FilesystemMCP Server

Local setup required. This server has to be cloned and prepared on your machine before you register it in Claude Code.
1

Set the server up locally

Run this once to clone and prepare the server before adding it to Claude Code.

Run in terminal
npm install
npm run build
2

Register it in Claude Code

After the local setup is done, run this command to point Claude Code at the built server.

Run in terminal
claude mcp add filesystem-mcp -- node "<FULL_PATH_TO_FILESYSTEMMCP>/dist/index.js" /your/allowed/directory

Replace <FULL_PATH_TO_FILESYSTEMMCP>/dist/index.js with the actual folder you prepared in step 1.

README.md

A local, customizable MCP server for filesystem access.

FilesystemMCP

A local, customizable MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for filesystem access — forked from the official Anthropic implementation and extended with additional functionality.

Credits

This project is based on the official `@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem` package by Anthropic, licensed under the terms found in the original repository. The original codebase provides a secure, well-structured foundation for filesystem access via MCP.

Why this fork?

The goal of this fork is to extend the original server with additional tools and customizations for personal/local use, while keeping the core security model (allowed directories, path validation) intact.

Setup

1. Install dependencies

cd FilesystemMCP
npm install

2. Build

npm run build

3. Configure Claude

In your claude_desktop_config.json, point the filesystem server to your local build:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/FilesystemMCP/dist/index.js",
        "/your/allowed/directory"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude after saving.

Tools

All tools from the original server are included:

  • read_text_file / read_file — Read file contents as text
  • read_media_file — Read image or audio files as base64
  • read_multiple_files — Read multiple files in one call
  • write_file — Create or overwrite a file
  • edit_file — Make line-based edits with diff output
  • create_directory — Create directories recursively
  • list_directory — List directory contents
  • list_directory_with_sizes — List with file sizes and sorting
  • directory_tree — Recursive JSON tree view
  • move_file — Move or rename files
  • search_files — Glob-based recursive file search
  • get_file_info — File metadata
  • list_allowed_directories — Show configured allowed paths

License

See the original repository for license details.

Tools (13)

read_text_fileRead file contents as text.
read_media_fileRead image or audio files as base64.
read_multiple_filesRead multiple files in one call.
write_fileCreate or overwrite a file.
edit_fileMake line-based edits with diff output.
create_directoryCreate directories recursively.
list_directoryList directory contents.
list_directory_with_sizesList with file sizes and sorting.
directory_treeRecursive JSON tree view.
move_fileMove or rename files.
search_filesGlob-based recursive file search.
get_file_infoFile metadata.
list_allowed_directoriesShow configured allowed paths.

Configuration

claude_desktop_config.json
{"mcpServers": {"filesystem": {"command": "node", "args": ["/path/to/FilesystemMCP/dist/index.js", "/your/allowed/directory"]}}}

Try it

List all files in my project directory and show their sizes.
Search for all Python files in the current directory.
Read the contents of README.md and summarize it.
Create a new directory named 'logs' and move all .log files into it.
Edit the config.json file to update the version number to 1.2.0.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key features of FilesystemMCP?

Secure read, write, and edit access to local files. Recursive directory listing and tree visualization. Glob-based recursive file searching. File metadata retrieval and size-aware directory listing. Configurable allowed directory paths for security.

What can I use FilesystemMCP for?

Automating file organization and cleanup tasks. Batch reading and summarizing documentation across multiple files. Programmatically updating configuration files within a project. Generating project structure reports for documentation.

How do I install FilesystemMCP?

Install FilesystemMCP by running: npm install && npm run build

What MCP clients work with FilesystemMCP?

FilesystemMCP 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 FilesystemMCP 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