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Scientific research · MCP server

LastSearch: MCP server, setup and security

LastSearch is an open-source MCP server that lets an AI agent research the web with cited claims, confidence scores and signed evidence. Its repository has 20 stars and its last commit is from October 18, 2026 and it is licensed under Apache-2.0.

Score
63/100
Adoption (stars) 13/40
Maintenance 30/30
Framework (licence, registry, official) 20/30
Actively maintainedNeeds secrets

What LastSearch does

According to its repository: “Verified web research for AI agents (formerly BrowseAI Dev). Real-time search with cited claims, confidence scores, live citation-health checks, and signed evidence records. MCP server, REST API, and Python SDK.”

An MCP server gives an AI agent extra tools it calls during the conversation: the agent reads their description, decides to use them and gets the result back. LastSearch is listed under Scientific research, a category of 35 servers in the directory, where it ranks #17 by stars.

Topics declared by the repository: ai-agent, citations, fact-checking, hallucination-prevention, python-sdk, research-agent.

Installing and connecting LastSearch

Distribution modes declared in the official MCP registry:

  • npm package (Node.js, usually started with npx)

Like any MCP server, you declare it in your client's configuration (Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, Codex…): a name, the command that starts it or its URL, and any environment variables. The client then starts it and lists its tools. Project language: TypeScript.

The registry lists one secret variable to provide (API key, access token). Keep them in the client's environment variables, never in a shared file or a repository.

Security: what to check

An MCP server runs code with the rights you give it, and the model reads its tool descriptions: a malicious or compromised server can hijack the agent. Read the code, or pick a maintained and widely used server, before connecting it.

Points found for LastSearch:

  • Secrets: the server acts with your credentials. Create a dedicated key with minimum rights and an expiry date.

Good practice: grant only the rights needed (least privilege), require human approval for irreversible actions, and run the AI agent security check.

Project activity and maintenance

Created on March 4, 2026, the LastSearch-HQ/lastsearch repository has 20 stars and 8 forks, with 0 open issues. It has more stars than 38% of the servers in the directory. It received changes this month. Version published in the registry: 1.3.0 (October 11, 2026).

Stars measure attention, not quality: a recent, heavily promoted project can collect them fast, while a useful but niche server will have few.

Zotero MCP (54yyyu)Zotero MCP (54yyyu) : 5.5K5.5KToolUniverseToolUniverse : 1.8K1.8KIdea reality MCPIdea reality MCP : 828828Research toolkitResearch toolkit : 299299TinySearchTinySearch : 233233Deep research MCPDeep research MCP : 115115Paper preflightPaper preflight : 100100OmniSeekOmniSeek : 9595LastSearchLastSearch : 2020
GitHub stars of the most followed servers in the category (log scale); LastSearch in orange. Checked October 25, 2026.

Verdict

LastSearch is a reasonable choice; check the points below before connecting it.

Strengths

  • Active project: recent commit
  • Listed in the official MCP registry
  • Permissive licence (Apache-2.0)

Limitations

  • Requires an API key or token

Avoid if…

  • You do not want to give credentials to an agent

Frequently asked questions

How do I install LastSearch?

LastSearch is distributed as npm package (Node.js, usually started with npx). Add it to your client's MCP configuration (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code…) following the README of LastSearch-HQ/lastsearch.

Is LastSearch free?

The code is published under the Apache-2.0 licence and can be used free of charge. It needs an API key: the service it connects to may be paid.

Is LastSearch safe?

Points to watch: secrets. Give it minimum rights and approve sensitive actions.

Is it an official server?

Nothing says so: it is a project published by LastSearch-HQ on GitHub. Check who maintains it before giving it access.

What are the alternatives to LastSearch?

In the same category: Zotero MCP (54yyyu), ToolUniverse, Idea reality MCP, and Research toolkit. Zotero MCP (54yyyu) and ToolUniverse score higher on our grid.

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Neutrality. No affiliate links. No vendor pays to be reviewed, rated or ranked. Reviews are directed by François Chollet, neutral and factual, and every data point is dated and sourced. How we score