This is MCP server for Claude that gives it terminal control, file system search and diff file editing capabilities

Work with code and text, run processes, and automate tasks, going far beyond other AI editors - without API token costs.

• Features
• Installation
• Usage
• Handling Long-Running Commands
• Work in Progress and TODOs
• Sponsors and Supporters
• Website
• Media
• Testimonials
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Contributing
• License

All of your AI development tools in one place. Desktop Commander puts all dev tools in one chat. Execute long-running terminal commands on your computer and manage processes through Model Context Protocol (MCP). Built on top of MCP Filesystem Server to provide additional search and replace file editing capabilities.

• Execute terminal commands with output streaming
• Command timeout and background execution support
• Process management (list and kill processes)
• Session management for long-running commands
• Server configuration management:
  • Get/set configuration values
  • Update multiple settings at once
  • Dynamic configuration changes without server restart
• Full filesystem operations:
  • Read/write files
  • Create/list directories
  • Move files/directories
  • Search files
  • Get file metadata
• Code editing capabilities:
  • Surgical text replacements for small changes
  • Full file rewrites for major changes
  • Multiple file support
  • Pattern-based replacements
  • vscode-ripgrep based recursive code or text search in folders

First, ensure you've downloaded and installed the Claude Desktop app and you have npm installed.

Just run this in terminal:

npx @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest setup

For debugging mode (allows Node.js inspector connection):

npx @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest setup --debug

Restart Claude if running.

For macOS users, you can use our automated bash installer which will check your Node.js version, install it if needed, and automatically configure Desktop Commander:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP/refs/heads/main/install.sh | bash

This script handles all dependencies and configuration automatically for a seamless setup experience.

To install Desktop Commander for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:

npx -y @smithery/cli install @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander --client claude

Add this entry to your claude_desktop_config.json:

• On Mac: ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• On Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
• On Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "desktop-commander": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude if running.

1. Clone and build:

git clone https://github.com/wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP.git
cd DesktopCommanderMCP
npm run setup

Restart Claude if running.

The setup command will:

• Install dependencies
• Build the server
• Configure Claude's desktop app
• Add MCP servers to Claude's config if needed

When installed through npx (Option 1) or Smithery (Option 3), Desktop Commander will automatically update to the latest version whenever you restart Claude. No manual update process is needed.

For manual installations, you can update by running the setup command again.

The server provides a comprehensive set of tools organized into several categories:

Search/Replace Block Format:

filepath.ext
<<<<<<< SEARCH
content to find
=======
new content
>>>>>>> REPLACE

Example:

src/main.js
<<<<<<< SEARCH
console.log("old message");
=======
console.log("new message");
>>>>>>> REPLACE

• read_file can now fetch content from both local files and URLs
• Example: read_file with isUrl: true parameter to read from web resources
• Handles both text and image content from remote sources
• Images (local or from URLs) are displayed visually in Claude's interface, not as text
• Claude can see and analyze the actual image content
• Default 30-second timeout for URL requests

For commands that may take a while:

1. Always change configuration in a separate chat window from where you're doing your actual work. Claude may sometimes attempt to modify configuration settings (like allowedDirectories) if it encounters filesystem access restrictions.

2. The allowedDirectories setting currently only restricts filesystem operations, not terminal commands. Terminal commands can still access files outside allowed directories. Full terminal sandboxing is on the roadmap.

You can manage server configuration using the provided tools:

// Get the entire config
get_config({})

// Set a specific config value
set_config_value({ "key": "defaultShell", "value": "/bin/zsh" })

// Set multiple config values using separate calls
set_config_value({ "key": "defaultShell", "value": "/bin/bash" })
set_config_value({ "key": "allowedDirectories", "value": ["/Users/username/projects"] })

The configuration is saved to config.json in the server's working directory and persists between server restarts.

1. Create a dedicated chat for configuration changes: Make all your config changes in one chat, then start a new chat for your actual work.

2. Be careful with empty allowedDirectories: Setting this to an empty array ([]) grants access to your entire filesystem for file operations.

3. Use specific paths: Instead of using broad paths like /, specify exact directories you want to access.

4. Always verify configuration after changes: Use get_config({}) to confirm your changes were applied correctly.

You can specify which shell to use for command execution:

// Using default shell (bash or system default)
execute_command({ "command": "echo $SHELL" })

// Using zsh specifically
execute_command({ "command": "echo $SHELL", "shell": "/bin/zsh" })

// Using bash specifically
execute_command({ "command": "echo $SHELL", "shell": "/bin/bash" })

This allows you to use shell-specific features or maintain consistent environments across commands.

