High-Performance File System MCP Server
A secure, Dockerized MCP server enabling AI assistants to perform file and directory CRUD operations like read, write, edit, search, and manage local files via natural language.
README
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📁 High-Performance File System MCP Server
Secure, Dockerized Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server for File & Directory CRUD Operations
Empower your AI assistants (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex, Windsurf, Continue.dev) to read, write, edit, search, and manage local files and folders seamlessly via Docker Desktop.
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📑 Table of Contents
- ✨ Core Capabilities
- 🏗️ How It Works (Architecture)
- 🚀 Quick Start Guide
- 📂 Connecting Files & Folders via MCP
- 💻 Client Integration Guides
- 🛠️ Tool Reference & Example Prompts
- 🔧 Local Development (Without Docker)
- ❓ Troubleshooting & FAQ
✨ Core Capabilities
| Feature | Tool Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Read File | read_file |
Read text content of any file within mounted folders. |
| Read Batch | read_multiple_files |
Read multiple files in a single request for fast analysis. |
| Create / Overwrite | write_file |
Create new files or overwrite existing files safely. |
| Edit & Patch | edit_file |
Replace target text blocks (single or replaceAll mode). |
| Delete File | delete_file |
Delete specified files from the filesystem. |
| Create Folder | create_directory |
Create recursive directory trees (mkdir -p). |
| List Folder | list_directory |
List folder contents with file size, type, & timestamp metadata. |
| Delete Folder | delete_directory |
Remove folders recursively or non-recursively. |
| Move / Rename | move_file |
Move or rename files and directories. |
| File Metadata | get_file_info |
Inspect file stats (size, creation/modified dates, attributes). |
| Search Files | search_files |
Search files via glob patterns (**/*.ts, *.json), including hidden dotfiles. |
🏗️ How It Works (Architecture)
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ AI Client / IDE │
│ (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex, Windsurf, Continue.dev, etc.) │
└───────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────┘
│ JSON-RPC over Stdio
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Docker Desktop Container │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Node.js MCP Server Runtime │ │
│ │ - Security validation against allowed directories │ │
│ │ - Full File & Folder CRUD Operations │ │
│ └────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────┘ │
└───────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────┘
│ Volume Mount (-v)
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Host Filesystem │
│ (e.g., C:\Users\Username\Desktop ──> Mounted as /data) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
[!SECURITY NOTE] Containerized Isolation: The AI client can only read and modify files in directories explicitly passed to the container via Docker volume mounts (
-v). Your rest of system remains isolated.
🚀 Quick Start Guide
1. Clone Repository
git clone https://github.com/SohailShabbir867/file_mcp_server.git
cd file_mcp_server
2. Build Docker Image
Build the container image tagged as file-mcp-server:
docker build -t file-mcp-server .
Verify that the image is ready:
docker images | grep file-mcp-server
📂 Connecting Files & Folders via MCP
Docker volume mounts (-v) control which local folders on your computer are accessible to the AI through the MCP server. Inside the container, mounted paths map to /data.
Scenario A: Access Desktop Folder Only
Mount only your Windows or macOS Desktop folder:
- Windows:
-v "C:\Users\YourName\Desktop:/data" - macOS / Linux:
-v "/Users/yourname/Desktop:/data"
Scenario B: Access Entire User Directory
Mount your entire User home folder to allow access to Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Projects, etc.:
- Windows:
-v "C:\Users\YourName:/data" - macOS / Linux:
-v "/Users/yourname:/data"
Scenario C: Access Specific Workspace or Project
Mount a specific project directory:
- Windows:
-v "D:\Projects\MyApp:/data" - macOS / Linux:
-v "/Users/yourname/Projects/MyApp:/data"
Scenario D: Access Multiple Folders or Drives
You can pass multiple volume mounts to access multiple paths:
docker run -i --rm \
-v "C:\Users\YourName\Desktop:/data/desktop" \
-v "D:\Projects:/data/projects" \
file-mcp-server /data/desktop /data/projects
💻 Client Integration Guides
1. Claude Desktop
Configuration File Location:
- Windows:
%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json - macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Config File Example:
Open claude_desktop_config.json and add the file-server configuration:
{
"mcpServers": {
"file-server": {
"command": "docker",
"args": [
"run",
"-i",
"--rm",
"-v",
"C:\\Users\\Sohail Shabbir\\Desktop:/data",
"file-mcp-server"
]
}
}
}
[!TIP] Windows Path Formatting: Remember to use double backslashes (
\\) inclaude_desktop_config.json(e.g.C:\\Users\\YourName\\Desktop:/data). After updating the file, restart Claude Desktop. Look for the hammer icon 🛠️ to confirm tools are loaded!
