WhoisFreaks MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that exposes the full WhoisFreaks API suite as AI-callable tools. Works with Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, Continue, Zed, and any other MCP-compatible AI client.

Two ways to run it — pick what fits your setup:

	Method	Requires	Best for
⭐ Recommended	Docker (pre-built image)	Docker only	Everyone — no Java or Maven needed
	Build from source	Java 17 + Maven	Contributors / custom builds

Once running, connect it to any MCP client via stdio (local) or HTTP/SSE on port 3100 (remote VM).

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Table of Contents

1. Tools Reference (14 tools)
2. Quick Start
   • ⭐ Recommended — Docker
   • Build from Source
3. Prerequisites
4. Platform Integration
   • 1. Claude Desktop
   • 2. Cursor IDE
   • 3. Windsurf IDE
   • 4. VS Code + GitHub Copilot
   • 5. Continue.dev
   • 6. Zed Editor
5. Example Prompts
6. Troubleshooting

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Tools Reference

WHOIS Tools

Tool	Description
liveWhoisLookup	Real-time WHOIS data for any domain — registrar, registrant, dates, nameservers
whoisHistory	Complete ownership history timeline for a domain
reverseWhoisLookup	Find all domains registered by an email address, keyword, owner name, or company

IP & ASN WHOIS Tools

Tool	Description
ipWhoisLookup	WHOIS registration data for any IPv4 or IPv6 address
asnWhoisLookup	WHOIS data for an Autonomous System Number (e.g. AS15169)

DNS Tools

Tool	Description
dnsLookup	Live DNS records — A, AAAA, MX, NS, CNAME, SOA, TXT, SPF, or all
dnsHistory	Historical DNS records with full change timeline
reverseDnsLookup	Find all domains pointing to a given IP or nameserver

IP Intelligence Tools

Tool	Description
ipGeolocation	Country, city, region, ISP, and coordinates for any IP address
ipSecurity	VPN, proxy, Tor exit node, bot, and threat intelligence for any IP

Domain Tools

Tool	Description
domainAvailability	Check if a domain is available to register, with optional suggestions
subdomainLookup	Enumerate all known subdomains for a domain, with status and date filters
domainDiscovery	Find domains by keyword, including typosquatting and similar variants

SSL Tools

Tool	Description
sslLookup	SSL/TLS certificate details — issuer, expiry, SANs, chain, and raw output

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Quick Start

⭐ Recommended — Docker

No Java or Maven required. Pull the pre-built image directly from Docker Hub and run.

Get your free API key first: whoisfreaks.com/signup

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Option 1 — Direct docker run (simplest)

docker run -d \
  --name whoisfreaks-mcp \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -p 3100:3100 \
  -e WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY=your-api-key-here \
  whoisfreaks/mcp-server:latest

The MCP gateway is now live at http://localhost:3100/sse.

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Option 2 — Docker Compose (recommended for production / VM)

Create a docker-compose.yml:

services:
  whoisfreaks-mcp:
    image: whoisfreaks/mcp-server:latest
    container_name: whoisfreaks-mcp
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "3100:3100"
    environment:
      WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY: your-api-key-here

Start it:

docker compose up -d

Or use a .env file instead of hardcoding the key (recommended):

# Create .env file (never commit this to git)
echo "WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY=your-api-key-here" > .env
docker compose up -d

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Verify Docker is working

# Container should show as "Up"
docker ps

# SSE endpoint should respond
curl http://localhost:3100/health
# → {"status":"ok"}

# List all 14 registered tools
curl http://localhost:3100/tools/list

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Use with Claude Desktop (Docker stdio mode)

Claude Desktop requires stdio transport. Override the Docker entrypoint to bypass mcp-proxy and run the JAR directly:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whoisfreaks": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", "-i", "--rm",
        "-e", "WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY=your-api-key-here",
        "--entrypoint", "java",
        "whoisfreaks/mcp-server:latest",
        "-jar", "app.jar"
      ]
    }
  }
}

No port mapping needed here — Claude Desktop talks to the container directly via stdio.

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Build from Source

Only needed if you want to modify the code or build a custom version.

