How to use Context7 for documentation

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# How to use Context7 for documentation

This guide shows how to use the Context7 MCP server to search and query technical documentation.

## Prerequisites
- MCP enabled in mini-me
- A valid Context7 API key: `CONTEXT7_API_KEY`
- Context7 server configured in your configuration file

## Steps

### 1. Get a Library ID

Before you can query documentation, you must obtain a **Context7 Library ID**.

Use the `context7_resolve_library_id` tool with two required parameters:
- `query` : What you're looking for (e.g., "React hooks")
- `libraryName` : The library name (e.g., "react")

**Example query:**
```
"I want to understand how useEffect works in React"
```

The model should call:
```
context7_resolve_library_id(query="useEffect React", libraryName="react")
```

**Expected result:** A library ID in the format `/org/project` (e.g., `/facebook/react`)

### 2. Query the documentation

Once you have the library ID, use `context7_query_docs` with:
- `libraryId` : The ID obtained in step 1 (e.g., `/facebook/react`)
- `query` : Your specific question (e.g., "useEffect cleanup function")

**Example query:**
```
"How to clean up a useEffect in React?"
```

The model should call:
```
context7_query_docs(libraryId="/facebook/react", query="useEffect cleanup")
```

## Common Use Cases

| Need | Example Query | Tools Used |
|------|---------------|------------|
| Understand a library | "Explain how Redux works" | resolve-library-id, query-docs |
| Find examples | "Show me useState examples" | resolve-library-id, query-docs |
| Solve a problem | "Why does my useEffect run multiple times?" | resolve-library-id, query-docs |
| Explore an API | "What methods are available in axios?" | resolve-library-id, query-docs |

## Variants

- **If you already know the library ID**: You can directly call `context7_query_docs` without using `resolve-library-id`
- **For multiple libraries**: Call `resolve-library-id` for each library, then `query-docs` for each one

## Limitations

- Maximum **3 calls** to `resolve-library-id` per question
- Maximum **3 calls** to `query-docs` per question
- Results depend on the library coverage in Context7's database

## See Also
- Tools reference: [Available Tools](../reference/available-tools.md)
- Why Context7: [Design Decisions](../explanation/decisions.md#context7)