MCP File System Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides secure file system operations through a sandboxed environment.

Features

• Secure File Operations: All operations are confined to a configurable base directory
• Path Traversal Protection: Prevents access to files outside the allowed directory
• Comprehensive Tools: Read, write, list, delete, move, and copy files
• Error Handling: Robust error handling with informative messages

Installation

1. Install dependencies:

make install

2. Set the base directory (optional):

export MCP_FILE_SYSTEM_BASE_DIR="/path/to/your/sandbox"

Usage

Running the Server

make run

Or directly:

uv run src/main.py

Available Tools

• read_file(file_path: str) - Read file contents
• write_file(file_path: str, content: str) - Write content to file
• list_directory(directory_path: str) - List directory contents
• delete_file(file_path: str) - Delete a file
• move_file(source_path: str, destination_path: str) - Move/rename a file
• copy_file(source_path: str, destination_path: str) - Copy a file

Configuration

The server uses the MCP_FILE_SYSTEM_BASE_DIR environment variable to set the base directory for all file operations. If not set, it defaults to /tmp/mcp_file_system.

Security

• All paths are resolved relative to the base directory
• Path traversal attacks (using ..) are prevented
• Access outside the base directory is blocked
• File operations are sandboxed

Testing

Test that the server imports correctly:

make test

Development

Run in development mode with auto-reload:

make dev

Integration with Claude Desktop

To use this server with Claude Desktop, add the following to your ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "file-system": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "--directory",
        "/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/mcp_file_system",
        "run",
        "src/main.py"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Replace /ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/mcp_file_system with the actual absolute path to your project directory.