Context7 MCP Troubleshooting Guide

Context7 MCP Troubleshooting Guide

This guide addresses common issues encountered when installing, configuring, and using the Context7 MCP server. Use this reference to resolve problems quickly and efficiently.

Common Issues

1. Finding the MCP Configuration File

Problem: Unable to locate the MCP configuration file in your environment.

Solution: Configuration file locations vary by application:

2. “spawn EINVAL” Error

Problem: When using npx in your MCP configuration, you encounter a “spawn EINVAL” error.

Example problematic configuration:

"github.com/upstash/context7-mcp": {
  "command": "npx",
  "args": ["-y", "@upstash/context7-mcp@latest"],
  "disabled": false,
  "autoApprove": []
}

Solution: Use the full path to Node.js and the module instead:

  1. Find the Node.js executable path: 
    where node
# Example output: C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe
  2. Find the global package location: 
    npm root -g
# Example output: C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules
  3. Verify the module installation: 
    npm list -g | findstr context7
# Example output: ├── @upstash/context7-mcp@1.0.4
  4. Update your configuration: 
    "github.com/upstash/context7-mcp": {
  "command": "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node.exe",
  "args": ["C:\\Users\\[username]\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@upstash\\context7-mcp\\dist\\index.js"],
  "disabled": false,
  "autoApprove": []
}

3. “Not connected” Error

Problem: After configuring the MCP server, you get a “Not connected” error when trying to use it.

Solution:

  1. Restart your application (Cursor, VS Code, etc.)
  2. Double-check all paths in your configuration:
    • Make sure Node.js path exists: where node
    • Verify module path exists: dir "C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\@upstash\context7-mcp\dist\index.js"
  3. Check application logs for detailed error messages
  4. Ensure the module is correctly installed: npm list -g | findstr context7

4. Node.js Version Issues

Problem: Context7 MCP requires Node.js version 18.0.0 or higher.

Solution:

  1. Check your Node.js version: 
    node -v
  2. If your version is below 18.0.0, update Node.js:
    • Download the latest version from nodejs.org
    • Alternatively, if you use NVM: 
      nvm install 18
nvm use 18

5. Permission Issues

Problem: Installation or configuration fails due to permission errors.

Solution:

  1. Run Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator
  2. For global npm installations, use: 
    npm install -g @upstash/context7-mcp@latest --force
  3. Ensure you have write permissions to the configuration file location
  4. Check file paths for spaces or special characters that might cause issues

Testing Your MCP Configuration

After resolving issues, test your setup with these steps:

1. Resolving Library IDs

Test if Context7 can resolve library identifiers:

// Using the MCP tool:
{
  "server_name": "github.com/upstash/context7-mcp",
  "tool_name": "resolve-library-id",
  "arguments": {
    "libraryName": "next.js"
  }
}

Successful response example:

Available libraries and their Context7-compatible library IDs:
Title: Next.js
Context7-compatible library ID: /vercel/next.js

2. Retrieving Library Documentation

Test if Context7 can retrieve documentation:

// Using the MCP tool:
{
  "server_name": "github.com/upstash/context7-mcp",
  "tool_name": "get-library-docs",
  "arguments": {
    "context7CompatibleLibraryID": "/vercel/next.js",
    "topic": "routing",
    "tokens": 5000
  }
}

If successful, you should receive relevant documentation about the requested topic.

Additional Troubleshooting Steps

Checking for Conflicting Services

Some port conflicts or other services might interfere with MCP server:

# Check for processes using common ports
netstat -ano | findstr "3000"
netstat -ano | findstr "8000"

Debugging Logs

Enable additional logging in your MCP configuration:

"github.com/upstash/context7-mcp": {
  "command": "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node.exe",
  "args": ["C:\\Users\\[username]\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@upstash\\context7-mcp\\dist\\index.js", "--debug"],
  "disabled": false,
  "autoApprove": []
}

Reinstalling the Package

If all else fails, try a clean reinstallation:

# Uninstall the package
npm uninstall -g @upstash/context7-mcp

# Clear npm cache
npm cache clean --force

# Reinstall
npm install -g @upstash/context7-mcp@latest

Common Error Messages and Solutions

Error Message Possible Cause Solution
“spawn EINVAL” Incorrect command execution Use full paths as described in section 2
“Not connected” Configuration or restart issue Restart app and verify paths
“Cannot find module” Incorrect module path Verify installation and path
“EACCES: permission denied” Permission issues Run as Administrator
“Error: Cannot find module ‘node:events’” Outdated Node.js version Update Node.js to v18+

When to Contact Support

If you’ve tried all the solutions in this guide and are still experiencing issues, consider:

  1. Checking the official Context7 GitHub repository for recent issues
  2. Filing a new issue with detailed information about your environment and the steps you’ve taken
  3. Contacting your AI assistant’s support team for application-specific configuration help

Additional Resources