mcp-cli-research-tools 0.2.2

CLI + MCP server for dev.to, Google, Reddit, YouTube, Trends, News, Hacker News, and SearchAPI research

Research Tools

CLI toolkit + MCP server for dev.to, Google/Serper, Reddit, YouTube, Trends, News, Hacker News and SearchAPI.io research. Global alias rt.

Quick Start

# Help
rt --help

# Dev.to research
rt devto trending -t typescript
rt devto tags -t typescript,javascript
rt devto authors -t typescript --limit 10

# Google/Serper research
rt google keywords -q "typescript tips"
rt google paa -q "how to learn typescript"
rt google serp -q "claude code tutorial"
rt google related -q "ai development"
rt google keywords -q "test" --no-cache

# Google Trends research
rt trends interest -q "typescript" --geo us --time "today 12-m"
rt trends related -q "typescript"
rt trends topics -q "typescript"
rt trends geo -q "typescript"
rt t interest -q "python,javascript" --geo us  # compare

# Google News research
rt news search -q "typescript" --period week
rt news search -q "site:techcrunch.com AI" --period month --sort most_recent
rt n search -q "claude anthropic" --gl us

# Reddit research
rt reddit -s typescript
rt reddit -s typescript,webdev --sort top --period month

# Hacker News research
rt hn top
rt hn new --limit 50
rt hn best
rt hn ask
rt hn show
rt hn search -q "typescript"
rt hn search -q "claude api" --limit 20 --json

# YouTube research
rt youtube search -q "typescript tutorial"
rt yt channel -c "Fireship" --limit 10
rt yt trending --category music --region us

# Competitor research (SearchAPI.io)
rt competitor serp -q "project management software"
rt competitor ads -q "crm software"
rt c serp -q "keyword" --no-cache

# Ads Transparency (all ads for an advertiser)
rt transparency ads -d tesla.com
rt transparency ads -d openai.com --region us --platform youtube
rt at ads -d anthropic.com --format video --period last_90_days

# Google AI Mode (AI-generated responses)
rt ai search -q "best typescript error handling practices"
rt ai search -q "how to optimize react performance" --location "San Francisco"

# Rank Tracking (SEO position monitoring)
rt rank track -q "typescript tutorial"
rt rank track -q "react hooks" --device mobile --location "New York" -n 50
rt r track -q "claude code" --gl us

# LLM Citation Tracking (Perplexity, Google AI Mode)
rt llm track -q "best typescript framework"
rt llm track -q "typescript orm" --engines perplexity,google_ai
rt l track -q "test" --no-cache

# Brand visibility in LLM responses
rt llm brand -d prisma.io --keywords "typescript orm,node database"
rt l brand -d anthropic.com -k "ai api,llm sdk"

# Compare domain vs competitor in LLM citations
rt llm compare -d prisma.io -c typeorm.io --keywords "typescript orm,node database"
rt l compare -d vercel.com -c netlify.com -k "deploy react,hosting"

# Cache management
rt cache stats
rt cache clear
rt cache cleanup

MCP Server

# Run MCP server
rt-mcp

# Or via uvx (install from PyPI)
uvx mcp-cli-research-tools

MCP Tools

• devto_trending - Trending posts from dev.to
• devto_tags - Tag engagement analysis
• devto_authors - Top authors by engagement
• google_keywords - Autocomplete suggestions
• google_serp - SERP analysis
• google_paa - People Also Ask
• google_related - Related searches
• google_trends - Google Trends (interest, related, topics, geo)
• google_news - Google News search
• google_ads_transparency - All ads for an advertiser
• google_ai_mode - AI-generated responses with references
• google_rank_tracking - SEO position monitoring (up to 100 results)
• reddit_posts - Subreddit monitoring
• hn_top_stories - Top stories from Hacker News
• hn_new_stories - Newest stories
• hn_best_stories - Best stories
• hn_ask_stories - Ask HN posts
• hn_show_stories - Show HN posts
• hn_search - Search HN via Algolia
• youtube_search - Video search
• youtube_channel - Channel videos
• youtube_trending - Trending videos
• searchapi_serp - SERP with AI Overview and ads
• searchapi_ads - Competitor ads analysis
• llm_track - Track citations across LLM engines
• llm_brand - Brand visibility in LLM responses
• llm_compare - Compare domain vs competitor in LLM citations

Setup

cd C:\ai-projects\research-tools && uv sync

Credentials (.env)

DEVTO_API_KEY=xxx       # https://dev.to/settings/extensions
SERPER_API_KEY=xxx      # https://serper.dev/api-key
SEARCH_API_IO_KEY=xxx   # https://www.searchapi.io/api-key
PERPLEXITY_API_KEY=xxx  # https://www.perplexity.ai/settings/api
OPENAI_API_KEY=xxx      # Optional - for ChatGPT (expensive)

Cache

SQLite database (~/.research-tools/data.db). TTL: Serper 48h, Reddit 12h, YouTube 24h, Trends 24h, News 12h, HN 12h, SearchAPI 48h, Ads Transparency 24h, AI Mode 12h, Rank Tracking 24h, LLM Tracking 12h.

Structure

src/research_tools/
├── cli/           # Cyclopts CLI
├── clients/       # API clients (Serper, SearchAPI, Perplexity, OpenAI, HN)
├── db/            # SQLite + CacheRepository
├── mcp/           # FastMCP server
├── models/        # Pydantic models
├── services/      # Service layer (business logic)
└── output.py      # Rich rendering