1. execute_command returns after timeout with initial output
2. Command continues in background
3. Use read_output with PID to get new output
4. Use force_terminate to stop if needed

If you need to debug the server, you can install it in debug mode:

# Using npx
npx @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest setup --debug

# Or if installed locally
npm run setup:debug

This will:

1. Configure Claude to use a separate "desktop-commander" server
2. Enable Node.js inspector protocol with --inspect-brk=9229 flag
3. Pause execution at the start until a debugger connects
4. Enable additional debugging environment variables

To connect a debugger:

• In Chrome, visit chrome://inspect and look for the Node.js instance
• In VS Code, use the "Attach to Node Process" debug configuration
• Other IDEs/tools may have similar "attach" options for Node.js debugging

Important debugging notes:

• The server will pause on startup until a debugger connects (due to the --inspect-brk flag)
• If you don't see activity during debugging, ensure you're connected to the correct Node.js process
• Multiple Node processes may be running; connect to the one on port 9229
• The debug server is identified as "desktop-commander-debug" in Claude's MCP server list

Troubleshooting:

• If Claude times out while trying to use the debug server, your debugger might not be properly connected
• When properly connected, the process will continue execution after hitting the first breakpoint
• You can add additional breakpoints in your IDE once connected

This project extends the MCP Filesystem Server to enable:

• Local server support in Claude Desktop
• Full system command execution
• Process management
• File operations
• Code editing with search/replace blocks

Created as part of exploring Claude MCPs: https://youtube.com/live/TlbjFDbl5Us

• 29-04-2025 Telemetry Opt Out trought configuration - There is now setting to disable telemetry in config, ask in chat
• 23-04-2025 Enhanced edit functionality - Improved format, added fuzzy search and multi-occurrence replacements, should fail less and use edit block more often
• 16-04-2025 Better configurations - Improved settings for allowed paths, commands and shell environments
• 14-04-2025 Windows environment fixes - Resolved issues specific to Windows platforms
• 14-04-2025 Linux improvements - Enhanced compatibility with various Linux distributions
• 12-04-2025 Better allowed directories and blocked commands - Improved security and path validation for file read/write and terminal command restrictions. Terminal still can access files ignoring allowed directories.
• 11-04-2025 Shell configuration - Added ability to configure preferred shell for command execution
• 07-04-2025 Added URL support - read_file command can now fetch content from URLs
• 28-03-2025 Fixed "Watching /" JSON error - Implemented custom stdio transport to handle non-JSON messages and prevent server crashes
• 25-03-2025 Better code search (merged) - Enhanced code exploration with context-aware results

The following features are currently being explored:

• Support for WSL - Windows Subsystem for Linux integration
• Support for SSH - Remote server command execution
• Better file support for formats like CSV/PDF
• Terminal sandboxing for Mac/Linux/Windows for better security
• File reading modes - For example, allow reading HTML as plain text or markdown
• Interactive shell support - ssh, node/python repl
• Improve large file reading and writing

Generous supporters are featured here. Thank you for helping make this project possible!

Jon Richards

Matija Stepanic

Visit our official website at https://desktopcommander.app/ for the latest information, documentation, and updates.

Learn more about this project through these resources:

Claude with MCPs replaced Cursor & Windsurf. How did that happen? - A detailed exploration of how Claude with Model Context Protocol capabilities is changing developer workflows.

Claude Desktop Commander Video Tutorial - Watch how to set up and use the Commander effectively.

This Developer Ditched Windsurf, Cursor Using Claude with MCPs

Join our Discord server to get help, share feedback, and connect with other users.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly3bed99Dy8&lc=UgyyBt6_ShdDX_rIOad4AaABAg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly3bed99Dy8&lc=UgztdHvDMqTb9jiqnf54AaABAg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly3bed99Dy8&lc=UgyQFTmYLJ4VBwIlmql4AaABAg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly3bed99Dy8&lc=Ugy4-exy166_Ma7TH-h4AaABAg

https://medium.com/@pharmx/you-sir-are-my-hero-62cff5836a3e

If you find this project useful, please consider giving it a ⭐ star on GitHub! This helps others discover the project and encourages further development.

We welcome contributions from the community! Whether you've found a bug, have a feature request, or want to contribute code, here's how you can help:

• Found a bug? Open an issue at github.com/wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP/issues
• Have a feature idea? Submit a feature request in the issues section
• Want to contribute code? Fork the repository, create a branch, and submit a pull request
• Questions or discussions? Start a discussion in the GitHub Discussions tab

All contributions, big or small, are greatly appreciated!

If you find this tool valuable for your workflow, please consider supporting the project.

Here are answers to some common questions. For a more comprehensive FAQ, see our detailed FAQ document.

It's an MCP tool that enables Claude Desktop to access your file system and terminal, turning Claude into a versatile assistant for coding, automation, codebase exploration, and more.

Unlike IDE-focused tools, Claude Desktop Commander provides a solution-centric approach that works with your entire OS, not just within a coding environment. Claude reads files in full rather than chunking them, can work across multiple projects simultaneously, and executes changes in one go rather than requiring constant review.

No. This tool works with Claude Desktop's standard Pro subscription ($20/month), not with API calls, so you won't incur additional costs beyond the subscription fee.

Yes, when installed through npx or Smithery, Desktop Commander automatically updates to the latest version when you restart Claude. No manual update process is needed.

• Exploring and understanding complex codebases
• Generating diagrams and documentation
• Automating tasks across your system
• Working with multiple projects simultaneously
• Making surgical code changes with precise control

Join our Discord server for community support, check the GitHub issues for known problems, or review the full FAQ for troubleshooting tips. You can also visit our website FAQ section for a more user-friendly experience. If you encounter a new issue, please consider opening a GitHub issue with details about your problem.

Desktop Commander collects limited anonymous telemetry data to help improve the tool. No personal information, file contents, file paths, or command arguments are collected.

Telemetry is enabled by default. To opt out:

1. Open the chat and simply ask: "Disable telemetry"
2. The chatbot will update your settings automatically.

For complete details about data collection, please see our Privacy Policy.

MIT