Prerequisites:

Requirement	Minimum Version	Notes
Java (JDK)	17	Check with java -version
Maven	3.8	Check with mvn -version
WhoisFreaks API Key	—	Get yours at whoisfreaks.com/signup

Clone and build:

git clone https://github.com/whoisfreaks/whoisfreaks-mcp-server.git
cd whoisfreaks-mcp-server
mvn clean package -q

This produces a single self-contained fat JAR:

target/whoisfreaks-mcp-server-1.0.0.jar

Tip: Note the absolute path to this JAR — you will need it in the platform configs below. Example: /Users/yourname/whoisfreaks-mcp-server/target/whoisfreaks-mcp-server-1.0.0.jar

---

Prerequisites

Requirement	Notes
Docker	Required for the recommended Docker path
Java 17 + Maven 3.8	Required only if building from source
WhoisFreaks API Key	Free at whoisfreaks.com/signup

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Platform Integration

1. Claude Desktop

The most popular MCP client. Claude Desktop launches the MCP server as a subprocess on startup and communicates via stdio — it does not support SSE/HTTP URLs.

Config file location:

OS	Path
macOS	~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows	%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
Linux	~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

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⭐ Option A — Docker (recommended, no Java needed)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whoisfreaks": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", "-i", "--rm",
        "-e", "WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY=your-api-key-here",
        "--entrypoint", "java",
        "whoisfreaks/mcp-server:latest",
        "-jar", "app.jar"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Docker must be running before you open Claude Desktop. The image is pulled automatically on first use.

---

Option B — JAR directly (requires Java 17)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whoisfreaks": {
      "command": "java",
      "args": ["-jar", "/absolute/path/to/whoisfreaks-mcp-server-1.0.0.jar"],
      "env": {
        "WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

---

Steps (both options):

1. Paste the config above into the config file (create it if it doesn't exist)
2. Save the file
3. Quit Claude Desktop completely (Cmd+Q on macOS / taskbar exit on Windows)
4. Reopen Claude Desktop
5. Click the hammer icon (Tools) in the chat input — you should see 14 WhoisFreaks tools listed

Verify it works: Type Who owns google.com? and Claude will automatically call liveWhoisLookup.

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2. Cursor IDE

Cursor supports both stdio and SSE transports. Config file: ~/.cursor/mcp.json

⭐ Option A — Docker via SSE (recommended)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whoisfreaks": {
      "url": "http://localhost:3100/sse",
      "transport": "sse"
    }
  }
}

Start the Docker container first: docker run -d -p 3100:3100 -e WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY=your-key whoisfreaks/mcp-server:latest

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Option B — Docker via stdio (no port needed)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whoisfreaks": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", "-i", "--rm",
        "-e", "WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY=your-api-key-here",
        "--entrypoint", "java",
        "whoisfreaks/mcp-server:latest",
        "-jar", "app.jar"
      ]
    }
  }
}

---

Option C — JAR directly (requires Java 17)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whoisfreaks": {
      "command": "java",
      "args": ["-jar", "/absolute/path/to/whoisfreaks-mcp-server-1.0.0.jar"],
      "env": {
        "WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Steps:

1. Save ~/.cursor/mcp.json with your chosen option
2. Restart Cursor
3. Open the AI Panel (Cmd+L) → you should see a tools indicator showing WhoisFreaks tools
4. Ask: Check the SSL certificate for github.com

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3. Windsurf IDE

Windsurf (by Codeium) supports MCP via its Cascade AI sidebar.

Config file location:

OS	Path
macOS	~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
Windows	%USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json
Linux	~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

⭐ Option A — Docker via stdio (recommended)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whoisfreaks": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", "-i", "--rm",
        "-e", "WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY=your-api-key-here",
        "--entrypoint", "java",
        "whoisfreaks/mcp-server:latest",
        "-jar", "app.jar"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Option B — JAR directly (requires Java 17)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whoisfreaks": {
      "command": "java",
      "args": ["-jar", "/absolute/path/to/whoisfreaks-mcp-server-1.0.0.jar"],
      "env": {
        "WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Steps:

1. Save the config with your chosen option
2. Restart Windsurf
3. Open Cascade sidebar → look for the MCP tools indicator (plug icon)
4. Ask: Find all subdomains of tesla.com

Note: Windsurf requires Cascade to be in Write mode for tool use. Toggle it from the Cascade header if tools are not being called.

