Desktop Commander MCP

Short version. Two key things. Terminal commands and diff based file editing.

Table of Contents

• Features
• Installation
• Usage
• Handling Long-Running Commands
• Work in Progress and TODOs
• Media links
• Testimonials
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Contributing
• License

This is server that allows Claude desktop app to execute long-running terminal commands on your computer and manage processes through Model Context Protocol (MCP) + Built on top of MCP Filesystem Server to provide additional search and replace file editing capabilities .

Features

• Execute terminal commands with output streaming
• Command timeout and background execution support
• Process management (list and kill processes)
• Session management for long-running commands
• Full filesystem operations:
  • Read/write files
  • Create/list directories
  • Move files/directories
  • Search files
  • Get file metadata
  • Code editing capabilities:
  • Surgical text replacements for small changes
  • Full file rewrites for major changes
  • Multiple file support
  • Pattern-based replacements
  • vscode-ripgrep based recursive code or text search in folders

Installation

First, ensure you've downloaded and installed the Claude Desktop app and you have npm installed.

Option 1: Installing via Smithery

To install Desktop Commander for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:

Option 2: Install trough npx

Just run this in terminal

Restart Claude if running

Option 3: Add to claude_desktop_config by hand

Add this entry to your claude_desktop_config.json (on Mac, found at ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json):

Restart Claude if running

Option 4: Checkout locally

1. Clone and build:

Restart Claude if running

The setup command will:

• Install dependencies
• Build the server
• Configure Claude's desktop app
• Add MCP servers to Claude's config if needed

Usage

The server provides these tool categories:

Terminal Tools

• execute_command: Run commands with configurable timeout
• read_output: Get output from long-running commands
• force_terminate: Stop running command sessions
• list_sessions: View active command sessions
• list_processes: View system processes
• kill_process: Terminate processes by PID
• block_command/unblock_command: Manage command blacklist

Filesystem Tools

• read_file/write_file: File operations
• create_directory/list_directory: Directory management
• move_file: Move/rename files
• search_files: Pattern-based file search
• get_file_info: File metadata
• code_search: Recursive ripgrep based text and code search

Edit Tools

• edit_block: Apply surgical text replacements (best for changes <20% of file size)
• write_file: Complete file rewrites (best for large changes >20% or when edit_block fails)

Search/Replace Block Format:

Example:

Handling Long-Running Commands

For commands that may take a while:

1. execute_command returns after timeout with initial output
2. Command continues in background
3. Use read_output with PID to get new output
4. Use force_terminate to stop if needed

Model Context Protocol Integration

This project extends the MCP Filesystem Server to enable:

• Local server support in Claude Desktop
• Full system command execution
• Process management
• File operations
• Code editing with search/replace blocks

Created as part of exploring Claude MCPs: https://youtube.com/live/TlbjFDbl5Us

DONE

• 25-03-2025 Better code search (merged) - Enhanced code exploration with context-aware results

Work in Progress and TODOs

The following features are currently being developed or planned:

• Better configurations (in progress) - Improved settings for allowed paths, commands and shell environment
• Windows environment fixes (in progress) - Resolving issues specific to Windows platforms
• Linux improvements (in progress) - Enhancing compatibility with various Linux distributions
• Support for WSL - Windows Subsystem for Linux integration
• Support for SSH - Remote server command execution
• Installation troubleshooting guide - Comprehensive help for setup issues

Website

Visit our official website at https://desktopcommander.app/ for the latest information, documentation, and updates.

Media

Learn more about this project through these resources:

Article

Claude with MCPs replaced Cursor & Windsurf. How did that happen? - A detailed exploration of how Claude with Model Context Protocol capabilities is changing developer workflows.

Video

Claude Desktop Commander Video Tutorial - Watch how to set up and use the Commander effectively.

Publication at AnalyticsIndiaMag

This Developer Ditched Windsurf, Cursor Using Claude with MCPs

Community

Join our Discord server to get help, share feedback, and connect with other users.

Testimonials

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly3bed99Dy8&lc=UgyyBt6_ShdDX_rIOad4AaABAg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly3bed99Dy8&lc=UgztdHvDMqTb9jiqnf54AaABAg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly3bed99Dy8&lc=UgyQFTmYLJ4VBwIlmql4AaABAg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly3bed99Dy8&lc=Ugy4-exy166_Ma7TH-h4AaABAg

https://medium.com/@pharmx/you-sir-are-my-hero-62cff5836a3e

Contributing

If you find this project useful, please consider giving it a ⭐ star on GitHub! This helps others discover the project and encourages further development.

We welcome contributions from the community! Whether you've found a bug, have a feature request, or want to contribute code, here's how you can help:

• Found a bug? Open an issue at github.com/wonderwhy-er/ClaudeComputerCommander/issues
• Have a feature idea? Submit a feature request in the issues section
• Want to contribute code? Fork the repository, create a branch, and submit a pull request
• Questions or discussions? Start a discussion in the GitHub Discussions tab

All contributions, big or small, are greatly appreciated!

If you find this tool valuable for your workflow, please consider supporting the project.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions. For a more comprehensive FAQ, see our detailed FAQ document.

What is Claude Desktop Commander?

It's an MCP tool that enables Claude Desktop to access your file system and terminal, turning Claude into a versatile assistant for coding, automation, codebase exploration, and more.

How is this different from Cursor/Windsurf?

Unlike IDE-focused tools, Claude Desktop Commander provides a solution-centric approach that works with your entire OS, not just within a coding environment. Claude reads files in full rather than chunking them, can work across multiple projects simultaneously, and executes changes in one go rather than requiring constant review.

Do I need to pay for API credits?

No. This tool works with Claude Desktop's standard Pro subscription ($20/month), not with API calls, so you won't incur additional costs beyond the subscription fee.

What are the most common use cases?

• Exploring and understanding complex codebases
• Generating diagrams and documentation
• Automating tasks across your system
• Working with multiple projects simultaneously
• Making surgical code changes with precise control

I'm having trouble installing or using the tool. Where can I get help?

Join our Discord server for community support, check the GitHub issues for known problems, or review the full FAQ for troubleshooting tips. You can also visit our website FAQ section for a more user-friendly experience. If you encounter a new issue, please consider opening a GitHub issue with details about your problem.

License

MIT