MCP Google Apps Script Server

🤖 + 📝 = ⚡

Let AI assistants build and manage Google Apps Script projects for you

🚀 Quick Start • 💡 Use Cases • 🛠️ Features • 📚 Docs

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🎯 Why MCP GAS Server?

The Problem

Google Apps Script is powerful for automating Google Workspace, but developing GAS projects traditionally requires:

• Switching between local development and the online editor
• Manual copy-pasting of code
• No proper module system or version control
• Limited tooling for testing and deployment

The Solution

MCP GAS Server bridges AI assistants with Google Apps Script, enabling:

• AI-Driven Development: Tell Claude/Cursor what to build, and it handles the implementation
• Full CommonJS Modules: require(), module.exports, automatic dependency resolution - write GAS like Node.js
• Ad-hoc Execution: Run any JavaScript expression instantly - no deployment, no wrapper functions needed
• Unix-inspired Interface: Familiar commands (cat, grep, ls, find, sed) for intuitive GAS project management
• Local Development: Write code locally with full IDE support
• Automatic Sync: Bidirectional sync between local files and Google's cloud
• Git Integration: Version control for your GAS projects with safe merging

Who Is This For?

• Developers who want AI to handle Google Apps Script boilerplate
• Teams automating Google Workspace workflows
• Non-programmers who need custom Google Sheets functions or automation
• Anyone tired of the limitations of Google's online script editor

💡 Use Cases

What You Can Build

• 📊 Custom Spreadsheet Functions: Complex calculations, data processing, API integrations
• 📧 Email Automation: Process Gmail, send bulk emails, manage drafts
• 📅 Calendar Management: Schedule events, sync calendars, automate meeting creation
• 🗂️ Drive Automation: File organization, backup systems, document generation
• 📝 Document Processing: Generate reports, merge documents, extract data
• 🔗 API Integrations: Connect Google Workspace to external services
• 🤖 Chatbots & Add-ons: Build custom tools for Sheets, Docs, and Forms

Real Examples

// Tell your AI: "Create a function that fetches stock prices and updates my spreadsheet"
// AI will create, deploy, and test the entire solution

// Tell your AI: "Build an expense tracker that categorizes Gmail receipts"
// AI handles OAuth, Gmail API, and spreadsheet integration

// Tell your AI: "Make a custom menu in Sheets for data analysis tools"
// AI creates the UI, functions, and deploys everything

🚀 Quick Start

⚡ 30-Second Installation

🎯 Fully Automated (Recommended)

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/whichguy/mcp_gas/main/install.sh | bash -s -- --auto

This single command: downloads → installs dependencies → builds → configures all IDEs

— OR —

🔧 Manual Installation

git clone https://github.com/whichguy/mcp_gas.git && cd mcp_gas && ./install.sh

Clone first, then run installer with more control

Prerequisites

Requirement	Why Needed	How to Get	Auto-Checked?
Git	Clones repository	Download	✅ Yes
Node.js 18+	Runs the MCP server	Download	✅ Yes
Google Account	Access Google Apps Script	Create free	❌ Manual
AI Assistant	Sends commands to server	Claude, Cursor	✅ Detected

🎯 First Project in 2 Minutes

Install (if not already done)

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/whichguy/mcp_gas/main/install.sh | bash

Tell your AI assistant:

"Create a Google Apps Script project that adds a custom menu to Google Sheets with options to highlight duplicate values and remove empty rows"

AI handles everything:

• ✅ Creates the project
• ✅ Writes the code
• ✅ Sets up the menu
• ✅ Deploys to Google
• ✅ Tests the functionality

⚙️ Installation Details

What the Installer Does

The install.sh script handles everything automatically:

1. 🔄 Downloads Repository (if using curl)
2. 📦 Installs Dependencies (npm install)
3. 🔨 Builds Project (npm run build)
4. 🔍 Detects Your IDEs (checks for 10+ IDEs)
5. ⚙️ Configures Each IDE (updates MCP settings)
6. 🔗 Links to dist/src/index.js (production build)

Features:

• ✅ Idempotent - Safe to run multiple times
• 💾 Creates Backups - Before any modifications
• 🔐 Checks OAuth - Guides you through Google setup

Command-line Options

./install.sh --dry-run       # Preview changes without making them
./install.sh --interactive   # Choose which IDEs to configure
./install.sh --auto          # Non-interactive mode (for CI/CD)
./install.sh --force         # Update existing configurations
./install.sh --help          # Show detailed usage

Manual Build (Advanced)

If the installer fails or you need custom setup:

# 1. Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/whichguy/mcp_gas.git
cd mcp_gas

# 2. Install dependencies
npm install

# 3. Build the project
npm run build

# 4. Configure your IDE manually
# Point to: /absolute/path/to/mcp_gas/dist/src/index.js

Note: The server binary is at dist/src/index.js after building, not in the source directory.

