mcp-cli-exec MCP Server

A powerful CLI command execution MCP server that enables running shell commands with structured output. This package focuses specifically on command execution functionality, differentiating it from other MCP CLI tools.

Features

Tools

cli-exec-raw

Execute a raw CLI command and return structured output

Takes a command string and optional timeout (default: 5 minutes)
Returns detailed execution results including stdout, stderr, exit code
Handles errors gracefully with structured error responses

cli-exec

Execute one or more CLI commands in a specific working directory

Supports single commands, && chained commands, or array of commands
All commands execute in the specified working directory
Returns detailed results for each command:
- Success/failure status
- Exit code
- stdout and stderr (ANSI codes stripped)
- Execution duration
- Working directory
Stops on first command failure
Optional timeout per command (default: 5 minutes)

Note: Due to execution context limitations, each command runs independently. Directory changes (cd) within commands do not affect subsequent commands. All commands execute in the initially specified working directory.

Output Format

Commands return structured results including:

Success/failure status
Exit code
stdout and stderr (with ANSI codes stripped)
Execution duration
Working directory
Detailed error information if applicable

Example Usage

cli-exec-raw

Simple command execution:

{
  "command": "echo Hello World"
}

With timeout:

{
  "command": "long-running-script.sh",
  "timeout": 300000
}

cli-exec

Single command in specific directory:

{
  "workingDirectory": "/path/to/project",
  "commands": "npm install"
}

Multiple commands (all run in the same working directory):

{
  "workingDirectory": "C:\\project",
  "commands": [
    "dir /b",
    "npm run build"
  ]
}

Installation

Optionally install from npm:

npm install -g mcp-cli-exec
# or with pnpm
pnpm add -g mcp-cli-exec

Or just use npx in your configuration

For Cline VSCode Extension

Add to %APPDATA%/Code - Insiders/User/globalStorage/rooveterinaryinc.roo-cline/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-cli-exec": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-cli-exec"]
    }
  }
}

For Claude Desktop

Add to the appropriate config file:

Windows: %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json MacOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-cli-exec": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-cli-exec"]
    }
  }
}

Special Windows Configuration

If you encounter the ENOENT spawn npx issue on Windows, use this alternative configuration that specifies the full paths:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-cli-exec": {
      "command": "C:\\Users\\jim\\AppData\\Roaming\\nvm\\v22.1.0\\node.exe",
      "args": [
        "C:\\Users\\jim\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\npm\\bin\\npx-cli.js",
        "-y",
        "mcp-cli-exec"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Development

Install dependencies:

pnpm install

Build the server:

pnpm run build

For development with auto-rebuild:

pnpm run watch

Debugging

Since MCP servers communicate over stdio, debugging can be challenging. The MCP Inspector provides helpful debugging tools:

pnpm run inspector

This will provide a URL to access the inspector in your browser, where you can:

View all MCP messages
Inspect request/response payloads
Test tools interactively
Monitor server state

Error Handling

The server includes comprehensive error handling:

Input validation for all tool parameters
Structured error responses
Command timeout handling
Working directory validation
ANSI code stripping for clean output

Technical Details

Built with TypeScript and the MCP SDK
Uses execa for reliable command execution
Default command timeout: 5 minutes
Supports Windows and Unix-like systems (use appropriate commands for your OS, e.g., 'dir' vs 'ls')
Executes commands sequentially, stopping on first failure
Each command runs independently in the specified working directory

Install Server

HTTP connection URL

security – no known vulnerabilities

license - not found

quality - confirmed to work

How are these scores calculated?

local-only server

The server can only run on the client's local machine because it depends on local resources.

Tools

A CLI command execution server that enables running shell commands with structured output, providing detailed execution results including stdout, stderr, exit code, and execution duration.

Related Resources

Reddit Discussion about this server

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