Gutendex
Gutendex MCP — wraps Gutendex API for Project Gutenberg books (free, no auth)
Install
Add this to your client's MCP configuration (Claude Desktop: claude_desktop_config.json; Cursor: .cursor/mcp.json; VS Code and others use the same "mcpServers" shape).
claude mcp add --transport http gutendex 'https://gateway.pipeworx.io/gutendex/mcp'
{
"mcpServers": {
"gutendex": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/gutendex/mcp"
}
}
}
Documentation
From the project's README on GitHub, refreshed weekly. Links open on GitHub.
Contents
mcp-gutendex
Gutendex MCP — wraps Gutendex API for Project Gutenberg books (free, no auth)
Part of Pipeworx — an MCP gateway connecting AI agents to 1683+ live data sources.
Tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
search_books | Search for books by title or author name. Returns book IDs, titles, authors, and download counts. |
get_book | Get full details for a book by ID. Returns title, author, publication year, language, available formats, and download count. |
popular_books | Get the most downloaded books ranked by popularity. Returns titles, authors, IDs, and download statistics. |
books_by_topic | Browse books by subject or topic (e.g., 'science fiction', 'philosophy'). Returns matching titles, authors, and IDs. |
Quick Start
Add to your MCP client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, etc.):
{
"mcpServers": {
"gutendex": {
"url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/gutendex/mcp"
}
}
}
What this endpoint actually serves
tools/list at https://gateway.pipeworx.io/gutendex/mcp returns the tools in the table
above plus the shared Pipeworx meta-tools — ask_pipeworx,
discover_tools, search_within, remember/recall and the rest of the
gateway-wide set. So the tool count you see is larger than this table: a
single-pack endpoint currently lists roughly 30 shared tools alongside the
pack's own. The connection's initialize response states its exact scope, and
is the authoritative answer for a given day.
This is deliberate, not multiplexing by accident. The meta-tools are what let a
scoped connection answer a question this pack does not cover — via
ask_pipeworx, which routes across the whole catalog — without you adding a
second MCP server. There is currently no way to mount a pack endpoint without
them; if the extra schemas cost you more context than the routing is worth,
connect to the full gateway once rather than to several pack endpoints.
Or connect to the full Pipeworx gateway to get every pack's tools listed directly, instead of just this one's:
{
"mcpServers": {
"pipeworx": {
"url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/mcp"
}
}
}
Both URLs reach the same gateway and the same 1683+ data sources. The
only difference is which pack's tools are listed directly; ask_pipeworx
reaches all of them from either one.
No MCP client? Call it over HTTP
curl -X POST https://gateway.pipeworx.io/v1/tools/gutendex_search_books \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{"query":"Jane Austen"}'
No account needed for the first calls. Inspect any tool: GET https://gateway.pipeworx.io/v1/tools/gutendex_search_books. Find one: POST https://gateway.pipeworx.io/v1/tools/search_packs with {"query":"..."}.
Standalone (no gateway account)
This package also runs as a local stdio MCP server — no Pipeworx account, no gateway round-trip:
{
"mcpServers": {
"gutendex": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@pipeworx/mcp-gutendex"]
}
}
}
Or run it directly to confirm it starts:
npx -y @pipeworx/mcp-gutendex
It speaks MCP over stdin/stdout and answers initialize/tools/list/tools/call
for only this pack's tools — none of the shared meta-tools the gateway
connection above adds. Same source, same tools, no ask_pipeworx routing.
Using with ask_pipeworx
Instead of calling tools directly, you can ask questions in plain English — this works on the pack endpoint above as well as on the full gateway:
ask_pipeworx({ question: "your question about Gutendex data" })
The gateway picks the right tool and fills the arguments automatically.
More
License
MIT
Frequently asked questions
What is Gutendex?
Gutendex MCP — wraps Gutendex API for Project Gutenberg books (free, no auth)
How do I install Gutendex?
It runs as a remote server. In Claude Code: claude mcp add --transport http gutendex 'https://gateway.pipeworx.io/gutendex/mcp'. For other clients, paste the JSON configuration from this page into their MCP settings.
Does Gutendex need an API key?
Its registry entry lists no required key or secret. Some features may still need an account with the service it connects to.
Is Gutendex open source?
Yes. Its code is on GitHub under the MIT license.
Who maintains Gutendex?
It is published by pipeworx-io. AI.tn lists it but does not maintain or endorse it.
From the official MCP Registry. Listing is not an endorsement: review a server's code and permissions before giving it access to your data.