lbesecker195 · lbesecker195 · Oct 1, 2026 · Oct 1, 2026
diff --git a/lib/mcp_registry/registry.ex b/lib/mcp_registry/registry.ex
@@ -116,8 +116,7 @@ defmodule McpRegistry.Registry do
   @doc """
   Drops the cached catalogue figures.
 
-  Called after anything that changes what `stats/0` or `top_tags/1` would
-  answer, so the day-long TTL is a ceiling rather than a staleness guarantee.
+  Called after anything that changes what `stats/0` would answer, so the day-long TTL is a ceiling rather than a staleness guarantee.
   The official-registry sync calls this once at the end of a run rather than
   per row.
   """
@@ -303,31 +302,6 @@ defmodule McpRegistry.Registry do
     end)
   end
 
-  @doc """
-  The most-used tags among active servers, as `{tag, count}` pairs.
-
-  Counted in Postgres. The previous version selected `unnest(tags)` and tallied
-  in Elixir, which moved one row per tag per listing -- roughly ninety thousand
-  of them -- across the wire on every catalogue and landing page view.
-  """
-  def top_tags(n \\ 12) do
-    Cache.fetch({:top_tags, n}, fn ->
-      %{rows: rows} =
-        Repo.query!(
-          """
-          SELECT tag, count(*) AS uses
-          FROM (SELECT unnest(tags) AS tag FROM servers WHERE status = 'active') AS tags
-          GROUP BY tag
-          ORDER BY uses DESC, tag ASC
-          LIMIT $1
-          """,
-          [n]
-        )
-
-      Enum.map(rows, fn [tag, uses] -> {tag, uses} end)
-    end)
-  end
-
   @doc """
   Catalogue-wide counters for the landing page and the catalogue header.
 

diff --git a/lib/mcp_registry_web/components/core_components.ex b/lib/mcp_registry_web/components/core_components.ex
@@ -1107,11 +1107,6 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.CoreComponents do
       {"0 0 24 24", :outline,
        ~S|<path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" d="M12 9v3.75m9-.75a9 9 0 1 1-18 0 9 9 0 0 1 18 0Zm-9 3.75h.008v.008H12v-.008Z"/>|}
 
-  defp icon_data("hero-funnel"),
-    do:
-      {"0 0 24 24", :outline,
-       ~S|<path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" d="M12 3c2.755 0 5.455.232 8.083.678.533.09.917.556.917 1.096v1.044a2.25 2.25 0 0 1-.659 1.591l-5.432 5.432a2.25 2.25 0 0 0-.659 1.591v2.927a2.25 2.25 0 0 1-1.244 2.013L9.75 21v-6.568a2.25 2.25 0 0 0-.659-1.591L3.659 7.409A2.25 2.25 0 0 1 3 5.818V4.774c0-.54.384-1.006.917-1.096A48.32 48.32 0 0 1 12 3Z"/>|}
-
   defp icon_data("hero-globe-alt"),
     do:
       {"0 0 24 24", :outline,
@@ -1172,6 +1167,11 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.CoreComponents do
       {"0 0 16 16", :solid,
        ~S|<path d="M8 1a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.75v1.5a.75.75 0 0 1-1.5 0v-1.5A.75.75 0 0 1 8 1ZM10.5 8a2.5 2.5 0 1 1-5 0 2.5 2.5 0 0 1 5 0ZM12.95 4.11a.75.75 0 1 0-1.06-1.06l-1.062 1.06a.75.75 0 0 0 1.061 1.062l1.06-1.061ZM15 8a.75.75 0 0 1-.75.75h-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.5h1.5A.75.75 0 0 1 15 8ZM11.89 12.95a.75.75 0 0 0 1.06-1.06l-1.06-1.062a.75.75 0 0 0-1.062 1.061l1.061 1.06ZM8 12a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.75v1.5a.75.75 0 0 1-1.5 0v-1.5A.75.75 0 0 1 8 12ZM5.172 11.89a.75.75 0 0 0-1.061-1.062L3.05 11.89a.75.75 0 1 0 1.06 1.06l1.06-1.06ZM4 8a.75.75 0 0 1-.75.75h-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.5h1.5A.75.75 0 0 1 4 8ZM4.11 5.172A.75.75 0 0 0 5.173 4.11L4.11 3.05a.75.75 0 1 0-1.06 1.06l1.06 1.06Z"/>|}
 
