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dorukardahan
dorukardahan

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I Built an MCP Server to Check Domain Availability from AI Assistants

#opensource #webdev #typescript #ai

Update (Dec 27): v1.2.1 now features dual-source AI suggestions --- combines our semantic engine with GoDaddy's AI to generate smarter domain names. Also: reliable Twitter handle detection via oembed API, intelligent caching, and comprehensive rate-limiting docs.

Last week, I was brainstorming names for a new side project with Claude. Every time I came up with a name, I had to:

  1. Leave the AI assistant
  2. Open Namecheap/Porkbun
  3. Search the domain
  4. Go back
  5. Report the result
  6. Repeat 50 times

This was frustrating. So I built a solution.

Introducing Domain Search MCP

Domain Search MCP is an open-source MCP server that gives AI assistants the ability to check domain availability in real-time.

Now my workflow is:

Me: "Is vibecoding.com available?"

AI: "vibecoding.com is available at $9.73/year on Porkbun"

What is MCP?

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is Anthropic's open standard for connecting AI assistants to external tools. Think of it as USB-C for AI --- a universal interface that lets any compatible AI assistant use any compatible tool.

Before MCP, if you wanted Claude to check domains, you'd need custom integrations. With MCP, you install the server once and it works everywhere: Claude Code, Codex, VS Code, Cursor, Cline, and any other MCP-compatible client.

The protocol handles:

  • Tool discovery: AI learns what tools are available
  • Schema validation: Ensures correct parameters
  • Secure execution: Tools run locally on your machine
  • Streaming results: Real-time feedback during operations

Features

1. Multi-Source Search (5 Sources)

  • Porkbun (with pricing)
  • Namecheap (with pricing)
  • GoDaddy (via MCP - no API key needed!)
  • RDAP (free, 50+ TLDs)
  • WHOIS (fallback)

2. Social Handle Checking

Check availability across 10 platforms: GitHub, npm, PyPI, Twitter (now with reliable oembed detection!), Reddit, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and ProductHunt.

Results are cached intelligently --- taken names for 24h, available for 1h.

3. Premium Domain Analysis 

ai.io is $5000 (125x standard pricing)

Why: Two-character domain, Popular keyword, High-demand TLD
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4. Dual-Source Smart Suggestions (New in v1.2.1)

suggest_domains_smart combines two AI engines:

  • Semantic Engine: Word segmentation, synonyms, industry vocabulary, portmanteau generation
  • GoDaddy AI: Context-aware suggestions that are pre-verified for availability

Domains found in both sources get boosted scores. Just describe your project:

Me: "Suggest domains for an AI code review tool"

AI: Returns 15 brandable options, already checked for availability

Quick Start 

npx -y domain-search-mcp
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Works with any MCP-compatible client: Claude Code, Codex, VS Code, Cursor, Cline, and more.

What's New in v1.2.1

Feature What it does
Dual-Source AI Smart suggestions from semantic engine + GoDaddy AI
Twitter Fix Reliable oembed API detection (no more false positives)
Smart Caching Taken: 24h, Available: 1h, Errors: 5min
Rate Limiting Automatic 429 handling with exponential backoff
Better Docs WHOIS/RDAP optimization guide + workflow examples

GitHub: https://github.com/dorukardahan/domain-search-mcp

If this helped you, consider giving it a ⭐ on GitHub!

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