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4. VS Code + GitHub Copilot

VS Code supports MCP tools through the GitHub Copilot extension (Chat Participants / Tools feature).

Config file (.vscode/mcp.json in your workspace, or ~/.vscode/mcp.json globally):

⭐ Option A — Docker via SSE (recommended, container must be running)

{
  "servers": {
    "whoisfreaks": {
      "type": "sse",
      "url": "http://localhost:3100/sse"
    }
  }
}

Start the container first: docker run -d -p 3100:3100 -e WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY=your-key whoisfreaks/mcp-server:latest

Option B — Docker via stdio

{
  "servers": {
    "whoisfreaks": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", "-i", "--rm",
        "-e", "WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY=your-api-key-here",
        "--entrypoint", "java",
        "whoisfreaks/mcp-server:latest",
        "-jar", "app.jar"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Option C — JAR directly (requires Java 17)

{
  "servers": {
    "whoisfreaks": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "java",
      "args": ["-jar", "/absolute/path/to/whoisfreaks-mcp-server-1.0.0.jar"],
      "env": {
        "WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Steps:

1. Make sure you have the GitHub Copilot Chat extension installed (v1.99+)
2. Save the config file above with your chosen option
3. Open Copilot Chat (Ctrl+Shift+I / Cmd+Shift+I)
4. Switch the model to Agent mode using the dropdown
5. Click the Tools button — WhoisFreaks tools should appear in the list
6. Ask: What are the MX records for github.com?

Requirement: VS Code 1.99+ and GitHub Copilot Chat extension are required for MCP tool support.

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5. Continue.dev

Continue is an open-source AI coding assistant with MCP support for VS Code and JetBrains IDEs.

Config file (~/.continue/config.json):

⭐ Option A — Docker via SSE (recommended, container must be running)

{
  "mcpServers": [
    {
      "name": "whoisfreaks",
      "url": "http://localhost:3100/sse",
      "transport": "sse"
    }
  ]
}

Start the container first: docker run -d -p 3100:3100 -e WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY=your-key whoisfreaks/mcp-server:latest

Option B — Docker via stdio

{
  "mcpServers": [
    {
      "name": "whoisfreaks",
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", "-i", "--rm",
        "-e", "WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY=your-api-key-here",
        "--entrypoint", "java",
        "whoisfreaks/mcp-server:latest",
        "-jar", "app.jar"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Option C — JAR directly (requires Java 17)

{
  "mcpServers": [
    {
      "name": "whoisfreaks",
      "command": "java",
      "args": ["-jar", "/absolute/path/to/whoisfreaks-mcp-server-1.0.0.jar"],
      "env": {
        "WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Steps:

1. Install the Continue extension from the VS Code Marketplace or JetBrains Plugin Marketplace
2. Edit ~/.continue/config.json with your chosen option
3. Reload the window (Cmd+Shift+P → Reload Window)
4. Open Continue sidebar — tools from WhoisFreaks will be available in chat
5. Ask: Look up IP geolocation for 1.1.1.1

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6. Zed Editor

Zed has a built-in AI assistant with MCP support via its assistant configuration.

Config file (~/.config/zed/settings.json):

⭐ Option A — Docker via stdio (recommended)

{
  "assistant": {
    "mcp_servers": {
      "whoisfreaks": {
        "command": "docker",
        "args": [
          "run", "-i", "--rm",
          "-e", "WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY=your-api-key-here",
          "--entrypoint", "java",
          "whoisfreaks/mcp-server:latest",
          "-jar", "app.jar"
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

Option B — JAR directly (requires Java 17)

{
  "assistant": {
    "mcp_servers": {
      "whoisfreaks": {
        "command": "java",
        "args": ["-jar", "/absolute/path/to/whoisfreaks-mcp-server-1.0.0.jar"],
        "env": {
          "WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Steps:

1. Open Zed → Zed menu → Settings (or Cmd+,)
2. Add the mcp_servers block to your existing settings JSON using your chosen option
3. Save and restart Zed
4. Open the AI panel (Cmd+?) → tools will be listed under the tools indicator
5. Ask: Is the domain myapp.io available?