+  defp icon_data("hero-tag"),
+    do:
+      {"0 0 24 24", :outline,
+       ~S|<path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" d="M9.568 3H5.25A2.25 2.25 0 0 0 3 5.25v4.318c0 .597.237 1.17.659 1.591l9.581 9.581c.699.699 1.78.872 2.607.33a18.095 18.095 0 0 0 5.223-5.223c.542-.827.369-1.908-.33-2.607L11.16 3.66A2.25 2.25 0 0 0 9.568 3Z"/><path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" d="M6 6h.008v.008H6V6Z"/>|}
+
   defp icon_data("hero-x-mark"),
     do:
       {"0 0 24 24", :outline,

diff --git a/lib/mcp_registry_web/components/layouts.ex b/lib/mcp_registry_web/components/layouts.ex
@@ -122,7 +122,6 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.Layouts do
             <:link_item navigate={~p"/servers?transport=streamable-http"}>
               Remote servers
             </:link_item>
-            <:link_item navigate={~p"/servers?tag=developer-tools"}>Developer tools</:link_item>
             <:link_item navigate={~p"/submit"}>Submit a server</:link_item>
           </.footer_column>
 

diff --git a/lib/mcp_registry_web/live/server_live/home.ex b/lib/mcp_registry_web/live/server_live/home.ex
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Home do
 
   # Query params that used to belong to this route. Anything here means the
   # visitor wanted the catalogue, not the landing page.
-  @catalogue_params ~w(q tag transport page)
+  @catalogue_params ~w(q transport page)
 
   @impl true
   def mount(_params, _session, socket) do
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Home do
      |> assign(:canonical_url, McpRegistryWeb.Endpoint.url() <> "/")
      |> assign(:mcp_url, McpRegistryWeb.Endpoint.url() <> "/mcp")
      |> assign(:stats, stats)
-     |> assign(:tags, Registry.top_tags(12))
      |> assign(:featured, Registry.list_servers(limit: 6))
      |> assign(:subscribed?, false)
      |> assign(:form, to_form(Subscribers.change_subscriber()))}
@@ -93,7 +92,7 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Home do
         </p>
 
         <p class="rise mt-4 max-w-2xl text-sm text-pretty text-dim" style="--d: 180ms">
-          Search every listing by name, tag, transport or the exact tool you need. The official
+          Search every listing by name, transport or the exact tool you need. The official
           MCP Registry is mirrored in and kept in sync; anything submitted here lands alongside it.
         </p>
 
@@ -257,7 +256,7 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Home do
 
         <ol class="grid gap-px overflow-hidden rounded-box border border-rule bg-rule sm:grid-cols-3">
           <.step index="01" label="find" icon="hero-magnifying-glass">
-            Filter by tag, transport or tool name. Every listing shows what it exposes and what it
+            Search by name, transport or tool name. Every listing shows what it exposes and what it
             needs before you install anything.
           </.step>
           <.step index="02" label="install" icon="hero-command-line">
@@ -271,26 +270,6 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Home do
         </ol>
       </section>
 
