How-To Guides

Practical techniques for using Context7 effectively.

Quick Wins

• Auto-invoke Context7 so you never forget to pull fresh docs
• Target the exact library ID to skip search steps
• Tune networking and proxies for locked-down environments
• Control token usage to keep responses snappy
• Bring in private repositories for internal docs

Auto-Invoke Context7

Stop adding use context7 to every prompt by setting up an automatic rule.

Add a Rule to Your MCP Client

Cursor

1. Open Cursor Settings → Rules
2. Add this rule:

Always use context7 when I need code generation, setup steps, or library documentation.
Automatically use Context7 MCP tools without me having to ask.

Windsurf

Create or edit .windsurfrules in your project root:

Use context7 for all code generation and API documentation questions.

Claude Code

Create or edit CLAUDE.md in your project root:

Automatically use context7 for code generation and library documentation.

Customize the rule for your workflow. Examples: “Auto-invoke only for Next.js questions” or “Use context7 when the prompt mentions ‘API’ or ‘documentation’.”

Use Specific Library IDs

Skip the search step and get documentation instantly by specifying exact library IDs.

How to Find Library IDs

1. Visit context7.com
2. Search for your library
3. The ID is shown in the format /owner/repository

Use in Your Prompts

Implement JWT auth with Supabase. use library /supabase/supabase

Build a rate limiter. use library /upstash/ratelimit

Set up Next.js middleware. use library /vercel/next.js/v15.1.0

You can even specify versions: /owner/repo/v1.0.0

Benefits

• Faster: No library resolution needed
• Precise: Get docs for the exact library and version
• Reliable: No ambiguity about which library to use

Configure HTTPS Proxy

If you’re behind a corporate proxy, configure Context7 to route through it.

Set Environment Variables

Linux/macOS

export https_proxy=http://proxy.example.com:8080
export HTTPS_PROXY=http://proxy.example.com:8080

With authentication:

export https_proxy=http://username:[e-mail]:8080

Windows (Command Prompt)

set https_proxy=http://proxy.example.com:8080
set HTTPS_PROXY=http://proxy.example.com:8080

With authentication:

set https_proxy=http://username:[e-mail]:8080

Windows (PowerShell)

$env:https_proxy = "http://proxy.example.com:8080"
$env:HTTPS_PROXY = "http://proxy.example.com:8080"

Or Configure in MCP Settings

Add proxy directly to your MCP configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "context7": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@upstash/context7-mcp", "--api-key", "YOUR_API_KEY"],
      "env": {
        "https_proxy": "http://proxy.example.com:8080",
        "HTTPS_PROXY": "http://proxy.example.com:8080"
      }
    }
  }
}

Both lowercase and uppercase environment variables are supported.

After updating proxy settings, run curl https://mcp.context7.com/mcp/ping to confirm outbound connectivity before restarting your IDE.

Control Token Usage

Manage documentation size to control costs and response times.

Set Token Limits in Dashboard

1. Go to Dashboard → Libraries
2. Set “Maximum tokens per request”
3. Default is 10,000, adjust based on your needs

Use Topic Filtering

Focus documentation on specific topics:

Explain Next.js middleware authentication patterns. use context7

Context7 automatically extracts “authentication” as a topic and ranks relevant docs higher.

Direct API Usage

When using the API directly, specify tokens:

curl "https://context7.com/api/v1/vercel/next.js?tokens=3000&topic=routing" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Lower token counts result in faster responses and lower costs.

Work with Private Repositories

Access your private documentation with Context7 Pro.

Requirements

• Pro plan ($7/seat/month)
• GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket account connection
• Repository access permissions

Add a Private Repository

1. Go to Dashboard → Libraries → Private Repositories
2. Click Add Private Repository
3. Choose your source:
   • Connect Repository: Link your GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket account
   • Upload OpenAPI Docs: Upload your own OpenAPI documentation
4. Enter repository URL (if connecting a repository)
5. Authorize Context7 to access your repository
6. Configure folders and exclusions (optional)
7. Submit

Cost

• Adding: $15 per 1M tokens parsed (one-time)
• Refreshing: Only pay for new/changed content
• Querying: Free (covered by seat cost)

See Plans & Pricing for examples.

Set Up Team Collaboration

Share Context7 access with your team.

Create a Team Project

1. Visit Dashboard
2. Click Create Team Project
3. Name your project

Invite Team Members

1. Go to Dashboard → Members
2. Click Invite Member
3. Enter their email and select a role:
   • Owner: Full control
   • Admin: Manage team and settings
   • Developer: API access only

Members will receive an email invitation.

Manage API Keys

Each team member gets their own API key with independent rate limits (60 req/hour per member).

You can regenerate keys from the Members tab if compromised.

Visit the Dashboard for team management details.

Refresh Library Documentation

Keep your documentation up to date.

Web Interface

1. Go to context7.com/refresh-library
2. Enter library ID (e.g., /vercel/next.js)
3. Submit

API

POST https://context7.com/api/v1/refresh
Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

{
  "docsRepoUrl": "https://github.com/vercel/next.js"
}

When to Refresh

• After major version releases
• When documentation is updated
• When you notice outdated information

For private repos, you only pay for new/changed content during refresh.

Monitor Usage

Track your Context7 usage and costs.

View Statistics

Go to Dashboard → Overview to see:

• Search requests: Library searches
• Query/fetch requests: Documentation retrievals
• Query tokens: Tokens returned in responses
• Parsing tokens: Tokens processed when adding/refreshing

Stats reflect usage from the last 30 days.

Understand Costs

Free Plan: Always $0

Pro Plan:

• Seats: $7/month × team members
• Parse tokens: $15 per 1M tokens (private repos only)

Example:

• 4 team members: $28/month
• Added 800K token private repo: $12 one-time
• Monthly total: $40

Visit the Dashboard to monitor your usage and costs.

Best Practices

Security

• Never commit API keys to version control. Use .env files and add them to .gitignore.
• Use environment variables for keys, like: export CONTEXT7_API_KEY=your_key_here.
• Rotate keys regularly — every 90 days or immediately if compromised.
• Grant only the permissions a team member needs. Use the “Developer” role for non-admins.

See Security for comprehensive security guidelines.

Performance

• Use specific library IDs such as /vercel/next.js instead of general phrases like “next.js docs” when possible.
• Set appropriate token limits — use lower values for quick lookups, and higher values for comprehensive docs.
• Focus results using topic filtering. Try adding specific topics like “authentication” or “routing”.
• Cache frequently used documentation locally for 6-24 hours to reduce API calls.

Library Management

• Keep the context7.json file in your repositories up to date. Update it when adding new docs or changing structure.
• Exclude unnecessary folders, such as tests and build artifacts: excludeFolders: ["test", "dist", "node_modules"].
• Add helpful rules for AI agents, such as “Always validate user input” or “Use TypeScript strict mode”.
• Maintain version tags for important releases. For example, keep v1.x docs available even after releasing v2.x.

See Library Owners for configuration details.

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