Claude Tools
MCP server that exposes Claude Code's file and shell tools (bash, read, write, edit, glob, grep) over HTTP for remote use by any MCP client
What is Claude Tools?
Claude Tools is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to mcp server that exposes claude code's file and shell tools (bash, read, write, edit, glob, grep) over http for remote use by any mcp client
MCP server that exposes Claude Code's file and shell tools (bash, read, write, edit, glob, grep) over HTTP for remote use by any MCP client
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- MCP server that exposes Claude Code's file and shell tools (
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx claude-toolsConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Claude Tools
Claude Tools MCP server is a Go-based HTTP server that re-exposes the file and shell manipulation tools built into Claude Code—bash, read, write, edit, glob, and grep—over a standard MCP HTTP endpoint, making them accessible to any MCP client remotely. This lets teams share a single Claude Code tool environment across multiple agents or clients without each needing a local Claude Code installation. Developers building multi-agent systems or operating AI workflows on remote machines can use this server to give their agents real filesystem and shell access through a stable, secured HTTP interface.
Prerequisites
- Go 1.25.1 or higher (for building from source), or Docker for containerized deployment
- ripgrep (rg) installed on the host system — required by the grep tool
- An MCP-compatible client that supports HTTP transport
- Network access from the MCP client to the host where the server runs
Build from source
Clone the repository and build the Go binary. Alternatively, use Docker to avoid installing Go locally.
git clone https://github.com/mathematic-inc/claude-tools-mcp
cd claude-tools-mcp
go build -o claude-tools-mcp ./cmd/claude-tools-mcpInstall ripgrep
The grep tool requires ripgrep to be installed and on PATH. Install it with your system package manager.
# macOS
brew install ripgrep
# Debian/Ubuntu
apt install ripgrepStart the server
Run the compiled binary. By default it listens on localhost:8080. Use --addr to change the bind address and port.
# Default (localhost:8080)
./claude-tools-mcp
# Custom address
./claude-tools-mcp --addr 0.0.0.0:9000Or deploy with Docker
Build and run the Docker image to serve the MCP tools in a containerized environment. The runtime image is also available from GHCR.
docker build -t claude-tools-mcp .
docker run -p 8080:8080 claude-tools-mcpConnect an MCP client over HTTP
Point your MCP client at the server's HTTP endpoint. The server exposes tools: bash, bash_output, kill_shell, read, write, edit, glob, and grep. File size is capped at 10MB and grep/glob results at 1000 lines.
Claude Tools Examples
Client configuration
Configure an MCP client to connect to the claude-tools-mcp HTTP server. The server uses HTTP transport, so the client must support it.
{
"mcpServers": {
"claude-tools": {
"type": "http",
"url": "http://localhost:8080/mcp"
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example prompts that leverage the file and shell tools exposed by the server.
- "List all TypeScript files in /app/src that contain the word 'useEffect'"
- "Read the file /etc/nginx/nginx.conf and summarize its upstream configuration"
- "Run 'npm test' in /app and show me the output"
- "Edit /app/src/config.ts and replace 'localhost:3000' with 'api.example.com'"
- "Find all files matching *.log in /var/log and return the names"Troubleshooting Claude Tools
The grep tool returns an error saying 'rg not found'
Install ripgrep on the host machine. On macOS run 'brew install ripgrep', on Ubuntu/Debian run 'apt install ripgrep'. Confirm it is available on PATH by running 'which rg' in the terminal where you start the server.
File operations fail with path validation errors
The server rejects relative paths to prevent directory traversal. Always provide absolute paths (e.g., /home/user/project/file.txt) when calling the read, write, edit, glob, or grep tools.
Background bash processes do not return output
Use the bash_output tool with the process ID returned by the initial bash call to retrieve output from background processes. The kill_shell tool can terminate stuck background processes by their PID.
Frequently Asked Questions about Claude Tools
What is Claude Tools?
Claude Tools is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that mcp server that exposes claude code's file and shell tools (bash, read, write, edit, glob, grep) over http for remote use by any mcp client It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Claude Tools?
Follow the installation instructions on the Claude Tools GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Claude Tools?
Claude Tools works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Claude Tools free to use?
Yes, Claude Tools is open source and available under the Apache-2.0 license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Set Up Claude Tools in Your Editor
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Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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