-      <section :if={@tags != []} aria-labelledby="tags-heading" class="space-y-4 pt-8">
-        <div class="space-y-1.5">
-          <p class="font-mono text-[11px] tracking-wide text-dim uppercase">by category</p>
-          <h2 id="tags-heading" class="text-xl font-semibold tracking-tight text-balance sm:text-2xl">
-            Browse by tag
-          </h2>
-        </div>
-
-        <ul class="-mx-4 flex gap-2 overflow-x-auto px-4 pb-1 sm:mx-0 sm:flex-wrap sm:px-0">
-          <li :for={{tag, count} <- @tags} class="shrink-0">
-            <.link
-              navigate={~p"/servers?tag=#{tag}"}
-              class="flex items-center gap-2 rounded-full border border-rule bg-surface/50 px-3 py-1.5 font-mono text-xs text-dim transition-colors hover:border-brand/40 hover:bg-surface hover:text-ink"
-            >
-              {tag} <span class="tabular-nums opacity-60">{count}</span>
-            </.link>
-          </li>
-        </ul>
-      </section>
-
       <section aria-labelledby="subscribe-heading" class="pt-8">
         <div class="rounded-box border border-rule bg-surface/60 p-5 sm:p-7">
           <div class="flex flex-col gap-6 sm:flex-row sm:items-start sm:justify-between">
@@ -404,7 +383,7 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Home do
   end
 
   defp meta_description(stats) do
-    "Search #{format_number(stats.servers)} Model Context Protocol servers by tag, transport or " <>
+    "Search #{format_number(stats.servers)} Model Context Protocol servers by name, transport or " <>
       "tool name. Copy the install command, or connect your agent to the registry's own MCP endpoint."
   end
 

diff --git a/lib/mcp_registry_web/live/server_live/index.ex b/lib/mcp_registry_web/live/server_live/index.ex
@@ -22,10 +22,9 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Index do
      |> assign(
        :meta_description,
        "Search the MCP Registry: an open directory of Model Context Protocol servers. " <>
-         "Filter by tag, tool and transport, then connect one to Claude, Cursor or any MCP client."
+         "Search by name or tool, filter by transport, then connect one to Claude, Cursor or any MCP client."
      )
      |> assign(:canonical_url, McpRegistryWeb.Endpoint.url() <> "/servers")
-     |> assign(:tags, Registry.top_tags(14))
      |> assign(:stats, Registry.stats())
      |> assign(:transports, Server.transports())
      |> assign(:mcp_url, McpRegistryWeb.Endpoint.url() <> "/mcp")}
@@ -35,8 +34,7 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Index do
   def handle_params(params, _uri, socket) do
     q = String.trim(params["q"] || "")
     transport = blank_to_nil(params["transport"])
-    tag = blank_to_nil(params["tag"])
-    filters = [q: q, transport: transport, tag: tag]
+    filters = [q: q, transport: transport]
 
     total = Registry.count_servers(filters)
     last_page = max(div(total + @per_page - 1, @per_page), 1)
@@ -53,7 +51,6 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Index do
      assign(socket,
        q: q,
        transport: transport,
-       tag: tag,
        servers: servers,
        page: page,
        last_page: last_page,
@@ -66,7 +63,7 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Index do
   @impl true
   def handle_event("search", %{"q" => q} = params, socket) do
     transport = Map.get(params, "transport", socket.assigns.transport)
-    {:noreply, push_patch(socket, to: index_path(q, transport, socket.assigns.tag))}
+    {:noreply, push_patch(socket, to: index_path(q, transport))}
   end
 
   @impl true
@@ -83,7 +80,7 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Index do
             <p class="flex items-baseline gap-2 font-mono">
               <span class="text-2xl font-semibold tracking-tight">{format_number(@total)}</span>
               <span class="text-xs text-dim">
-                {if any_filter?(@q, @transport, @tag), do: "matching", else: "servers"}
+                {if any_filter?(@q, @transport), do: "matching", else: "servers"}
               </span>
             </p>
           </:actions>
@@ -117,7 +114,7 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Index do
             />
             <.link
               :if={@q != ""}
-              patch={index_path("", @transport, @tag)}
+              patch={index_path("", @transport)}
               aria-label="Clear the search"
               class="flex size-6 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-dim transition-colors hover:bg-sunken hover:text-ink"
             >
@@ -141,45 +138,18 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Index do
           </select>
         </form>
 
