project-explorer-mcp

MCP server toolkit for analyzing the structure of a Python project.

Installation and Launch

Prerequisites

• uv

Install to Cursor IDE

{
 "mcpServers": {
   "project-explorer": {
     "command": "uv",
     "args": [
       "--directory",
       "path/to/project-explorer-mcp",
       "run",
       "project-explorer-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

All tools are enabled by default: dir_tree, python_outline, markdown_outline, openapi_list_operations, openapi_get_operation_details

Related MCP server: MCP Codebase Symbols Server

Configuration

The server can be configured using environment variables with the prefix PROJECT_EXPLORER_MCP__:

• PROJECT_EXPLORER_MCP__DEFAULT_OUTPUT_FORMAT: Set the default output format for all tools (json or markdown). Default is markdown.

Example:

export PROJECT_EXPLORER_MCP__DEFAULT_OUTPUT_FORMAT=json

Output Formats

All tools support two output formats:

• markdown (default): Returns structured markdown text that is more token-efficient for AI models to understand

• json: Returns structured JSON data for programmatic processing

You can override the default format per tool call using the output_format parameter.

Server Tools

dir_tree

• Description: Returns a file and folder tree with depth limitation.

• Parameters:

  • root_path: str — path to the root of the tree

  • max_depth: int — maximum traversal depth (default: 1)

  • output_format: str | None — output format: json or markdown (default: server setting)

• Output Example (markdown format):

  ## Directory Tree: /path/to/project
  

  tests/test_sample.py tests/test_sample.md tests/test_dir_tree.md

• Output Example (json format):

  {
    "root": "/path/to/project/tests",
    "tree": [
      {
        "name": "test_dir_tree.md",
        "type": "file"
      },
      {
        "name": "test_sample.md",
        "type": "file"
      },
      {
        "name": "test_sample.py",
        "type": "file"
      }
    ]
  }

python_outline

• Description: Returns an outline for each Python file (imports, classes, functions, docstrings).

• Parameters:

  • paths: list[str] — list of paths to Python files

  • output_format: str | None — output format: json or markdown (default: server setting)

• Output Example (markdown format):

  ## tests/test_sample.py
  
  **Module docstring:**
  Module for outline test.
  
  The module contains an example class and function.
  
  ### Imports
  
  - `os` (line 3)
  - `sys` (line 4)
  
  ### Classes
  
  #### `Example` (line 7)
  
  Example class.
  
  **Methods:**
  - `method` (line 9)
    - Class method.
  
  ### Functions
  
  #### `func` (line 15)
  
  Example function.

• Output Example (json format):

  {'tests/test_sample.py': {'docstring': 'Module for outline test.\n\nThe module contains an example class and function.', 'imports': [{'name': 'os', 'line': 3}, {'name': 'sys', 'line': 4}], 'classes': [{'name': 'Example', 'line': 7, 'docstring': 'Example class.', 'methods': [{'name': 'method', 'line': 9, 'docstring': 'Class method.'}]}], 'functions': [{'name': 'func', 'line': 15, 'docstring': 'Example function.'}]}}

markdown_outline

• Description: Returns an outline for each Markdown file (headings, levels, line).

• Parameters:

  • paths: list[str] — list of paths to Markdown files

  • output_format: str | None — output format: json or markdown (default: server setting)

• Output Example (markdown format):

  ## tests/test_sample.md
  
  ### Document Structure
  
  - **H1:** Heading 1 (line 1)
    - **H2:** Heading 2 (line 3)
      - **H3:** Heading 3 (line 5)
    - **H2:** Second H2 (line 9)

• Output Example (json format):

  {'tests/test_sample.md': [{'level': 1, 'text': 'Heading 1', 'line': 1}, {'level': 2, 'text': 'Heading 2', 'line': 3}, {'level': 3, 'text': 'Heading 3', 'line': 5}, {'level': 2, 'text': 'Second H2', 'line': 9}]}

openapi_list_operations

• Description: Lists all operations from an OpenAPI specification file.

• Parameters:

  • spec_path: str — absolute path to the OpenAPI JSON or YAML file

  • output_format: str | None — output format: json or markdown (default: server setting)

• Output Example (markdown format):

  # OpenAPI Operations
  
  | Method | Path     | Operation ID | Summary           |
  | ------ | -------- | ------------ | ----------------- |
  | GET    | `/users` | listUsers    | List all users    |
  | POST   | `/users` | createUser   | Create a new user |

• Output Example (json format):

  {
    "operations": [
      {
        "method": "GET",
        "path": "/users",
        "operation_id": "listUsers",
        "summary": "List users"
      }
    ],
    "count": 1,
    "error": null
  }

openapi_get_operation_details

• Description: Gets detailed information for specific OpenAPI operations.

• Parameters:

  • spec_path: str — absolute path to the OpenAPI JSON or YAML file

  • selectors: list[str] — list of selectors (operationId, "METHOD /path", or path)

  • expand_refs: bool — whether to resolve $ref references (default: false)

  • format_output: str | None — output format: json or markdown (default: server setting)

• Output Example (markdown format):

  # OpenAPI Operation Details
  
  ## GET /users
  
  **Operation ID:** listUsers
  
  **Summary:** List all users
  
  **Description:**
  
  Get a list of all users
  
  ### Responses
  
  #### 200
  
  Successful response
  
  **Content Types:**
  
  - `application/json`: `{'type': 'array', 'items': {'type': 'object'}}`
  
  ---

• Output Example (json format):

  {
    "details": [
      {
        "method": "GET",
        "path": "/users",
        "operation_id": "listUsers",
        "summary": "List users",
        "description": "Retrieve a list of users",
        "parameters": [
          {
            "name": "limit",
            "in": "query",
            "required": false,
            "schema": {"type": "integer"},
            "description": "Maximum number of results"
          }
        ],
        "responses": {
          "200": {
            "description": "Success",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {"type": "array", "items": {"type": "object"}}
            }
          }
        }
      }
    ],
    "count": 1,
    "error": null
  }