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Example Prompts

Once configured in any client above, try these prompts:

# WHOIS
Who owns the domain apple.com? Give me full WHOIS details.
Show me the complete ownership history for whoisfreaks.com.
Find all domains registered by [email protected].

# IP & ASN WHOIS
What organization owns the IP address 8.8.8.8?
Look up ASN information for AS15169.

# DNS
What are the MX and NS records for github.com?
Has facebook.com changed its IP addresses in the last 2 years? (DNS history)
Which domains are pointing to the IP 104.21.0.0? (reverse DNS)

# IP Intelligence
Where is 1.1.1.1 located? What ISP runs it?
Is 185.220.101.45 a Tor exit node or a VPN?

# Domain Tools
Is mycompany.io available to register? Suggest 5 alternatives.
List all known subdomains of tesla.com.
Find domains similar to 'google' — possible typosquatting targets.

# SSL
Check the SSL certificate for github.com — who issued it and when does it expire?

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Environment Variables

Variable	Required	Description
WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY	Yes	Your API key from whoisfreaks.com/billing. All 14 tools call api.whoisfreaks.com directly using this key — no other variables are needed.

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Troubleshooting

API Errors

Problem	Cause	Fix
WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY is not set	Missing env var	Add -e WHOISFREAKS_API_KEY=your-key to the Docker command, or add it to the env block in your client config
Unauthorized (HTTP 401/403)	Invalid or inactive API key	Verify the key at whoisfreaks.com/billing
No data found (HTTP 404)	Domain/IP/ASN not in database	Double-check the input value is correct
Rate limit reached (HTTP 429)	Too many requests	Slow down or upgrade your plan
Credit limit exceeded (HTTP 413)	Credits exhausted	Add credits at whoisfreaks.com/billing
Timeout (HTTP 408)	Upstream WHOIS server is slow	Retry — some TLDs have slow WHOIS servers

Docker Errors

Problem	Cause	Fix
Cannot connect to Docker daemon	Docker Desktop not running	Open Docker Desktop and wait for the engine to start
Container exits immediately	Missing API key or wrong entrypoint	Check logs: docker logs whoisfreaks-mcp
port 3100 already in use	Another process on port 3100	Stop it: docker rm -f whoisfreaks-mcp then retry
no such image	Image not pulled yet	Run docker pull whoisfreaks/mcp-server:latest first
Claude Desktop: tools not appearing with Docker config	Docker not in PATH seen by the app	Use the full Docker path: /usr/local/bin/docker as the command
lstat deploy: no such file or directory (CI/CD)	Relative path issue in GitHub Actions	Use ${{ github.workspace }}/deploy/Dockerfile for absolute paths
Gateway connection refused on port 3100	Container not running or port not mapped	Run docker ps — ensure -p 3100:3100 is in the run command
SSE connection drops after a few seconds	Nginx proxy timeout	Add proxy_read_timeout 3600s; to your Nginx location block

Client Errors

Problem	Cause	Fix
Tools not visible in client	Config not saved or client not restarted	Save config → fully quit and reopen the client
UnsupportedClassVersionError (JAR mode)	Java version too old	Upgrade to Java 17+ (java -version to check)
Wrong JAR path	Relative path in config	Use the full absolute path to the JAR
Cursor shows tools but doesn't call them	Agent mode not enabled	Switch Cursor to Agent mode, not Chat mode
Claude Desktop skips whoisfreaks entry	SSE URL used instead of stdio	Claude Desktop requires command/args — not url. Use the Docker stdio config shown above
Windsurf tools not called	Wrong Cascade mode	Switch Cascade to Write mode from the Cascade header

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Links

• WhoisFreaks API Documentation: https://whoisfreaks.com/documentation
• API Key & Billing: https://whoisfreaks.com/billing
• MCP Protocol Specification: https://modelcontextprotocol.io
• MCP Inspector (test tool): npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector
• Issues & Support: Open an issue on GitHub