-        <nav
-          class="-mx-4 flex gap-1.5 overflow-x-auto px-4 pb-1 sm:mx-0 sm:flex-wrap sm:px-0"
-          aria-label="Filter by tag"
-        >
-          <.link
-            patch={index_path(@q, @transport, nil)}
-            aria-current={is_nil(@tag) && "true"}
-            class={[chip_classes(), chip_tone(is_nil(@tag))]}
-          >
-            all
-          </.link>
-          <.link
-            :for={{tag, count} <- @tags}
-            patch={index_path(@q, @transport, tag)}
-            aria-current={@tag == tag && "true"}
-            class={[chip_classes(), chip_tone(@tag == tag)]}
-          >
-            {tag} <span class="opacity-60">{count}</span>
-          </.link>
-        </nav>
-
-        <div :if={any_filter?(@q, @transport, @tag)} class="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
+        <div :if={any_filter?(@q, @transport)} class="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
           <span class="font-mono text-[11px] tracking-wide text-dim uppercase">filtered by</span>
           <.filter_pill
             :if={@q != ""}
             label={@q}
-            remove={index_path("", @transport, @tag)}
+            remove={index_path("", @transport)}
             remove_label={"Clear the search term #{@q}"}
           />
-          <.filter_pill
-            :if={@tag}
-            label={"##{@tag}"}
-            remove={index_path(@q, @transport, nil)}
-            remove_label={"Remove the #{@tag} tag filter"}
-          />
           <.filter_pill
             :if={@transport}
             label={@transport}
-            remove={index_path(@q, nil, @tag)}
+            remove={index_path(@q, nil)}
             remove_label={"Remove the #{@transport} transport filter"}
           />
           <.link
@@ -264,7 +234,7 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Index do
         <.icon name="hero-magnifying-glass" class="mx-auto size-6 text-dim" />
 
         <h2 class="mt-3 text-base font-medium text-balance">
-          No servers {filter_phrase(@q, @transport, @tag) || "are listed yet"}
+          No servers {filter_phrase(@q, @transport) || "are listed yet"}
         </h2>
 
         <p class="mx-auto mt-1.5 max-w-md text-sm text-pretty text-dim">
@@ -273,10 +243,10 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Index do
         </p>
 
         <div class="mt-6 flex flex-wrap items-center justify-center gap-2">
-          <.button :if={@q != ""} variant="soft" patch={index_path("", @transport, @tag)}>
+          <.button :if={@q != ""} variant="soft" patch={index_path("", @transport)}>
             <.icon name="hero-x-mark" class="size-4" /> Clear the search
           </.button>
-          <.button :if={any_filter?(@q, @transport, @tag)} variant="soft" patch={~p"/servers"}>
+          <.button :if={any_filter?(@q, @transport)} variant="soft" patch={~p"/servers"}>
             <.icon name="hero-squares-2x2" class="size-4" />
             Browse all {format_number(@stats.servers)} servers
           </.button>
@@ -294,7 +264,7 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Index do
       >
         <.link
           :if={@page > 1}
-          patch={index_path(@q, @transport, @tag, @page - 1)}
+          patch={index_path(@q, @transport, @page - 1)}
           rel="prev"
           class={page_button_classes()}
         >
@@ -314,7 +284,7 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Index do
 
         <.link
           :if={@page < @last_page}
-          patch={index_path(@q, @transport, @tag, @page + 1)}
+          patch={index_path(@q, @transport, @page + 1)}
           rel="next"
           class={page_button_classes()}
         >
@@ -369,34 +339,25 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Index do
     """
   end
 
-  defp chip_classes,
-    do: "shrink-0 rounded-field border px-2.5 py-1 font-mono text-xs transition-colors"
-
-  defp chip_tone(true), do: "border-brand bg-brand text-brand-ink"
-
-  defp chip_tone(false),
-    do: "border-rule text-dim hover:border-rule-strong hover:bg-surface hover:text-ink"
-
   defp page_button_classes,
     do:
       "inline-flex min-h-10 items-center gap-1.5 rounded-field border border-rule bg-surface px-3.5 font-mono text-xs transition-colors hover:border-rule-strong hover:bg-sunken"
 