Uninstallation

# Remove MCP GAS from all IDEs
./uninstall.sh

# With cleanup options:
./uninstall.sh --cleanup-build      # Also remove dist/ and node_modules/
./uninstall.sh --cleanup-backups    # Remove all backup files
./uninstall.sh --dry-run           # Preview what would be removed

📋 Google Cloud Setup

One-Time Configuration

1. Enable Google Apps Script API:

   • Visit Google Cloud Console
   • Create or select a project
   • Search for "Google Apps Script API" and enable it

2. Create OAuth 2.0 Credentials:

   • Navigate to APIs & Services → Credentials
   • Click "Create Credentials" → "OAuth client ID"
   • Application type: Desktop app
   • Download JSON and save as oauth-config.json in project root

🖥️ Supported IDEs

The MCP GAS Server works with any MCP-compatible client:

IDE/Editor	Platform Support	Configuration File	Notes
Claude Desktop	macOS, Windows	claude_desktop_config.json	Official Anthropic desktop app
Claude Code	macOS, Linux	~/.claude/settings.json	Claude's code editor
Cursor IDE	All platforms	~/.cursor/mcp.json	AI-powered IDE
VS Code	All platforms	mcp.json in globalStorage	Microsoft's editor
VS Code Insiders	All platforms	mcp.json in globalStorage	Preview version
VSCodium	All platforms	mcp.json in globalStorage	Open-source VS Code
Zed Editor	macOS, Linux	~/.config/zed/settings.json	Uses context_servers key
Windsurf IDE	All platforms	~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json	Codeium's AI IDE
Neovim MCPHub	All platforms	~/.config/mcphub/servers.json	Neovim plugin
Codex CLI	All platforms	~/.codex/config.toml	Uses TOML format

Claude Desktop

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gas": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/mcp_gas/dist/src/index.js"],
      "env": {"NODE_ENV": "production"}
    }
  }
}

VS Code

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gas": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/mcp_gas/dist/src/index.js"],
      "env": {"NODE_ENV": "production"}
    }
  }
}

Zed Editor (uses context_servers)

{
  "context_servers": {
    "gas": {
      "command": {
        "path": "node",
        "args": ["/absolute/path/to/mcp_gas/dist/src/index.js"]
      }
    }
  }
}

Codex CLI (uses TOML)

[mcp_servers.gas]
command = "node"
args = ["/absolute/path/to/mcp_gas/dist/src/index.js"]

[[mcp_servers.gas.env]]
NODE_ENV = "production"

📦 What's Included

🛠️ 50 Specialized Tools

📁 File Management

• ls - List files
• cat - Read files
• write - Write files
• rm - Delete files
• mv - Move files
• cp - Copy files
• mkdir - Create folders

🔍 Search & Edit

• grep - Search text
• find - Find files
• ripgrep - Fast search
• sed - Find & replace

⚡ Execution

• run - Run code
• exec - Execute functions

🔀 Git Integration

• local_sync - Sync changes (pull→merge→push)
• config - Manage sync folder

🚀 Deployment

• deploy - Unified deployment management (promote/rollback/status/reset)

📋 Projects

• project_create - New project
• project_set - Set current
• project_list - List all

Smart vs Raw Tools

• Smart tools (cat, write): Automatically handle CommonJS module wrapping
• Raw tools (raw_cat, raw_write): Preserve exact file content
• Choose based on whether you want automatic module management or full control

🎓 When to Use MCP GAS Server

✅ Perfect For

• Automation Projects: Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Sheets automation
• Custom Functions: Complex spreadsheet formulas and data processing
• API Integrations: Connecting Google Workspace to external services
• Rapid Prototyping: Quick proof-of-concepts and MVPs
• Learning GAS: Let AI teach by example

