# How to integrate Exa MCP with Pydantic AI ```json { "title": "How to integrate Exa MCP with Pydantic AI", "toolkit": "Exa", "toolkit_slug": "exa", "framework": "Pydantic AI", "framework_slug": "pydantic-ai", "url": "https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/pydantic-ai", "markdown_url": "https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/pydantic-ai.md", "updated_at": "2026-05-06T08:11:01.203Z" } ``` ## Introduction This guide walks you through connecting Exa to Pydantic AI using the Composio tool router. By the end, you'll have a working Exa agent that can summarize recent news articles on ai safety, find similar research papers to this url, create a webset for quarterly sales data through natural language commands. This guide will help you understand how to give your Pydantic AI agent real control over a Exa account through Composio's Exa MCP server. Before we dive in, let's take a quick look at the key ideas and tools involved. ## Also integrate Exa with - [OpenAI Agents SDK](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/open-ai-agents-sdk) - [Claude Agent SDK](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/claude-agents-sdk) - [Claude Code](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/claude-code) - [Claude Cowork](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/claude-cowork) - [Codex](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/codex) - [OpenClaw](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/openclaw) - [Hermes](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/hermes-agent) - [CLI](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/cli) - [Google ADK](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/google-adk) - [LangChain](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/langchain) - [Vercel AI SDK](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/ai-sdk) - [Mastra AI](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/mastra-ai) - [LlamaIndex](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/llama-index) - [CrewAI](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/crew-ai) ## TL;DR Here's what you'll learn: - How to set up your Composio API key and User ID - How to create a Composio Tool Router session for Exa - How to attach an MCP Server to a Pydantic AI agent - How to stream responses and maintain chat history - How to build a simple REPL-style chat interface to test your Exa workflows ## What is Pydantic AI? Pydantic AI is a Python framework for building AI agents with strong typing and validation. It leverages Pydantic's data validation capabilities to create robust, type-safe AI applications. Key features include: - Type Safety: Built on Pydantic for automatic data validation - MCP Support: Native support for Model Context Protocol servers - Streaming: Built-in support for streaming responses - Async First: Designed for async/await patterns ## What is the Exa MCP server, and what's possible with it? The Exa MCP server is an implementation of the Model Context Protocol that connects your AI agent and assistants like Claude, Cursor, etc directly to your Exa account. It provides structured and secure access to your Exa data platform, so your agent can perform actions like extracting answers from web data, running semantic searches, managing imports, and automating monitoring across your datasets. - Citation-backed question answering: Have your agent generate direct, source-cited answers or detailed summaries for your research questions using Exa’s advanced search. - Semantic similarity search: Quickly find web pages or documents that are semantically related to a given URL, complete with highlights or summaries for context. - Data import and webset management: Let your agent create, configure, or delete imports and websets to streamline data gathering and enrichment workflows. - Automated data monitoring: Schedule and manage monitors for websets to keep your data fresh and up-to-date with minimal manual intervention. - Event tracking and retrieval: Access a full history of system events or fetch details for specific events to stay on top of activity within your Exa environment. ## Supported Tools | Tool slug | Name | Description | |---|---|---| | `EXA_ANSWER` | Generate an answer | Generates a direct, citation-backed answer to a clear natural language question or topic using exa's search, adept at both specific answers and detailed summaries for open-ended queries. | | `EXA_CREATE_IMPORT` | Create Import | Tool to create a new import to upload data into a webset. use when you need to initialize an import before uploading the data file. | | `EXA_CREATE_MONITOR` | Create a Monitor | Tool to create a new monitor. use when you need to schedule automated updates for a webset without manual runs. | | `EXA_CREATE_WEBSET` | Create Webset | Tool to create a new webset with search, import, and enrichment setup. use when you need to configure and seed a webset in one call. | | `EXA_DELETE_IMPORT` | Delete import | Tool to delete an existing import. use when you need to permanently remove an import by its id. | | `EXA_DELETE_WEBSET` | Delete webset | Tool to delete a webset. use after confirming the webset id to permanently remove the webset and all its items. | | `EXA_FIND_SIMILAR` | Find similar | Finds web pages semantically