-  defp index_path(q, transport, tag, page \\ 1) do
+  defp index_path(q, transport, page \\ 1) do
     params =
-      [q: q, transport: transport, tag: tag, page: if(page > 1, do: page)]
+      [q: q, transport: transport, page: if(page > 1, do: page)]
       |> Enum.reject(fn {_key, value} -> value in [nil, ""] end)
 
     ~p"/servers?#{params}"
   end
 
-  defp any_filter?(q, transport, tag), do: q != "" or transport != nil or tag != nil
+  defp any_filter?(q, transport), do: q != "" or transport != nil
 
   # Reads back the active filters as a sentence fragment, so an empty result
   # says what was actually asked for rather than "no matches".
-  defp filter_phrase(q, transport, tag) do
+  defp filter_phrase(q, transport) do
     [
       q != "" && ~s(matching "#{q}"),
-      tag && "tagged ##{tag}",
       transport && "on #{transport}"
     ]
     |> Enum.filter(& &1)

diff --git a/lib/mcp_registry_web/live/server_live/show.ex b/lib/mcp_registry_web/live/server_live/show.ex
@@ -632,15 +632,15 @@ defmodule McpRegistryWeb.ServerLive.Show do
 
           <Layouts.sponsors />
 
-          <.panel :if={@server.tags != []} title="Tags" icon="hero-funnel">
+          <%!-- Plain text, not links: browsing by tag was removed while too few
+                listings carry tags for a tag page to be worth landing on. --%>
+          <.panel :if={@server.tags != []} title="Tags" icon="hero-tag">
             <ul class="flex flex-wrap gap-1.5">
-              <li :for={tag <- @server.tags}>
-                <.link
-                  navigate={~p"/servers?tag=#{tag}"}
-                  class="block rounded-full border border-rule px-2.5 py-1 font-mono text-[11px] text-dim transition-colors hover:border-brand/40 hover:bg-surface hover:text-ink"
-                >
-                  #{tag}
-                </.link>
+              <li
+                :for={tag <- @server.tags}
+                class="rounded-full border border-rule px-2.5 py-1 font-mono text-[11px] text-dim"
+              >
+                #{tag}
               </li>
             </ul>
           </.panel>

diff --git a/lib/mcp_registry_web/plugs/retired_params.ex b/lib/mcp_registry_web/plugs/retired_params.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+defmodule McpRegistryWeb.Plugs.RetiredParams do
+  @moduledoc """
+  Permanently redirects a page request that carries a query parameter the site
+  no longer uses to the same URL without it.
+
+  `?tag=` drove browse-by-tag, which was removed because too few listings carry
+  tags for a tag page to be worth landing on. Every listing page, the home page
+  and the footer linked to `/servers?tag=…`, so crawlers and bookmarks hold
+  those URLs. Left alone, each would now render a copy of `/servers` under its
+  own URL; a 301 folds them back into the page they actually show.
+
+  Only page requests pass through here. The JSON API keeps its `tag` filter:
+  it is a query parameter clients may rely on, not a page anyone browses.
+  """
+  @behaviour Plug
+
+  import Plug.Conn
+
+  @retired ~w(tag)
+
+  @impl Plug
+  def init(opts), do: opts
+
+  @impl Plug
+  def call(%Plug.Conn{method: "GET"} = conn, _opts) do
+    conn = fetch_query_params(conn)
+
+    if Enum.any?(@retired, &Map.has_key?(conn.query_params, &1)) do
+      kept = Map.drop(conn.query_params, @retired)
+      query = if kept == %{}, do: "", else: "?" <> Plug.Conn.Query.encode(kept)
+
+      conn
+      |> put_resp_header("location", conn.request_path <> query)
+      |> send_resp(:moved_permanently, "")
+      |> halt()
+    else
+      conn
+    end
+  end
+
+  def call(conn, _opts), do: conn
+end