Ekstra MCP Server

The MCP server Ekstra's docs said wasn't live yet. Built by @Myke_Kript

Connect any MCP-compatible AI assistant — Claude, Cursor, Windsurf — to Ekstra's real-time city intelligence API. Ask Claude "Can I park here right now?" and get a live answer.

What It Does

Exposes 4 tools to any AI assistant via the Model Context Protocol:

| Tool | Description | |---|---| | ekstra_get_curb_rules | Live NYC parking rules near any lat/lng | | ekstra_get_network_stats | Active devices, operators, total packets | | ekstra_get_devices | Live device list with trust scores | | ekstra_get_facts | Rotating Ekstra platform facts |

Live Demo

Once deployed, visit your Vercel URL directly to confirm it's running:

GET https://your-project.vercel.app/api/mcp

Returns:

{
  "name": "ekstra-mcp-server",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "status": "live",
  "tools": [
    "ekstra_get_curb_rules",
    "ekstra_get_network_stats",
    "ekstra_get_devices",
    "ekstra_get_facts"
  ]
}

Deploy to Vercel

Option A — Vercel Dashboard (No CLI)

Push this repo to GitHub
Go to vercel.com → Add New Project
Import your GitHub repo
Hit Deploy — no environment variables needed
Your MCP endpoint is live at: https://your-project.vercel.app/api/mcp

Option B — Vercel CLI

npm install -g vercel
vercel login
vercel --prod

Connect to Claude Desktop

Add this to your Claude Desktop config file:

Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ekstra": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://your-project.vercel.app/api/mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop. You'll see Ekstra tools available in Claude.

Connect to Cursor / Windsurf

Add to your MCP config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ekstra": {
      "url": "https://your-project.vercel.app/api/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Example Conversations With Claude

Once connected, Claude can answer questions like:

User: Can I park on Greenwich Village right now? Claude: (calls ekstra_get_curb_rules with lat: 40.7308, lng: -73.9973)

There are 66 active restrictions near Greenwich Village right now. The nearest legal spot opens in 2 hours 31 minutes.

User: How big is the Ekstra network? Claude: (calls ekstra_get_network_stats)

The Ekstra network currently has 8,363 active devices across 3 operators, having processed 9,508 total packets.

User: Show me active cameras on the Ekstra network Claude: (calls ekstra_get_devices with device_type: camera)

Found 12 active cameras. Here are the top results...

Protocol Details

| Detail | Value | |---|---| | Protocol | MCP JSON-RPC 2.0 over HTTP POST | | Auth | None required | | Ekstra endpoints used | Public (no API key needed) | | Max response time | 30 seconds (Vercel limit) | | CORS | Open (*) |

File Structure

ekstra-mcp-server/
├── api/
│   └── mcp.js       ← Vercel serverless function (MCP handler)
├── package.json
├── vercel.json      ← Vercel config + CORS headers
└── README.md        ← This file

How It Works

AI Assistant (Claude / Cursor)
        │
        │  POST /api/mcp
        │  { method: "tools/call", params: { name: "ekstra_get_curb_rules", ... } }
        ▼
Vercel Serverless Function (api/mcp.js)
        │
        │  GET https://ekstra.ai/api/v1/curb-rules/near?lat=...
        ▼
Ekstra Public API
        │
        │  { rules: [...] }
        ▼
Formatted plain-text response
        │
        ▼
AI Assistant renders answer to user

No database. No auth. No config. Pure API proxy with MCP protocol on top.

Extending This

Add more Ekstra endpoints

When Ekstra ships new endpoints (spaces, director AI, observer), add them as new tools in api/mcp.js following the same pattern.

Add the MCP server to Option 1 dashboard

The city intelligence dashboard and the MCP server share the same Ekstra API calls. They can be linked — the dashboard becomes a visual layer on top of the same data the MCP server exposes.

Add authentication

When Ekstra's authenticated endpoints ship (device management, private data), add an EKSTRA_API_KEY environment variable in Vercel and pass it as a Bearer token.

Built For

Ekstra Build Contest — 5 SOL prize
Submission by @Myke_Kript

Ekstra's own docs state: "MCP server is a known follow-up — not live." This is that server.

License

Apache-2.0 — Same as the Ekstra SDK ecosystem. Free to fork and submit as a PR to build-with-ekstra.

MCP Servers