "node",
"args": [
"/absolute/path/to/rednote-mcp/build/index.js"
]
}
}
}
Replace the path with your actual project directory.
Other MCP Clients
For other MCP-compatible clients, use the built server file:
node build/index.js
Tool Usage
Once configured, you can use the search tool in your MCP client:
Search for "food recommendation" on Xiaohongshu
The tool will return structured data including titles, content, author information, and images.
Important Notes
- First Run: Manual login to Xiaohongshu is required on first use
- Performance: Initial searches may take 30-60 seconds due to browser startup and content loading
- Rate Limiting: Concurrent requests are limited to 3 to avoid platform restrictions
- Image Format: Images are provided in WebP format
- Cookie Management: Login state is automatically saved and reused
Development
Project Structure
rednote-mcp/
├── src/
│ ├── index.ts # MCP server entry point
│ └── xiaohongshu.ts # Core scraping logic
├── cookies/ # Auto-generated cookie storage
├── results/ # Optional: saved search results
├── build/ # Compiled JavaScript output
├── package.json
├── tsconfig.json
└── README.md
Available Scripts
pnpm build- Build TypeScript to JavaScriptpnpm start- Run the built MCP serverpnpm dev- Development mode with auto-reloadpnpm test- Run tests (if available)pnpm clean- Clean build directory
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
- Login Required: If you see login prompts, delete the
cookies/directory and restart - Timeout Errors: Increase the MCP client timeout settings
- Browser Not Found: Run
pnpm exec playwright installto install browsers - Permission Errors: Ensure the project directory has proper read/write permissions
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
Disclaimer
This tool is for educational and research purposes. Please respect Xiaohongshu's terms of service and rate limits when using this tool.