2. Cursor IDE
- Open Cursor Settings (
Ctrl + ,orCmd + ,). - Navigate to Features -> MCP Servers.
- Click + Add New MCP Server.
- Set the following fields:
- Name:
file-server - Type:
command - Command:
docker run -i --rm -v "C:\Users\Sohail Shabbir\Desktop:/data" file-mcp-server
- Name:
- Click Save.
3. Codex / Continue.dev / VS Code
For Continue.dev or VS Code MCP Extensions, add the server to your MCP configuration file (e.g., ~/.continue/config.json or .mcp.json):
{
"mcpServers": [
{
"name": "file-server",
"command": "docker",
"args": [
"run",
"-i",
"--rm",
"-v",
"C:\\Users\\Sohail Shabbir\\Desktop:/data",
"file-mcp-server"
]
}
]
}
4. Windsurf / Cline / Roo Code
In your extension settings (cline_mcp_settings.json or Windsurf MCP settings):
{
"mcpServers": {
"file-server": {
"command": "docker",
"args": [
"run",
"-i",
"--rm",
"-v",
"C:\\Users\\Sohail Shabbir\\Desktop:/data",
"file-mcp-server"
],
"disabled": false,
"autoApprove": []
}
}
}
🛠️ Tool Reference & Example Prompts
| Tool | Key Parameters | Example Prompt for AI Client |
|---|---|---|
read_file |
path |
"Read the content of /data/todo.txt" |
read_multiple_files |
paths: [...] |
"Compare /data/config.json and /data/config.prod.json" |
write_file |
path, content, overwrite |
"Create a file /data/notes/ideas.md with my meeting summary" |
edit_file |
path, target, replacement, replaceAll |
"Replace v1.0.0 with v1.1.0 in /data/package.json" |
delete_file |
path |
"Delete temp file /data/scratch.log" |
create_directory |
path |
"Create folder /data/projects/new-app/src" |
list_directory |
path |
"List all files and folders inside /data" |
delete_directory |
path, recursive |
"Delete directory /data/old-builds" |
move_file |
source, destination |
"Rename /data/draft.txt to /data/final.txt" |
get_file_info |
path |
"Check creation date and size of /data/report.pdf" |
search_files |
directory, pattern |
"Search for all .ts files inside /data/src" |
🔧 Local Development (Without Docker)
To run or debug the server directly using Node.js:
# 1. Install dependencies
npm install
# 2. Build TypeScript source
npm run build
# 3. Start server with allowed base directory
node dist/index.js "C:\Users\Sohail Shabbir\Desktop"
❓ Troubleshooting & FAQ
Q1: docker: command not found or connection error
- Solution: Ensure Docker Desktop is installed and running in your taskbar.
Q2: Path permission denied inside Claude or Cursor
- Solution: Check your
-vvolume mount path. Ensure the directory exists on your computer and your user account has read/write permissions.
Q3: Cannot find files created by AI
- Solution: Files created inside
/datawill appear directly inside the mounted folder on your computer (e.g.C:\Users\YourName\Desktop).
📄 License
This project is licensed under the MIT License. Feel free to use, modify, and distribute!
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