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Desktop Commander MCP

v1.0.0•Developer Tools•stable

This is MCP server for Claude that gives it terminal control, file system search and diff file editing capabilities

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What is Desktop Commander MCP?

Desktop Commander MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to this is mcp server for claude that gives it terminal control, file system search and diff file editing capabilities

This is MCP server for Claude that gives it terminal control, file system search and diff file editing capabilities

This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.

Features

  • This is MCP server for Claude that gives it terminal control

Use Cases

Terminal control
File system search
Diff file editing
wonderwhy-er

Maintainer

LicenseMIT
Languagetypescript
Versionv1.0.0
UpdatedMay 20, 2026
Statushealthy
Maintenanceactive

Works with

ClaudeOpenAIwindowsmacoslinux
View SourceBrowse All Servers

Installation

Manual Installation

npx desktopcommandermcp

Configuration

Configuration Details

Config File

claude_desktop_config.json

Performance

Response Metrics

Response Time< 200ms
ThroughputMedium

Resource Usage

Memory UsageLow
CPU UsageLow

How to Set Up and Use Desktop Commander MCP

DesktopCommanderMCP is the same powerful MCP server as Desktop Commander, giving Claude terminal control, file system search, and diff-based file editing capabilities on your local machine. It connects Claude to your operating system's shell and filesystem through a rich tool set that supports interactive process management, multi-format file reading (Excel, PDF, DOCX), and surgical text replacement. This server is widely used by developers who want Claude to act as an autonomous coding assistant that can read code, run tests, and apply changes without leaving the conversation.

Prerequisites

  • Node.js 18 or later installed
  • Claude Desktop or Claude Code as your MCP client
  • npx available on your PATH
  • macOS, Windows, or Linux
1

Run the automated setup

The quickest way to install is via the setup command which auto-configures Claude Desktop.

npx @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest setup
2

Manual configuration in Claude Desktop

Open claude_desktop_config.json and add the server entry. On macOS the file is at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "desktop-commander": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest"]
    }
  }
}
3

Add to Claude Code

Register the server with Claude Code at user scope so it is available in all projects.

claude mcp add --scope user desktop-commander -- npx -y @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest
4

Restart your MCP client

After editing the config file, restart Claude Desktop or reload Claude Code so the new MCP server is picked up.

5

Restrict allowed directories (optional)

For safety, you can configure which directories file tools are allowed to access. Ask Claude to set the config value after the server is connected.

# Tell Claude in the chat:
"Set the allowedDirectories config to ["/Users/yourname/projects"]"

Desktop Commander MCP Examples

Client configuration

claude_desktop_config.json entry using the @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander npm package.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "desktop-commander": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest"]
    }
  }
}

Prompts to try

Example tasks to run once DesktopCommanderMCP is connected.

- "Find all TODO comments in the src/ directory and list them with file paths and line numbers"
- "Run the test suite with npm test and fix any failing tests"
- "Edit src/config.ts and replace the hardcoded API URL with an environment variable lookup"
- "List all running processes and show me which ones are using the most memory"

Troubleshooting Desktop Commander MCP

Server does not appear in Claude after installation

Ensure Claude Desktop was fully restarted after the config change. Check the JSON syntax in claude_desktop_config.json with a JSON validator — a trailing comma or missing brace will prevent the config from loading.

start_process returns no output for long-running commands

Use read_process_output to poll the process output stream by session ID. Long-running processes (dev servers, test runners) stream output asynchronously — call read_process_output periodically rather than expecting immediate results from start_process.

File write fails with a line limit error

The default fileWriteLineLimit is 50 lines per write call. Ask Claude to set the config value: "Set fileWriteLineLimit to 200". For large files, split writes into multiple edit_block calls targeting specific sections.

Frequently Asked Questions about Desktop Commander MCP

What is Desktop Commander MCP?

Desktop Commander MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that this is mcp server for claude that gives it terminal control, file system search and diff file editing capabilities It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.

How do I install Desktop Commander MCP?

Follow the installation instructions on the Desktop Commander MCP GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.

Which AI clients work with Desktop Commander MCP?

Desktop Commander MCP works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.

Is Desktop Commander MCP free to use?

Yes, Desktop Commander MCP is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.

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Quick Config Preview

{ "mcpServers": { "desktopcommandermcp": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "desktopcommandermcp"] } } }

Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json

Read the full setup guide →

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