LinkedInMCP: Revolutionizing LinkedIn API Interactions

🚀 Comprehensive Setup Guide

Prerequisites

Node.js 16+
LinkedIn Developer Account
MCP-Compatible LLM (Claude, OpenAI, etc.)

1. LinkedIn Developer Setup

Go to LinkedIn Developer Portal
Create a new application
Obtain Client ID and Client Secret

Important: For detailed instructions on obtaining access tokens and authentication for LinkedIn API, refer to the official documentation: Getting Access to LinkedIn API

2. Project Installation

git clone https://github.com/Dishant27/linkedin-mcp-server.git
cd linkedin-mcp-server
npm install

3. Configuration Files

`.env` File

Create a .env file in the project root:

LINKEDIN_CLIENT_ID=your_client_id_here
LINKEDIN_CLIENT_SECRET=your_client_secret_here

`claude_desktop_config.json` (for Claude Desktop)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "linkedin": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/linkedin-mcp-server/dist/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "LINKEDIN_CLIENT_ID": "your_client_id",
        "LINKEDIN_CLIENT_SECRET": "your_client_secret"
      }
    }
  }
}

4. LLM Configuration Example

Claude.ai / Claude Desktop MCP Integration

{
  "tools": [
    {
      "name": "search-people",
      "description": "Search for LinkedIn profiles",
      "parameters": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
          "keywords": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Keywords to search for in profiles"
          },
          "currentCompany": {
            "type": "array",
            "items": {"type": "string"},
            "description": "Filter by current company"
          },
          "industries": {
            "type": "array",
            "items": {"type": "string"},
            "description": "Filter by industries"
          },
          "location": {
            "type": "string", 
            "description": "Filter by location"
          }
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "get-profile",
      "description": "Retrieve detailed LinkedIn profile information",
      "parameters": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
          "publicId": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Public ID of the LinkedIn profile"
          },
          "urnId": {
            "type": "string", 
            "description": "URN ID of the LinkedIn profile"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

5. Typical Workflow

Start the MCP Server:

npm run build
npm start

Example LLM Interactions:

> Find software engineers in San Francisco working at tech companies

# The LLM will use the search-people tool to:
# 1. Search LinkedIn profiles
# 2. Filter by location (San Francisco)
# 3. Filter by industry (Technology)
# 4. Return relevant profile details

📖 Learn More

Check out the detailed article explaining the concept and implementation:

LinkedIn MCP Server for LLMs

🚀 Project Background

LinkedInMCP is an innovative Model Context Protocol (MCP) server designed to transform how developers interact with LinkedIn's API. Born from the need for more flexible and powerful LinkedIn data integration, this project provides a robust, extensible framework for advanced LinkedIn data retrieval and interaction.

🌟 Project Vision

Recognizing the limitations of traditional LinkedIn API approaches, this solution creates a more intelligent, context-aware method of working with professional network data.

✨ Key Innovations

Intelligent Context Management: Leverage MCP's advanced context handling
Secure, Typed Interactions: Type-safe LinkedIn API interactions
Extensible Architecture: Easy to expand and customize
Standardized Protocol: Follows Model Context Protocol specifications

🛠️ Technologies

TypeScript
Model Context Protocol
LinkedIn API
OAuth 2.0
Zod for Type Validation
Axios for HTTP Requests

🔍 Core Capabilities

Advanced People Search
Detailed Profile Retrieval
Job Market Intelligence
Messaging Capabilities
Secure Authentication Workflow

💼 Enterprise Use Cases

LinkedInMCP enables powerful applications for business settings:

Talent Acquisition

Candidate Sourcing: Find qualified candidates matching specific skill and experience criteria
Talent Pool Analysis: Map talent distribution across industries and geographies
Outreach Automation: Streamline initial contact with potential candidates
Competitive Intelligence: Understand recruitment patterns at competitor organizations

Sales & Business Development

Lead Generation: Identify decision-makers at target companies
Account-Based Marketing: Build comprehensive profiles of key accounts
Relationship Mapping: Visualize connection networks within organizations
Market Penetration Analysis: Track industry adoption of products or services

Market Research

Industry Trends: Monitor employment shifts across sectors
Skill Demand Analysis: Track emerging skills and technologies
Organizational Structure Insights: Map reporting relationships and team compositions
Geographic Movement Patterns: Understand talent migration between regions

Integration Capabilities

CRM Synchronization: Update contact data from LinkedIn to CRM systems
ATS Enhancement: Enrich applicant tracking systems with LinkedIn data
Business Intelligence Tools: Feed LinkedIn data to dashboards and analytics platforms
Custom Workflow Integration: Add LinkedIn capabilities to internal tools via API

🔒 Security Framework

The comprehensive security model of LinkedInMCP implements multiple layers of protection:

Authentication Security

OAuth 2.0 Implementation: Industry-standard token-based authentication
Token Refresh Management: Automated handling of token expiration
Credential Isolation: Environment-based secret management
Rate Limiting: Protection against excessive API requests

Data Security

End-to-End Encryption: Secure data transmission
Minimal Data Storage: Processing data without persistent storage
Selective Information Return: Only returning requested data fields
Automatic Data Sanitization: Preventing injection vulnerabilities

Compliance Features

GDPR Adherence: Configurable data handling for European compliance
API Terms Enforcement: Built-in LinkedIn API usage policy compliance
Audit Logging: Comprehensive activity tracking for compliance reporting
Data Governance Tools: Simplifying regulatory compliance management

📦 Generated Project Structure

linkedin-mcp-server/
│
├── src/
│   ├── index.ts         # Main server entry point
│   ├── auth.ts          # LinkedIn authentication handler
│   └── client.ts        # LinkedIn API interaction client
│
├── dist/                # Compiled JavaScript files
│   ├── index.js
│   ├── auth.js
│   └── client.js
│
├── .env                 # Secret environment variables
├── .env.example         # Template for environment variables
├── package.json         # Project dependencies and scripts
├── tsconfig.json        # TypeScript configuration
└── README.md            # Project documentation

🤝 Contributing

Inspired by the project? Contributions are welcome!

Fork the repository
Create your feature branch
Commit your changes
Push to the branch
Open a Pull Request

📄 License

Distributed under the MIT License.

Disclaimer: This project is an independent innovation and is not officially affiliated with LinkedIn or Microsoft.