MCP.FileSystem

You use MCP.FileSystem to perform safe and standardized file system operations from MCP clients. It lets you read, write, move, delete, and search files and directories, manage metadata, and explore directory contents, all through a consistent MCP interface that integrates with your AI workflows.

How to use

Use MCP.FileSystem as a local or remote MCP server to perform common file system tasks from your MCP client. You can read and write files, create directories, list contents, search by name or text, and retrieve file information. All operations return structured JSON responses that include success state, paths, sizes, and any relevant metadata. Start by launching the server locally or via Docker, then connect your MCP client using the provided stdio command.

How to install

Prerequisites are installed on your system before you begin.

# Install prerequisites
- Install the .NET 8.0 SDK or later from the official source
- Ensure you have Docker installed if you plan to deploy via Docker

# Build from source
git clone https://github.com/jihadkhawaja/MCP.FileSystem.git
cd MCP.FileSystem
dotnet build

# Run the server locally
 dotnet run --project MCP.FileSystem

# Docker deployment (optional)
 docker build -t mcp-filesystem .
 docker run -it mcp-filesystem

Configuration and usage within MCP clients

Connect MCP clients using either a local stdio command or a remote HTTP endpoint if you have one configured. The examples below show how to wire up clients like Claude Desktop and VS Code with MCP extensions.

// Claude Desktop configuration
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "MCP.FileSystem": {
      "command": "dotnet",
      "args": ["run", "--project", "MCP.FileSystem"]
    }
  }
}

// VS Code with MCP Extension configuration
"servers": {
  "MCP.FileSystem": {
    "type": "stdio",
    "command": "dotnet",
    "args": [
      "run",
      "--project",
      "MCP.FileSystem"
    ]
  }
}

Available tools

ReadFile

Read content from a file and return the contents along with basic metadata such as path and size.

WriteFile

Write content to a file, with an option to overwrite existing content.

AppendToFile

Append content to an existing file without overwriting existing data.

DeleteFile

Remove a file from the file system.

CopyFile

Copy a file from a source path to a destination path, with an optional overwrite.

MoveFile

Move or rename a file to a new location, with an optional overwrite.

CreateDirectory

Create a new directory, creating any required parent directories automatically.

DeleteDirectory

Delete a directory, with an option to perform recursive deletion.

ListDirectory

List the contents of a directory with optional filtering and subdirectory traversal.

SearchFiles

Search for files by name patterns, with optional subdirectory traversal and result limits.

SearchInFiles

Search for text within files across directories, with optional case sensitivity and file filtering.

SearchInFilesRegex

Search using regular expressions to find patterns inside files across directories.

GetFileInfo

Retrieve metadata for a file or directory, such as size, permissions, and timestamps.

PathExists

Check whether a given path exists in the file system.

GetCurrentDirectory

Return the current working directory.

SetCurrentDirectory

Change the current working directory to a new path.

GetDirectorySize

Calculate the total size of a directory including its subdirectories.