MCP File System Server

You run a secure file system service that confines all operations to a sandboxed base directory, protecting your system from unauthorized access while giving you flexible read, write, move, copy, and delete capabilities through a clean MCP interface.

How to use

You use this MCP server with an MCP client to perform common file operations inside a protected sandbox. Your client can read, write, list, delete, move, and copy files within the configured base directory. All path resolutions stay inside that base directory, and attempts to access files outside of it are blocked.

Practical usage patterns you can accomplish: create a new file with content, update existing files, inspect directory contents, move files within the sandbox, duplicate files, and clean up unnecessary items. Because the server runs in a sandbox, you don’t need to worry about accidental edits to system-wide paths. Make sure you set your base directory to your desired sandbox location before starting the server.

How to install

Prerequisites you should have before installation: a Unix-like environment with a working shell, and the ability to run make. You also need Python available on your system since the server entry point is a Python script.

Additional configuration details

Configuration for the file system server is based on a base directory that you set through an environment variable. All paths are resolved relative to this base, and path traversal attempts are blocked to keep your data safe inside the sandbox.

Security considerations include restricting access to the base directory, sandboxing file operations, and protecting against path traversal. These measures ensure that operations cannot affect files outside the designated sandbox.

Testing the server is simple: verify that it imports and runs correctly within your environment.

Development mode supports auto-reload for active development workflows.

Claude Desktop integration example shows how to wire the server into a local MCP client. Use the full absolute path to your project directory in the directory field.

Claude Desktop integration example

To use this server with Claude Desktop, configure a local MCP server entry that launches the runtime with the specified directory and script. Use an absolute path to your project directory in the directory field.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "file-system": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "--directory",
        "/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/mcp_file_system",
        "run",
        "src/main.py"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Available tools

read_file

Read file contents from a path inside the sandbox.

write_file

Write content to a file inside the sandbox at the given path.

list_directory

List contents of a directory inside the sandbox.

delete_file

Delete a file inside the sandbox.

move_file

Move or rename a file inside the sandbox.

copy_file

Copy a file inside the sandbox.