mcp-server-anydoc

What is mcp-server-anydoc?

mcp-server-anydoc is a local Model Context Protocol server that turns office documents on disk into GitHub-Flavored Markdown using anydoc. No API key. Conversion runs on your machine. Built for coding agents (Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code Copilot) that need to read .docx, .pptx, .xlsx, and PDFs inside a project - not for replacing “drop one PDF into chat.”

Related MCP server: Markitdown MCP Server

Why not just attach a PDF in chat?

Attaching a file in Claude chat is fine for a one-off human question. It fails for agent workflows:

Privacy note: conversion is local. The Markdown still enters the model context when the agent uses it. The win vs cloud parse APIs is “no third-party upload / no API key,” not “Claude never sees the text.”

When should I use it?

Use mcp-server-anydoc when:

1. A coding agent needs the contents of an office file already on disk

2. You want batch convert → Markdown files in the repo

3. You want structured tools (convert_document) instead of fragile shell prompts

4. You do not want a hosted document-parse API key

Skip it when you only need to ask Claude about one attached PDF in the chat UI.

One-click install

Cursor

Opens Cursor and prompts to add the server (runs via npx from this GitHub repo).

VS Code (Copilot MCP)

Claude Code

claude mcp add anydoc -- npx -y mcp-server-anydoc

Optional skill (teaches when to convert):

npx skills add ofershap/mcp-server-anydoc

Plugin (MCP + skill together):

/plugin marketplace add ofershap/mcp-server-anydoc
/plugin install anydoc@ofershap-anydoc

Ask your agent to install it

Paste this into Claude Code or Cursor:

Add the local MCP server mcp-server-anydoc so you can convert PDF/Word/Excel/PowerPoint files on disk to Markdown.

Run:
  claude mcp add anydoc -- npx -y mcp-server-anydoc

Or write this to MCP config:
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anydoc": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-server-anydoc"]
    }
  }
}

Then convert ./path/to/file.docx with the convert_document tool and summarize it.
Repo: https://github.com/ofershap/mcp-server-anydoc

Manual JSON (any MCP client)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anydoc": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-server-anydoc"]
    }
  }
}

Agent Plugins

This repo ships as an Agent Plugins 1.0.0 package: root plugin.json, mcp.json, and skills/local-doc-to-markdown/ teach agents when to convert office files on disk.

Claude Code .claude-plugin/ manifests remain for marketplace installs. Agent Plugins is the cross-client layout (MCP + skills in one tree).

Cursor (local plugin): clone the repo, then copy or symlink it to ~/.cursor/plugins/local/mcp-server-anydoc and reload the window. One-click MCP buttons below still work if you only want the server without the skill bundle.

Spec and tooling: agent-plugins.org.

Tools

Supported inputs include .pdf, .doc/.docx, .ppt/.pptx, .xls/.xlsx, OpenDocument, RTF, EPUB, CSV.

Not OCR. Scanned image-only PDFs fail. Text-based documents are the target.

Example prompts

• “Convert ./docs/msa.docx and list the termination clauses.”

• “Turn every .pptx under ./decks/ into .md beside the original.”

• “convert_document on budget.xlsx with output_path ./budget.md, then summarize sheet risks.”

How it compares

Engine: anydoc (Rust, MIT) via @firecrawl/anydoc.

FAQ

Do I need this if I can attach a PDF in chat?

For a one-off question about one PDF in the chat UI, attaching is enough. Use this MCP when a coding agent must read .docx, .pptx, .xlsx, or PDFs from the repo, batch-convert folders, or write Markdown to disk without manual uploads.

Agent Plugins vs MCP-only install?

MCP-only (one-click Cursor/VS Code or mcp.json) gives you convert_document and friends. The Agent Plugins package adds plugin.json plus the local-doc-to-markdown skill so agents know when to convert instead of guessing. Same npx server either way.

Is OCR supported?

No. Scanned or image-only PDFs fail. anydoc targets text-based office documents and PDFs. Use an OCR pipeline elsewhere, then convert the result if needed.

Where does my document go? (privacy)

Conversion runs locally via anydoc. Nothing is sent to a document-parse SaaS and no API key is required. Converted Markdown still enters the model context when the agent reads it, same as any tool output.

Which clients work?

Any MCP client over stdio: Cursor, VS Code Copilot MCP, Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Windsurf, and others. Claude Code can also use the marketplace plugin; Cursor can load the repo from ~/.cursor/plugins/local/mcp-server-anydoc.

Tech stack

Development

git clone https://github.com/ofershap/mcp-server-anydoc.git
cd mcp-server-anydoc
npm install
npm test
npm run build

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md. Run claude plugin validate . before changing plugin manifests.

Author

If this helped, star the repo or open an issue.

License

MIT © Ofer Shapira

Powered by anydoc (MIT) from Firecrawl.