❌ Not Ideal For

• Large Applications: Consider App Engine or Cloud Functions for complex apps
• Real-time Systems: GAS has execution time limits (6 minutes)
• Heavy Computing: Limited CPU/memory compared to dedicated servers
• Sensitive Data: Evaluate security requirements carefully

🛠️ Advanced Features

Git Workflow Integration

// Set up .git/config.gs breadcrumb file first
mcp__gas__write({
  scriptId: "...",
  path: ".git/config",
  content: JSON.stringify({ repository: "https://github.com/...", localPath: "~/my-project" })
})

// Sync changes (always safe - pulls, merges, then pushes)
mcp__gas__local_sync({ scriptId: "..." })

// Standard git workflow works in sync folder
cd ~/gas-repos/project-xxx
git add . && git commit -m "Update" && git push

Module System

// Write modular code with CommonJS
const utils = require('./utils');
const api = require('./api/client');

function processData() {
  const data = api.fetchData();
  return utils.transform(data);
}

module.exports = { processData };

First Project Example

// Tell your AI assistant:
"Create a Google Apps Script project that calculates Fibonacci numbers"

// The AI will execute:
// 1. Authenticate
await mcp__gas__auth({ mode: "start" });

// 2. Create project
const project = await mcp__gas__project_create({ 
  title: "Fibonacci Calculator" 
});

// 3. Add code
await mcp__gas__write({
  scriptId: project.scriptId,
  path: "fibonacci",
  content: `
    function fibonacci(n) {
      if (n <= 1) return n;
      return fibonacci(n - 1) + fibonacci(n - 2);
    }
    
    function test() {
      Logger.log(fibonacci(10)); // 55
    }
    
    module.exports = { fibonacci };
  `
});

// 4. Execute
const result = await mcp__gas__run({
  scriptId: project.scriptId,
  js_statement: "require('fibonacci').fibonacci(10)"
});
// Returns: 55

📚 Quick Command Reference

Filesystem Operations (Unix-inspired)

// Read file contents (auto-unwraps CommonJS)
mcp__gas__cat({ scriptId: "...", path: "utils/helper" })

// List files matching pattern
mcp__gas__ls({ scriptId: "...", path: "utils/*" })

// ⚡ RECOMMENDED: High-performance multi-pattern search with ripgrep
mcp__gas__ripgrep({
  scriptId: "...",
  pattern: "function.*test",
  ignoreCase: true,
  context: 2
})

// Simple grep (use ripgrep for advanced searches)
mcp__gas__grep({ scriptId: "...", pattern: "function.*test", outputMode: "content" })

// Find files by name pattern
mcp__gas__find({ scriptId: "...", name: "*.test" })

// Find/replace with regex
mcp__gas__sed({
  scriptId: "...",
  pattern: "console\\.log",
  replacement: "Logger.log"
})

// ⚡ Advanced ripgrep features (STRONGLY RECOMMENDED over grep)
mcp__gas__ripgrep({
  scriptId: "...",
  pattern: "TODO|FIXME|HACK",  // Multi-pattern OR search
  ignoreCase: true,             // Case-insensitive
  sort: "path",                 // Alphabetical sorting
  trim: true,                   // Clean whitespace
  context: 2,                   // Show 2 lines of context
  showStats: true               // Performance statistics
})

Ad-hoc Code Execution

// Execute mathematical expressions
mcp__gas__run({ scriptId: "...", js_statement: "Math.PI * 2" })

// Call Google Apps Script services
mcp__gas__run({
  scriptId: "...",
  js_statement: "DriveApp.getRootFolder().getName()"
})

// Execute project functions with CommonJS
mcp__gas__run({
  scriptId: "...",
  js_statement: "require('Calculator').fibonacci(10)"
})

// Complex data operations
mcp__gas__run({
  scriptId: "...",
  js_statement: `
    const data = require('API').fetchData();
    const sheet = SpreadsheetApp.create('Report');
    sheet.getActiveSheet().getRange(1,1,data.length,3).setValues(data);
    return sheet.getId();
  `
})

CommonJS Module Development

// Write module with automatic CommonJS wrapping
mcp__gas__write({
  scriptId: "...",
  path: "Calculator",
  content: `
    function add(a, b) { return a + b; }
    function multiply(a, b) { return a * b; }
    module.exports = { add, multiply };
  `
})