similar to a given url using embeddings-based search, optionally retrieving full text, highlights, or summaries for results. | | `EXA_GET_CONTENTS_ACTION` | Get contents from URLs or document IDs | Retrieves configurable text and highlights from a list of exa document ids or publicly accessible urls. | | `EXA_GET_EVENT` | Get Event | Tool to get details of a specific event by its id. use when you have an event id and need its full details. | | `EXA_LIST_EVENTS` | List events | Tool to list all events that have occurred in the system. use when you need to paginate through the event history. | | `EXA_LIST_IMPORTS` | List imports | Tool to list all imports for the webset. use when you need to paginate through and monitor import jobs. | | `EXA_LIST_WEBHOOKS` | List webhooks | Tool to list all webhooks for websets. use when you need to view existing webhooks and paginate through results. | | `EXA_SEARCH` | Search | Performs a web search using the exa engine, useful for queries requiring advanced filtering, specific content categories, or ai-optimized prompting. | | `EXA_UPDATE_IMPORT` | Update import | Tool to update an import configuration by id. use when you need to modify an import's title or metadata. | ## Supported Triggers None listed. ## Creating MCP Server - Stand-alone vs Composio SDK The Exa MCP server is an implementation of the Model Context Protocol that connects your AI agent to Exa. It provides structured and secure access so your agent can perform Exa operations on your behalf through a secure, permission-based interface. With Composio's managed implementation, you don't have to create your own developer app. For production, if you're building an end product, we recommend using your own credentials. The managed server helps you prototype fast and go from 0-1 faster. ## Step-by-step Guide ### 1. Prerequisites Before starting, make sure you have: - Python 3.9 or higher - A Composio account with an active API key - Basic familiarity with Python and async programming ### 1. Getting API Keys for OpenAI and Composio OpenAI API Key - Go to the [OpenAI dashboard](https://platform.openai.com/settings/organization/api-keys) and create an API key. You'll need credits to use the models, or you can connect to another model provider. - Keep the API key safe. Composio API Key - Log in to the [Composio dashboard](https://dashboard.composio.dev?utm_source=toolkits&utm_medium=framework_docs). - Navigate to your API settings and generate a new API key. - Store this key securely as you'll need it for authentication. ### 2. Install dependencies Install the required libraries. What's happening: - composio connects your agent to external SaaS tools like Exa - pydantic-ai lets you create structured AI agents with tool support - python-dotenv loads your environment variables securely from a .env file ```bash pip install composio pydantic-ai python-dotenv ``` ### 3. Set up environment variables Create a .env file in your project root. What's happening: - COMPOSIO_API_KEY authenticates your agent to Composio's API - USER_ID associates your session with your account for secure tool access - OPENAI_API_KEY to access OpenAI LLMs ```bash COMPOSIO_API_KEY=your_composio_api_key_here USER_ID=your_user_id_here OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key ``` ### 4. Import dependencies What's happening: - We load environment variables and import required modules - Composio manages connections to Exa - MCPServerStreamableHTTP connects to the Exa MCP server endpoint - Agent from Pydantic AI lets you define and run the AI assistant ```python import asyncio import os from dotenv import load_dotenv from composio import Composio from pydantic_ai import Agent from pydantic_ai.mcp import MCPServerStreamableHTTP load_dotenv() ``` ### 5. Create a Tool Router Session What's happening: - We're creating a Tool Router session that gives your agent access to Exa tools - The create method takes the user ID and specifies which toolkits should be available - The returned session.mcp.url is the MCP server URL that your agent will use ```python async def main(): api_key = os.getenv("COMPOSIO_API_KEY") user_id = os.getenv("USER_ID") if not api_key or not user_id: raise RuntimeError("Set COMPOSIO_API_KEY and USER_ID in your environment") # Create a Composio Tool Router session for Exa composio = Composio(api_key=api_key) session = composio.create( user_id=user_id, toolkits=["exa"], ) url = session.mcp.url if not url: raise ValueError("Composio session did not return an MCP URL") ``` ### 6. Initialize the Pydantic AI Agent What's happening: - The MCP client connects to the Exa endpoint - The agent uses GPT-5 to interpret user commands and perform Exa operations - The instructions field defines the agent's role and behavior ```python # Attach the MCP server to a Pydantic AI Agent exa_mcp = MCPServerStreamableHTTP(url, headers={"x-api-key": COMPOSIO_API_KEY}) agent = Agent( "openai:gpt-5", toolsets=[exa_mcp], instructions=( "You are a Exa assistant. Use Exa tools to help users " "with their requests. Ask clarifying questions when needed." ), ) ``` ### 7. Build the chat interface What's happening: - The agent reads input from the terminal and streams its response - Exa API calls happen automatically under the hood - The model keeps conversation history to maintain context across turns ```python # Simple REPL with message history history = [] print("Chat started! Type 'exit' or 'quit' to end.