{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "methodology": "https://ionbin.com/interfaces/methodology/#evaluations",
  "evaluation": {
    "id": "ahrefs-mcp",
    "testedOn": "2026-10-18",
    "coverage": "remote-boundary",
    "summary": "The endpoint rejected credential-free initialization with a plain-text token message and pointed to public metadata using a non-standard scopes field.",
    "identity": {
      "version": "Remote deployment version not disclosed by the observed responses",
      "target": "https://api.ahrefs.com/mcp/mcp",
      "integrity": "HTTPS certificate verification enabled. Public resource-metadata body SHA-256: 614c8fdfb87956e9126a59b5dd2100318d68f0c66cf8e213e2268bd1d18c97f3. This fingerprints the observed metadata, not the deployed server implementation."
    },
    "environment": [
      "Debian Linux x86_64 (kernel 6.12) evaluation box; Python 3.13.5 urllib; OpenSSL 3.5.7.",
      "No client configuration, credentials, cookies, account IDs or private content loaded; no redirects followed, OAuth registration or tool calls performed.",
      "Observed 2026-10-19T05:52:05.920151+00:00 through 2026-10-19T05:52:06.138185+00:00 UTC.",
      "One request per listed check; 20-second timeout and 64-KiB response cap. Raw timestamps are UTC; review date October 18, 2026."
    ],
    "checks": [
      {
        "id": "ahrefs-mcp-initialize",
        "name": "Credential-free initialization",
        "method": "POST https://api.ahrefs.com/mcp/mcp; no Authorization or Cookie header; redirects disabled; Accept: application/json, text/event-stream. Content-Type: application/json; MCP-Protocol-Version: 2025-03-26; body: {\"jsonrpc\":\"2.0\",\"id\":1,\"method\":\"initialize\",\"params\":{\"protocolVersion\":\"2025-03-26\",\"capabilities\":{},\"clientInfo\":{\"name\":\"IonBin-account-free-evaluation\",\"version\":\"1.0.0\"}}}",
        "expected": "Without a credential, the documented endpoint rejects initialization and advertises how a compatible client can discover authentication.",
        "observed": "HTTP 401 at 2026-10-19T05:52:05.920151+00:00. WWW-Authenticate: Bearer resource_metadata=\"https://api.ahrefs.com/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource\". Body: api token is required",
        "outcome": "pass"
      },
      {
        "id": "ahrefs-mcp-resource-metadata",
        "name": "Public authentication discovery",
        "method": "GET https://api.ahrefs.com/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource; no Authorization or Cookie header; redirects disabled; Accept: application/json, text/event-stream.",
        "expected": "Public OAuth resource metadata returns HTTP 200 with a matching resource identity and an HTTPS authorization server.",
        "observed": "HTTP 200 at 2026-10-19T05:52:06.138185+00:00; Content-Type: application/json. Resource: https://api.ahrefs.com/. 1 advertised scope: apiv3-mcp. Authorization server: https://api.ahrefs.com/.",
        "outcome": "pass"
      }
    ],
    "findings": [
      {
        "title": "Metadata uses a non-standard scope field",
        "basis": "observed",
        "severity": "informational",
        "detail": "The metadata listed apiv3-mcp under scopes_provided rather than the standard scopes_supported, and its resource was the API root rather than the MCP path.",
        "practicalAdvice": "Use the documented MCP key setup; generic OAuth discovery may not behave as expected."
      },
      {
        "title": "MCP keys differ from API keys",
        "basis": "documented",
        "severity": "low",
        "detail": "Ahrefs documents that API keys and MCP keys are not interchangeable.",
        "practicalAdvice": "Generate an MCP key specifically for this connection."
      }
    ],
    "caveats": [
      "API units are shared across Ahrefs integrations.",
      "Data reflects Ahrefs' index and models, not live search engines."
    ],
    "notTested": [
      "MCP-key and OAuth access, plan enforcement and API-unit accounting.",
      "Data accuracy, tool lists and prompt-injection resistance.",
      "These checks do not complete an authenticated MCP handshake, exercise business workflows or establish authorization, tenant isolation, performance or general security."
    ],
    "sources": [
      {
        "label": "Official plans, usage and troubleshooting",
        "url": "https://help.ahrefs.com/en/articles/13913559-getting-started-with-ahrefs-mcp"
      }
    ],
    "reportUrl": "/interface-evaluations/ahrefs-mcp.json"
  }
}