// Use require() in other modules - automatic dependency resolution
mcp__gas__write({
  scriptId: "...",
  path: "Main",
  content: `
    const calc = require('Calculator');
    const result = calc.add(5, calc.multiply(2, 3));
    Logger.log(result);  // Logs: 11
  `
})

// Read shows clean user code (CommonJS wrapper removed)
mcp__gas__cat({ scriptId: "...", path: "Calculator" })
// Returns user code without _main() wrapper

Git Integration

// Create .git/config.gs breadcrumb file
mcp__gas__write({
  scriptId: "...",
  path: ".git/config",
  content: JSON.stringify({
    repository: "https://github.com/owner/repo.git",
    localPath: "~/my-projects/gas-app"
  })
})

// Safe pull-merge-push synchronization (ALWAYS pulls first)
mcp__gas__local_sync({ scriptId: "..." })

// Manage sync folder configuration
mcp__gas__config({
  operation: "set",
  setting: "sync_folder",
  scriptId: "...",
  value: "~/my-projects/gas-app"
})

🔧 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Problem	Solution
"Not authenticated"	Run mcp__gas__auth({ mode: "start" }) in your AI assistant
"Script not found"	Check scriptId in gas-config.json
"Module not found"	Ensure proper require() paths and file exists
"Quota exceeded"	Wait or upgrade Google Cloud quotas
"Permission denied"	Check OAuth scopes and project permissions

Debug Mode

# Enable debug logging
DEBUG=mcp:* npm start

# Test installation without changes
./install.sh --dry-run

# Check configuration
cat ~/.claude/claude_desktop_config.json | jq '.mcpServers.gas'

📂 Project Structure

mcp_gas/
├── src/                     # TypeScript source code
│   ├── tools/              # ~50 MCP tools
│   ├── auth/               # OAuth authentication
│   ├── api/                # Google Apps Script API client
│   └── server/             # MCP server implementation
├── dist/                    # Compiled JavaScript (after build)
├── test/                    # Test suites
├── docs/                    # Documentation
├── install.sh              # Automated installer
├── uninstall.sh            # Clean uninstaller
├── gas-config.json         # Project configuration
└── oauth-config.json       # OAuth credentials (create this)

🧪 Development

Setup

# Clone and install
git clone https://github.com/whichguy/mcp_gas.git
cd mcp_gas
npm install

# Development mode with watch
npm run dev

# Build for production
npm run build

Testing

npm test                    # Run all tests
npm run test:unit          # Unit tests only
npm run test:integration   # Integration tests (requires auth)
npm run test:system        # System-level tests
npm run test:security      # Security validation

Architecture

The MCP GAS Server uses a layered architecture:

1. MCP Protocol Layer: Handles communication with AI assistants
2. Tool Layer: ~50 specialized tools for GAS operations
3. Authentication Layer: OAuth 2.0 PKCE flow with token management
4. API Client Layer: Google Apps Script API v1 client with rate limiting
5. File System Layer: Local caching and synchronization

📚 Documentation

Complete Tool Reference

• docs/REFERENCE.md - Complete reference for all 63 tools with capabilities, limitations, and compatibility matrix

Developer Guides

• docs/CROSS_TOOL_REFERENCES.md - Strategy for cross-tool references and workflow chaining
• docs/SCHEMA_ENHANCEMENTS_SUMMARY.md - Progress tracking for schema improvements
• Architecture Guide - System design and internals
• Git Integration - Version control workflows
• API Documentation - TypeScript API reference
• Examples - Sample projects and use cases

Enhanced Tool Schemas

All tools now include:

• Script Type Compatibility - Clear indication of standalone vs container-bound support
• Limitations - Specific constraints, quotas, and API restrictions
• Cross-Tool References - Prerequisites, next steps, alternatives, and error recovery guidance
• ⚡ Search Tool Preference - ripgrep is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED over grep for all searches (multi-pattern, smart case, context control, better performance)

🤝 Contributing

We welcome contributions! See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.

• 🐛 Report bugs
• 💡 Request features
• 📖 Improve documentation
• 🔧 Submit pull requests

📄 License

MIT - See LICENSE for details.

🙏 Acknowledgments

Built on:

• Model Context Protocol by Anthropic
• Google Apps Script API
• TypeScript, Node.js, and the amazing open-source community

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🌟 Ready to supercharge your Google Apps Script development?

Made with ❤️ by the MCP GAS community