Terminal

You can securely run shell commands and manage npm tasks inside your MCP environment with the terminal server. It provides controlled execution, environment isolation, and convenient npm operations, making it easy to automate workflows without giving up safety or predictability.

How to use

You interact with the terminal MCP capabilities through your MCP client by requesting command execution or npm-related actions. Use executeCommand to run a shell command with optional working directory and environment settings. Use install to add npm packages, and runScript to execute npm scripts defined in your project. You can also run common npm helpers such as dev and build to start development servers or build assets. All actions are governed by a whitelist of allowed commands and configurable timeouts to maintain security and reliability.

How to install

npm install @modelcontextprotocol/server-terminal

# Then configure the MCP terminal server following the configuration example below

Additional sections

Configuration is designed to restrict what you can run and to provide sensible defaults for common scenarios.

Key configuration options include a list of allowed commands, a default timeout, a default working directory, and environment variables that apply to the terminal session.

You can verify and adapt these settings to match your project needs, ensuring you can run necessary commands while keeping the environment secure and predictable.

Below is a representative configuration you can adapt for your MCP setup. It enables core npm operations and restricts commands to a safe set while providing a reasonable timeout and working directory.

{
  "terminal": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-terminal"],
    "autoApproveScope": ["execute_command", "npm_install", "npm_run"],
    "config": {
      "allowedCommands": ["npm", "node", "git"],
      "defaultTimeout": 30000,
      "defaultCwd": "/your/project/path",
      "environmentVariables": {
        "NODE_ENV": "development"
      }
    }
  }
}

Available tools

executeCommand

Execute a shell command with optional working directory and environment settings, returning stdout, stderr, and exit code.

install

Install an npm package and return installation details, including version and resolution.

runScript

Run a defined npm script from your project's package.json and capture output and status.

dev

Run the development script for the project, typically mapping to npm run dev.

build

Run the build script for the project, typically mapping to npm run build.