xhs

This MCP server provides a lightweight, API-first XiaoHongShu (XHS) data access layer built on top of Electron and the XHS Web API. It emphasizes rapid startup and direct API access to note data, enabling you to fetch, filter, and export XiaoHongShu content without the overhead of browser automation. Use the provided API endpoints to perform fast data collection, search notes, and assemble datasets for analysis or integration with other tools. The server is designed to start quickly and run locally, making it ideal for development workflows where you need reliable, high-speed access to XHS data without juggling multiple runtimes.

To get started, install dependencies, start the MCP server, and then use your preferred HTTP client to hit the endpoints exposed by the server. The project focuses on an API-driven approach to data retrieval, data shaping, and export, so you can integrate with your existing data pipelines or dashboards with minimal friction. The included npm scripts streamline development: build:mcp prepares the environment and dev launches the server for local testing.

Prerequisites:

• Node.js (and npm) installed on your machine
• Basic familiarity with running npm scripts

Step-by-step:

1. Install dependencies

   npm i
   

2. Build and start the MCP server in development mode

   npm run build:mcp
   npm run dev
   

3. Verify the server is running

   • Open your browser or API client and hit the server endpoints exposed by the MCP server (default localhost port depends on the project configuration)

Notes:

• The repository emphasizes a quick setup without requiring global installations of Node.js, Python, or UV runtimes; however, Node.js must be present to run npm scripts.
• If you plan to deploy, consider additional steps to productionize (e.g., environment variables, process managers, and port/configuration handling).

Tips and common considerations:

• Environment variables: If the server supports configuration via env vars, set them according to your deployment needs (e.g., API keys, rate limits, or target data sources). The README does not specify explicit vars, so check the codebase for actual options.
• If npm scripts fail, ensure your Node.js version matches the project requirements and that network access is available for dependencies.
• Since the project mentions pausing updates and a focus on an API-first approach, expect input/output to be data-centric rather than UI-driven. Use direct API calls for reliability and speed.
• When migrating to production, consider using a process manager (e.g., PM2) and mapping ports through a reverse proxy for secure access.