\n") print("Try asking the agent to help you with Exa.\n") while True: user_input = input("You: ").strip() if user_input.lower() in {"exit", "quit", "bye"}: print("\nGoodbye!") break if not user_input: continue print("\nAgent is thinking...\n", flush=True) async with agent.run_stream(user_input, message_history=history) as stream_result: collected_text = "" async for chunk in stream_result.stream_output(): text_piece = None if isinstance(chunk, str): text_piece = chunk elif hasattr(chunk, "delta") and isinstance(chunk.delta, str): text_piece = chunk.delta elif hasattr(chunk, "text"): text_piece = chunk.text if text_piece: collected_text += text_piece result = stream_result print(f"Agent: {collected_text}\n") history = result.all_messages() ``` ### 8. Run the application What's happening: - The asyncio loop launches the agent and keeps it running until you exit ```python if __name__ == "__main__": asyncio.run(main()) ``` ## Complete Code ```python import asyncio import os from dotenv import load_dotenv from composio import Composio from pydantic_ai import Agent from pydantic_ai.mcp import MCPServerStreamableHTTP load_dotenv() async def main(): api_key = os.getenv("COMPOSIO_API_KEY") user_id = os.getenv("USER_ID") if not api_key or not user_id: raise RuntimeError("Set COMPOSIO_API_KEY and USER_ID in your environment") # Create a Composio Tool Router session for Exa composio = Composio(api_key=api_key) session = composio.create( user_id=user_id, toolkits=["exa"], ) url = session.mcp.url if not url: raise ValueError("Composio session did not return an MCP URL") # Attach the MCP server to a Pydantic AI Agent exa_mcp = MCPServerStreamableHTTP(url, headers={"x-api-key": COMPOSIO_API_KEY}) agent = Agent( "openai:gpt-5", toolsets=[exa_mcp], instructions=( "You are a Exa assistant. Use Exa tools to help users " "with their requests. Ask clarifying questions when needed." ), ) # Simple REPL with message history history = [] print("Chat started! Type 'exit' or 'quit' to end.\n") print("Try asking the agent to help you with Exa.\n") while True: user_input = input("You: ").strip() if user_input.lower() in {"exit", "quit", "bye"}: print("\nGoodbye!") break if not user_input: continue print("\nAgent is thinking...\n", flush=True) async with agent.run_stream(user_input, message_history=history) as stream_result: collected_text = "" async for chunk in stream_result.stream_output(): text_piece = None if isinstance(chunk, str): text_piece = chunk elif hasattr(chunk, "delta") and isinstance(chunk.delta, str): text_piece = chunk.delta elif hasattr(chunk, "text"): text_piece = chunk.text if text_piece: collected_text += text_piece result = stream_result print(f"Agent: {collected_text}\n") history = result.all_messages() if __name__ == "__main__": asyncio.run(main()) ``` ## Conclusion You've built a Pydantic AI agent that can interact with Exa through Composio's Tool Router. With this setup, your agent can perform real Exa actions through natural language. You can extend this further by: - Adding other toolkits like Gmail, HubSpot, or Salesforce - Building a web-based chat interface around this agent - Using multiple MCP endpoints to enable cross-app workflows (for example, Gmail + Exa for workflow automation) This architecture makes your AI agent "agent-native", able to securely use APIs in a unified, composable way without custom integrations. ## How to build Exa MCP Agent with another framework - [OpenAI Agents SDK](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/open-ai-agents-sdk) - [Claude Agent SDK](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/claude-agents-sdk) - [Claude Code](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/claude-code) - [Claude Cowork](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/claude-cowork) - [Codex](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/codex) - [OpenClaw](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/openclaw) - [Hermes](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/hermes-agent) - [CLI](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/cli) - [Google ADK](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/google-adk) - [LangChain](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/langchain) - [Vercel AI SDK](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/ai-sdk) - [Mastra AI](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/mastra-ai) - [LlamaIndex](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/llama-index) - [CrewAI](https://composio.dev/toolkits/exa/framework/crew-ai) ## Related Toolkits - [Firecrawl](https://composio.dev/toolkits/firecrawl) - Firecrawl automates large-scale web crawling and data extraction. It helps organizations efficiently gather, index, and analyze content from online sources. - [Tavily](https://composio.dev/toolkits/tavily) - Tavily offers powerful search and data retrieval from documents, databases, and the web. It helps teams locate and filter information instantly, saving hours on research. - [Serpapi](https://composio.dev/toolkits/serpapi) - SerpApi is a real-time API for structured search engine results. It lets you automate SERP data collection, parsing, and analysis for SEO and