Codebase MCP Server

1

Add it to Claude Code

Run this in a terminal.

Run in terminal
claude mcp add codebase-mcp -- npx codebase-mcp-server@latest /path/to/your/codebase
README.md

Model Context Protocol server for secure and efficient Codebase analysis

Codebase MCP Server

Model Context Protocol server for secure and efficient Codebase analysis

Key Features • Supported Languages • Tools • QuickStart • Build • Contributing

🌟 Key Features

  • Secure Access: Restricts file operations to predefined root directory.
  • Efficient File Management: Provides tools for reading and searching files.
  • Detailed Metadata: Retrieves comprehensive file metadata including size, creation time, last modified time, permissions, and type.
  • Dependency Analysis: Traverses and analyzes dependency trees within projects.

📋 Supported Languages

  • JavaScript/TypeScript
  • CSS / CSS Preprocessors

🛠️ Tools

  • get-project-basics: Retrieves essential project information including package.json details, directory structure.
  • search-config-files: Searches for configuration files within the root directory and returns their paths.
  • get-dependency-tree: Traverses the dependency tree based on the given file path and root directory, and returns the traversal results.
  • list-directory: Lists the contents of a specified directory, distinguishing between files and directories.
  • read-file-with-metadata: Reads the content of a specified file and retrieves its metadata.

🚀 QuickStart

Prerequisites

  • Node.js v18 or later
  • Codebase to communicate with LLM

Installation

First, install the Codebase MCP server with your client. A typical configuration looks like this:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "Codebase": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["codebase-mcp-server@latest", "/path/to/your/codebase"]
    }
  }
}

Or, you can install the Codebase MCP server with Docker.

After cloning this repository, build the Docker image:

docker build -t mcp/codebase -f .

And then add the following to your MCP servers file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "Codebase": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "--mount",
        "type=bind,src=/path/to/your/codebase/dir,dst=/projects/path/to/your/codebase/dir,ro",
        "--mount",
        "type=bind,src=/path/to/some/file.txt,dst=/projects/path/to/some/file.txt",
        "mcp/codebase",
        "/projects"
      ]
    }
  }
}
Install in VS Code You can install the Codebase MCP server using the VS Code CLI:
# For VS Code
code --add-mcp '{"name":"Codebase","command":"npx","args":["codebase-mcp-server@latest"]}'

After installation, the Codebase MCP server will be available for use with your GitHub Copilot agent in VS Code.

Install in Cursor Go to Cursor Settings -> MCP -> Add new MCP Server. Use following configuration:
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "Codebase": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["codebase-mcp-server@latest"]
    }
  }
}
Install in Windsurf

Follow Windsuff MCP documentation. Use following configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "Codebase": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["codebase-mcp-server@latest"]
    }
  }
}
Install in Claude Desktop

Follow the MCP install guide, use following configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "Codebase": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["codebase-mcp-server@latest"]
    }
  }
}

🔧 Build

Local Development Build

# Install dependencies
npm ci

# Build TypeScript
npm run build

Docker Build

# Build Docker image
docker build -t mcp/codebase -f .

# Or with specific tag
docker build -t mcp/codebase:latest -f .

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please read our Contributing Guide for details on our Code of conduct and the process for submitting pull requests.

Tools (5)

get-project-basicsRetrieves essential project information including package.json details and directory structure.
search-config-filesSearches for configuration files within the root directory and returns their paths.
get-dependency-treeTraverses the dependency tree based on the given file path and root directory.
list-directoryLists the contents of a specified directory, distinguishing between files and directories.
read-file-with-metadataReads the content of a specified file and retrieves its metadata.

Configuration

claude_desktop_config.json
{"mcpServers":{"Codebase":{"command":"npx","args":["codebase-mcp-server@latest"]}}}

Try it

List the contents of the root directory to understand the project structure.
Find all configuration files in this project.
Get the dependency tree for the main entry file.
Read the package.json file and provide its metadata.
Analyze the project basics to identify the main dependencies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key features of Codebase MCP Server?

Secure file access restricted to a predefined root directory. Efficient file management and searching capabilities. Comprehensive file metadata retrieval including permissions and timestamps. Dependency tree traversal and analysis. Support for JavaScript, TypeScript, and CSS projects.

What can I use Codebase MCP Server for?

Exploring large project structures without manual navigation. Auditing project configuration files for security or consistency. Analyzing dependency relationships to understand project architecture. Retrieving file metadata to track changes or permissions in a codebase.

How do I install Codebase MCP Server?

Install Codebase MCP Server by running: npx codebase-mcp-server@latest /path/to/your/codebase

What MCP clients work with Codebase MCP Server?

Codebase MCP Server works with any MCP-compatible client including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, and other editors with MCP support.

Turn this server into reusable context

Keep Codebase MCP Server docs, env vars, and workflow notes in Conare so your agent carries them across sessions.

Need the old visual installer? Open Conare IDE.
Open Conare