Advanced MCP Text Editor Server
Enables AI assistants to perform advanced file editing operations with enhanced security, automatic backups, and undo functionality.
README
Advanced MCP Text Editor Server
Overview
A comprehensive Model Context Protocol (MCP) Text Editor Server that provides advanced file editing capabilities with enhanced security, backup management, and session isolation. Designed for AI assistants like Claude Code, Cursor Agent CLI, and other development environments.
Key Features
- 🔒 Enhanced Security: Path validation, directory traversal prevention, system file protection
- 💾 Automatic Backup Management: Up to 10 backups per file with timestamp tracking
- 📁 Comprehensive File Operations: View, create, edit, insert, replace, and undo
- 🚫 Smart Error Handling: Detailed error messages and validation
- 📊 File Information: Detailed file stats and metadata
- ⚡ High Performance: Optimized for large files with configurable limits
- 🔄 Undo Capability: Revert recent changes with full backup restoration
Quick Start
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18.0 or higher
- TypeScript 5.0 or higher
Installation
# Clone and setup
git clone https://github.com/stat-guy/text-editor.git
cd text-editor
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Build the server (REQUIRED - compiles TypeScript to JavaScript)
npm run build
# Test the installation
npm test
Important: Build Process
This project is written in TypeScript but runs as JavaScript:
- Source Code:
src/index.ts(human-readable TypeScript) - Executable:
dist/index.js(compiled JavaScript - this is what Node.js runs) - Build Command:
npm run buildcompilessrc/→dist/
⚠️ Critical: Always use dist/index.js as the entry point, not src/index.ts
Configuration
Add to your claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"text-editor": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/absolute/path/to/text-editor/dist/index.js"]
}
}
}
Note: The path points to dist/index.js (compiled), not src/index.ts (source).
Tools Available
1. view - View Files and Directories
View file contents or list directory contents with optional line range and character limits.
Parameters:
path(string): File or directory pathview_range(optional): Array of [start_line, end_line] for partial viewingmax_characters(optional): Maximum characters to return (default: 100,000)
Examples:
// View entire file
{ "path": "src/index.ts" }
// View specific lines
{ "path": "src/index.ts", "view_range": [10, 50] }
// Limit output size
{ "path": "large-file.txt", "max_characters": 5000 }
2. str_replace - Replace Text
Replace specific text in a file with new content. Ensures exactly one match for safety.
Parameters:
path(string): File path to modifyold_str(string): Exact text to replacenew_str(string): Replacement text
Example:
{
"path": "config.json",
"old_str": "\"debug\": false",
"new_str": "\"debug\": true"
}
3. create - Create Files
Create new files with specified content. Automatically creates parent directories.
Parameters:
path(string): Path for new filefile_text(string): File content
Example:
{
"path": "docs/new-feature.md",
"file_text": "# New Feature\n\nThis is a new feature documentation."
}
4. insert - Insert Text
Insert text at specific line numbers in existing files.
Parameters:
path(string): File path to modifyinsert_line(number): Line number to insert after (0 for beginning)new_str(string): Text to insert
Example:
{
"path": "src/utils.ts",
"insert_line": 5,
"new_str": "// New utility function\nexport function newUtil() { return true; }"
}
5. undo_edit - Revert Changes
Revert the last edit made to a file using automatic backups.
Parameters:
path(string): File path to revert
Example:
{ "path": "src/index.ts" }
6. file_info - File Information
Get detailed information about files and directories including size, permissions, and backup status.
Parameters:
path(string): File or directory path
Example:
{ "path": "src/index.ts" }
Security Features
Path Validation
- Prevents directory traversal attacks (
../patterns) - Blocks access to system directories (
/etc,/bin,/proc, etc.) - Validates all file paths before operations
File Size Limits
- Maximum file size: 50MB (configurable)
- Character output limits to prevent memory issues
- Early validation to prevent resource exhaustion
Backup Management
- Automatic backups before any modification
- Up to 10 backups per file with rotation
- Timestamped backup tracking
- Safe undo operations
Performance Characteristics
- File Operations: 0.01-0.1 seconds for typical files
- Large Files: Optimized handling up to 50MB
- Memory Usage: Efficient streaming for large content
- Backup Storage: In-memory with automatic cleanup
Error Handling
The server provides detailed error messages for:
- Invalid file paths or access denied
- File not found or permission errors
- Multiple matches in str_replace operations
- Invalid line numbers for insert operations
- Missing backups for undo operations
Development
Building
npm run build # Build TypeScript to JavaScript
npm run dev # Watch mode for development
npm run clean # Clean build artifacts
Testing
npm test # Run basic functionality test
npm start # Start server directly
Architecture
Core Components
- Server Setup: MCP server with STDIO transport
- Tool Registration: Zod-based parameter validation
- File Operations: Promise-based async file handling
- Backup System: In-memory backup store with rotation
- Security Layer: Path validation and access control
Project Structure
/Users/kairi/text-editor/
├── src/
│ └── index.ts # TypeScript source code (development)
├── dist/ # Build output (what actually runs)
│ └── index.js # ← Compiled JavaScript entry point
├── package.json # Dependencies and build scripts
├── tsconfig.json # TypeScript compiler configuration
├── README.md # This documentation
├── LICENSE # MIT license
├── examples/ # Usage examples and config
└── node_modules/ # Dependencies (after npm install)
Key Points:
- Development: Edit
src/index.ts - Execution: Node.js runs
dist/index.js - Build Process:
npm run buildcompiles TypeScript → JavaScript - Entry Point: Always use
dist/index.jsfor MCP configuration
Comparison with Anthropic's Text Editor Tool
| Feature | Anthropic Tool | This MCP Server |
|---|---|---|
| Basic file operations | ✅ | ✅ |
| Undo functionality | Limited | ✅ Enhanced |
| Backup management | None | ✅ Automatic |
| Security validation | Basic | ✅ Advanced |
| File size limits | None | ✅ Configurable |
| Error handling | Basic | ✅ Comprehensive |
| File information | None | ✅ Detailed stats |
Contributing
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch
- Implement your changes
- Add tests if applicable
- Submit a pull request
License
MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.
Support
- GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
- Documentation: Full API documentation in
/docs - Examples: Usage examples in
/examples
Roadmap
- [ ] File watching capabilities
- [ ] Multi-file operations
- [ ] Advanced search and replace with regex
- [ ] File encryption support
- [ ] Integration with version control systems
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