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Connecting AI Clients

Almanac exposes an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that allows AI clients like Claude Desktop, Cline, and ChatGPT to directly access your indexed data. This enables your AI assistant to search and retrieve information from all your connected data sources.

What is MCP?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that allows AI applications to securely connect to external data sources and tools. When you connect Almanac via MCP, your AI client can:

  • 🔍 Search across all your indexed data sources
  • 🧠 Use LightRAG's intelligent retrieval modes
  • 📊 Access both vector and graph-based search
  • 🔒 Maintain security through local connections

Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop supports MCP servers through its configuration file.

Prerequisites

  • Almanac running locally (pnpm start)
  • Claude Desktop installed
  • Server accessible at http://localhost:3000

Setup Instructions

  1. Locate your Claude Desktop config file:

    • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
    • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

  2. Add Almanac to your MCP servers:

    Open the config file and add the following to the mcpServers section:

    {
  "mcpServers": {
    "almanac": {
      "url": "http://127.0.0.1:3000/mcp",
      "type": "streamableHttp",
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

  3. Restart Claude Desktop

  4. Verify the connection:

    In Claude Desktop, you should see Almanac listed in the MCP servers section. Try asking:

    "Search my Almanac data for discussions about API refactoring"

Example Configuration

Here's a complete example with multiple MCP servers:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "almanac": {
      "url": "http://127.0.0.1:3000/mcp",
      "type": "streamableHttp",
      "disabled": false
    },
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/allowed/files"]
    }
  }
}

Cline (VS Code Extension)

Cline is a VS Code extension that supports MCP servers for enhanced AI assistance.

Prerequisites

  • Almanac running locally (pnpm start)
  • Cline extension installed in VS Code
  • Server accessible at http://localhost:3000

Setup Instructions

  1. Open Cline settings in VS Code:

    • Open Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P)
    • Search for "Cline: Open MCP Settings"

  2. Add Almanac to your MCP servers:

    Add the following configuration:

    {
  "mcpServers": {
    "almanac": {
      "url": "http://localhost:3000/mcp",
      "type": "streamableHttp",
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

  3. Restart VS Code or reload the Cline extension

  4. Verify the connection:

    In Cline, you should see Almanac tools available. Try asking:

    "Use Almanac to search for information about our authentication system"

ChatGPT (Developer Mode)

ChatGPT supports MCP servers through its Developer Mode feature.

⚠️ Important Security Warning

ChatGPT requires your Almanac server to be publicly accessible on the internet. This means:

  • ❌ localhost connections are NOT supported
  • ⚠️ Your data will be accessible over the internet
  • 🔒 You MUST implement proper security measures:
    • Authentication/API keys
    • HTTPS/TLS encryption
    • Firewall rules
    • Rate limiting

We strongly advise only exposing Almanac publicly if you have the expertise to secure it properly.

Prerequisites

  • Almanac deployed on a publicly accessible server with HTTPS
  • ChatGPT Plus or Enterprise subscription
  • Developer Mode enabled in ChatGPT

Setup Instructions

  1. Deploy Almanac to a public server:

    # Example using a cloud provider
# Ensure HTTPS is configured
# Set up authentication

  2. Enable Developer Mode in ChatGPT:

    Follow OpenAI's official guide: Developer Mode and MCP Apps in ChatGPT

  3. Add Almanac as an MCP server:

    In ChatGPT's Developer Mode settings, add:

    {
  "url": "https://your-domain.com/mcp",
  "type": "streamableHttp"
}

  4. Verify the connection:

    In ChatGPT, try asking:

    "Search my Almanac data for recent project updates"

Security Checklist

Before exposing Almanac publicly:

  • HTTPS/TLS configured with valid certificate
  • Authentication mechanism implemented
  • API rate limiting enabled
  • Firewall rules configured
  • Monitoring and logging enabled
  • Regular security updates applied
  • Backup strategy in place

Available Tools

Once connected, your AI client will have access to these Almanac tools:

lightrag_query

Search your indexed data using LightRAG's intelligent retrieval.

Parameters:

  • query (string, required): Your search query
  • mode (string, optional): Query mode - naive, local, global, hybrid, or mix (default: mix)
  • top_k (number, optional): Number of results to return (default: 5)

Example usage in Claude:

"Use lightrag_query to search for 'API authentication' in hybrid mode"

Query Modes Explained

  • naive: Fast keyword search
  • local: Entity-focused search (people, projects, concepts)
  • global: Relationship-focused search (connections, workflows)
  • hybrid: Balanced combination of local and global
  • mix: Best results (combines all modes with reranking)

Troubleshooting

Connection Refused

Problem: AI client can't connect to Almanac

Solutions:

  1. Verify Almanac is running: curl http://localhost:3000/health
  2. Check the URL in your config (use 127.0.0.1 instead of localhost if needed)
  3. Ensure no firewall is blocking the connection
  4. Restart your AI client after config changes

No Tools Available

Problem: MCP server connected but no tools appear

Solutions:

  1. Check Almanac logs for errors
  2. Verify you have data sources connected and synced
  3. Ensure indexing has completed
  4. Restart both Almanac and your AI client

Slow Responses

Problem: Queries take a long time to return results

Solutions:

  1. Try a simpler query mode (naive or local)
  2. Reduce top_k parameter
  3. Check if indexing is still in progress
  4. Review Almanac performance settings in .env

Next Steps

Need help? Open an issue on GitHub