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MCP Connector for Open WebUI: Seamless MCP Server Access & Sync - MCP Implementation

MCP Connector for Open WebUI: Seamless MCP Server Access & Sync

Meet the MCP Connector: Your Open WebUI’s new wingman to MCP servers, turning 'can’t connect' into 'wow, that’s smooth.' Because even AI needs a date night."

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About MCP Connector for Open WebUI

What is MCP Connector for Open WebUI: Seamless MCP Server Access & Sync?

The MCP Connector is a specialized pipeline function for Open WebUI that enables direct integration with MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers. It allows users to leverage MCP-compatible AI models within the Open WebUI environment, abstracting complex server interactions through a unified interface. By standardizing access to diverse model endpoints, it aligns with the OpenAI API specification framework while extending compatibility to MCP-supported infrastructure.

Key Features of MCP Connector for Open WebUI

This connector delivers mission-critical capabilities for enterprise and developer workflows:

  • Multi-server orchestration: Concurrently connect to multiple MCP server instances for load balancing and failover scenarios
  • Authentication support: Implements API key-based security for protected model endpoints
  • Auto-discovery: Dynamically detects available models and versions across all registered servers
  • Real-time streaming: Maintains uninterrupted response streams for interactive applications
  • Resilient operation: Built-in retry mechanisms and configurable timeouts for unreliable networks

MCP Connector for Open WebUI Features

How to Use MCP Connector for Open WebUI

Installation Process

Choose between these deployment methods:

Direct Package Installation:

pip install git+https://github.com/ivanuser/open-webui-mcp-connector.git

In-UI Setup:

  1. Navigate to Workspace > Functions in Open WebUI
  2. Click Import Function and enter GitHub repository URL

Configuration Steps

  1. Edit the MCP Connector settings via Workspace > Functions
  2. Define server configurations in JSON format:
    [
        {
            "name": "Production Server",
            "url": "https://mcp.prod.example",
            "api_key": "PROD_API_KEY"
        },
        {
            "name": "Staging Server",
            "url": "https://mcp.stage.example",
            "api_key": "STAGE_API_KEY"
        }
    ]
                
  3. Adjust optional parameters like NAME_PREFIX or CONNECTION_TIMEOUT in the settings panel
  4. Activate the connector using the toggle switch

Configured models will appear prefixed with your chosen identifier in the UI selector.

Use Cases for MCP Connector

Organizations leverage this tool in scenarios where:

  • Hybrid model deployments require centralized management across on-premises and cloud MCP instances
  • Developers need rapid testing across multiple model versions without environment reconfiguration
  • Real-time applications demand low-latency streaming responses from distributed servers
  • Enterprise security protocols mandate API key authentication for model access

MCP Connector for Open WebUI FAQ

FAQ from MCP Connector Implementation

Common Configuration Issues

Q: Models aren't appearing in the selection list
A: Verify server URLs are reachable, API keys are valid, and the MCP_SERVERS JSON syntax is correct

Q: Responses time out frequently
A: Increase CONNECTION_TIMEOUT settings and check server resource utilization

Advanced Troubleshooting

Enable debug logging: Toggle DEBUG_MODE to capture detailed API interaction traces

Custom prefix usage: Modify NAME_PREFIX to differentiate MCP models from native Open WebUI offerings

Version Control

All contributions follow MIT licensing terms. Community improvements should be submitted via Pull Requests to the official repository.

Content

MCP Connector for Open WebUI

A Pipe Function for Open WebUI that connects to MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers, allowing you to use MCP-compatible models directly within Open WebUI.

Features

  • 🌐 Connect to multiple MCP servers simultaneously
  • 🔑 Support for API key authentication
  • 🧠 Automatic model discovery from MCP servers
  • 🔄 Support for streaming responses
  • 🛡️ Robust error handling and timeout management
  • 🔍 Debug mode for troubleshooting

What is MCP?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is a protocol used for AI model interactions. It provides a standardized way to interact with various AI models, similar to the OpenAI API specification.

Installation

Method 1: Install from GitHub

pip install git+https://github.com/ivanuser/open-webui-mcp-connector.git

Method 2: Install through Open WebUI

  1. Navigate to Workspace > Functions in Open WebUI
  2. Click "Import Function"
  3. Enter the GitHub URL: https://github.com/ivanuser/open-webui-mcp-connector
  4. Click "Import"

Usage

Once installed, you'll need to configure your MCP servers:

  1. Navigate to Workspace > Functions in Open WebUI
  2. Find the "MCP Connector" function and click the edit (pencil) icon
  3. Configure your MCP servers in the "MCP_SERVERS" field using the JSON format:
[
    {
        "name": "MyMCP Server 1",
        "url": "https://mcp.example.com",
        "api_key": "your_api_key_here"
    },
    {
        "name": "MyMCP Server 2",
        "url": "https://another-mcp.example.com",
        "api_key": "another_api_key_here"
    }
]
  1. Click "Save"
  2. Enable the function by toggling the switch

After configuration, your MCP server models will appear in the model selection dropdown with the prefix "MCP/" (you can customize this prefix in the settings).

Configuration Options

Option Description Default
NAME_PREFIX Prefix added to model names in the UI "MCP/"
MCP_SERVERS JSON array of server configurations "[]"
CONNECTION_TIMEOUT Timeout in seconds for server connections 30
DEBUG_MODE Enable detailed debug logging false

Server Configuration Format

Each server in the MCP_SERVERS array should have the following format:

{
    "name": "Display Name",
    "url": "https://server-url.example.com",
    "api_key": "optional_api_key"
}
  • name: A user-friendly name for the server (will appear in the UI)
  • url: The base URL of the MCP server (e.g., "https://mcp.example.com")
  • api_key: Optional API key for authentication

Troubleshooting

DNS Resolution Issues

If you encounter errors like "No address associated with hostname", check:

  1. The server URL is correct
  2. Your network can reach the server
  3. DNS resolution is working properly

Connection Timeouts

If connections are timing out:

  1. Increase the CONNECTION_TIMEOUT value
  2. Check if the server is under high load
  3. Verify network connectivity

Enable Debug Mode

For detailed logging, enable DEBUG_MODE in the function settings.

License

MIT License - See LICENSE file for details.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

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