research. - [Peopledatalabs](https://composio.dev/toolkits/peopledatalabs) - Peopledatalabs delivers B2B data enrichment and identity resolution APIs. Supercharge your apps with accurate, up-to-date business and contact data. - [Snowflake](https://composio.dev/toolkits/snowflake) - Snowflake is a cloud data warehouse built for elastic scaling, secure data sharing, and fast SQL analytics across major clouds. - [Posthog](https://composio.dev/toolkits/posthog) - PostHog is an open-source analytics platform for tracking user interactions and product metrics. It helps teams refine features, analyze funnels, and reduce churn with actionable insights. - [Amplitude](https://composio.dev/toolkits/amplitude) - Amplitude is a digital analytics platform for product and behavioral data insights. It helps teams analyze user journeys and make data-driven decisions quickly. - [Bright Data MCP](https://composio.dev/toolkits/brightdata_mcp) - Bright Data MCP is an AI-powered web scraping and data collection platform. Instantly access public web data in real time with advanced scraping tools. - [Browseai](https://composio.dev/toolkits/browseai) - Browseai is a web automation and data extraction platform that turns any website into an API. It's perfect for monitoring websites and retrieving structured data without manual scraping. - [ClickHouse](https://composio.dev/toolkits/clickhouse) - ClickHouse is an open-source, column-oriented database for real-time analytics and big data processing using SQL. Its lightning-fast query performance makes it ideal for handling large datasets and delivering instant insights. - [Coinmarketcal](https://composio.dev/toolkits/coinmarketcal) - CoinMarketCal is a community-powered crypto calendar for upcoming events, announcements, and releases. It helps traders track market-moving developments and stay ahead in the crypto space. - [Control d](https://composio.dev/toolkits/control_d) - Control d is a customizable DNS filtering and traffic redirection platform. It helps you manage internet access, enforce policies, and monitor usage across devices and networks. - [Databox](https://composio.dev/toolkits/databox) - Databox is a business analytics platform that connects your data from any tool and device. It helps you track KPIs, build dashboards, and discover actionable insights. - [Databricks](https://composio.dev/toolkits/databricks) - Databricks is a unified analytics platform for big data and AI on the lakehouse architecture. It empowers data teams to collaborate, analyze, and build scalable solutions efficiently. - [Datagma](https://composio.dev/toolkits/datagma) - Datagma delivers data intelligence and analytics for business growth and market discovery. Get actionable market insights and track competitors to inform your strategy. - [Delighted](https://composio.dev/toolkits/delighted) - Delighted is a customer feedback platform based on the Net Promoter System®. It helps you quickly gather, track, and act on customer sentiment. - [Dovetail](https://composio.dev/toolkits/dovetail) - Dovetail is a research analysis platform for transcript review and insight generation. It helps teams code interviews, analyze feedback, and create actionable research summaries. - [Dub](https://composio.dev/toolkits/dub) - Dub is a short link management platform with analytics and API access. Use it to easily create, manage, and track branded short links for your business. - [Elasticsearch](https://composio.dev/toolkits/elasticsearch) - Elasticsearch is a distributed, RESTful search and analytics engine for all types of data. It delivers fast, scalable search and powerful analytics across massive datasets. - [Fireflies](https://composio.dev/toolkits/fireflies) - Fireflies.ai is an AI-powered meeting assistant that records, transcribes, and analyzes voice conversations. It helps teams capture call notes automatically and search or summarize meetings effortlessly. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What are the differences in Tool Router MCP and Exa MCP? With a standalone Exa MCP server, the agents and LLMs can only access a fixed set of Exa tools tied to that server. However, with the Composio Tool Router, agents can dynamically load tools from Exa and many other apps based on the task at hand, all through a single MCP endpoint. ### Can I use Tool Router MCP with Pydantic AI? Yes, you can. Pydantic AI fully supports MCP integration. You get structured tool calling, message history handling, and model orchestration while Tool Router takes care of discovering and serving the right Exa tools. ### Can I manage the permissions and scopes for Exa while using Tool Router? Yes, absolutely. You can configure which Exa scopes and actions are allowed when connecting your account to Composio. You can also bring your own OAuth credentials or API configuration so you keep full control over what the agent can do. ### How safe is my data with Composio Tool Router? All sensitive data such as tokens, keys, and configuration is fully encrypted at rest and in transit. Composio is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant and follows strict security practices so your Exa data and credentials are handled as safely as possible. --- [See all toolkits](https://composio.dev/toolkits) · [Composio docs](https://docs.composio.dev/llms.txt)