mcp-pdf-tokensaver
A layout-aware local MCP server that analyzes PDF structures (multi-columns, tables, LaTeX equations) to save up to 90% context tokens for LLMs in Cursor and Claude Desktop. Powered by https://golocalpdf.com
README
mcp-pdf-tokensaver
A layout-aware MCP server that analyzes PDF structures to save up to 90% context tokens for LLMs.
Stop wasting LLM tokens on PDFs. This MCP server provides layout-aware, two-pass chunking and formula protection for Cursor, Claude Desktop, and other AI editors.
Why mcp-pdf-tokensaver?
Reading dense, multi-column technical papers, API documentation, or corporate PDFs inside AI editors often leads to two major frustrations:
- The Token Tax: Multi-column text gets scrambled, forcing you to upload full documents and waste tens of thousands of context tokens.
- Formula Corruption: LaTeX equations frequently get broken or mistranslated during full-text ingestion.
mcp-pdf-tokensaver provides a 100% local solution to shield your token window.
Features
- Layout-Aware Inspection: Parse PDF structures (multi-columns, tables, headings) without uploading full text immediately.
- Two-Pass Token Saving: LLMs first inspect the document outline via a condensed JSON schema, then selectively fetch exact text chunks based on
blockId. - 100% Client-Side & Secure: All parsing happens locally. Your sensitive data never leaves your machine.
- Scanned PDF Support: OCR integration for scanned documents (English).
How It Works
Instead of feeding raw PDF streams into the LLM, this server empowers your AI model with a Two-Pass Precise Retrieval Strategy:
inspect_pdf_structure: The LLM scans a super-condensed layout skeleton of your PDF, mapping pages, columns, and headings in milliseconds.fetch_pdf_chunks: The LLM target-fetches only the exact text rows or equations it needs based on specificblockIds.
Token Savings Comparison
| Solution | Working Principle | Token Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional Full-Text | Dumps entire PDF as Markdown into context | 🔴 Catastrophic: 40-page doc can burn 30K+ tokens per turn |
| Vector RAG | Local embedding search, returns top-3 chunks | 🟡 Medium: No global document awareness |
| mcp-pdf-tokensaver | Structure-aware agentic retrieval | 🟢 Minimal: Saves 90%+ tokens |
Installation
Option 1: Install via npm (Recommended)
npm install -g mcp-pdf-tokensaver
Option 2: Install from source
git clone https://github.com/anthropics/mcp-pdf-tokensaver.git
cd mcp-pdf-tokensaver
npm install
npm run build
Configuration
Claude Desktop
Add to your claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"pdf-tokensaver": {
"command": "mcp-pdf-tokensaver",
"args": []
}
}
}
Cursor / Windsurf
Add to your MCP settings:
{
"mcpServers": {
"pdf-tokensaver": {
"command": "mcp-pdf-tokensaver",
"args": []
}
}
}
Custom Configuration
You can configure limits via environment variables:
{
"mcpServers": {
"pdf-tokensaver": {
"command": "mcp-pdf-tokensaver",
"args": [],
"env": {
"MCP_PDF_MAX_SIZE_MB": "100",
"MCP_PDF_MAX_PAGES": "500",
"MCP_OCR_TIMEOUT_MS": "30000"
}
}
}
}
Usage
Once configured, simply ask your AI editor to analyze a PDF:
"Help me analyze the structure of
paper.pdfon my desktop. Where are the core formulas?"
The LLM will automatically call inspect_pdf_structure to get a condensed layout skeleton, then use fetch_pdf_chunks to retrieve only the relevant sections.
Tools
inspect_pdf_structure
Analyzes the layout and structural skeleton of a local PDF file.
Input:
{
"filePath": "/path/to/your/document.pdf"
}
Output:
{
"status": "success",
"documentMeta": {
"path": "/path/to/your/document.pdf",
"totalPages": 24,
"isEncrypted": false,
"hasScannedPages": [],
"estimatedFullTextTokens": 84000
},
"structureSkeleton": [
{
"blockId": "page_1_para_1",
"type": "heading",
"pageIndex": 0,
"level": 1,
"summary": "1. Introduction",
"tokenEstimate": 8
},
{
"blockId": "page_2_para_3",
"type": "text",
"pageIndex": 1,
"layoutType": "double-column",
"summary": "Discusses client-side WebAssembly...",
"tokenEstimate": 45
}
]
}
fetch_pdf_chunks
Selectively fetch specific text paragraphs or equations based on their blockId.
Input:
{
"filePath": "/path/to/your/document.pdf",
"blockIds": ["page_2_para_3", "page_4_para_1"]
}
Output:
{
"status": "success",
"fetchedChunks": {
"page_2_para_3": {
"type": "text",
"content": "We implement a pure client-side PDF parsing pipeline...",
"pageContext": "Page 2"
},
"page_4_para_1": {
"type": "equation",
"content": "$$\\Theta(N) = \\sum_{i=1}^{N} \\alpha_i$$",
"pageContext": "Page 4"
}
}
}
Limitations
- Encrypted PDFs are not supported
- Scanned PDF OCR is limited to English
- Maximum file size: 100MB (configurable)
- Maximum pages: 500 (configurable)
Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
Acknowledgments
- Model Context Protocol for the MCP specification
- PDF.js for PDF parsing
- Tesseract.js for OCR capabilities
Optimized by the core layout engine of GoLocalPDF — the leading privacy-first client-side PDF utility.
If you need a seamless browser-based PDF reading experience with dual-pane translation, visit golocalpdf.com.
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