rclone-mcp
# rclone-mcp
[](https://discord.gg/rclone)
MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for the [Rclone](https://rclone.org/) RC API. Gives AI assistants the ability to manage cloud storage remotes, copy/sync files, list directories, and more — all through natural language.
Tools are auto-generated from the [rclone-openapi](https://github.com/rclone-ui/rclone-openapi) spec using the [rclone-sdk](https://github.com/rclone-ui/rclone-sdk) client. 98 endpoints, organized into selectable toolsets.
## Prerequisites
A running rclone remote control daemon:
```bash
rclone rcd --rc-no-auth
# or with auth:
rclone rcd --rc-user=admin --rc-pass=secret
```
## Installation
### Cursor / Claude Desktop (stdio)
Add to your `.cursor/mcp.json` or `claude_desktop_config.json`:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"rclone": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "rclone-mcp"],
"env": {
"RCLONE_URL": "http://localhost:5572"
}
}
}
}
```
### With authentication
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"rclone": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "rclone-mcp"],
"env": {
"RCLONE_URL": "http://localhost:5572",
"RCLONE_USER": "admin",
"RCLONE_PASS": "secret"
}
}
}
}
```
### Docker
```bash
docker build -t rclone-mcp .
docker run -i --rm \
-e RCLONE_URL=http://host.docker.internal:5572 \
rclone-mcp
```
### Streamable HTTP transport
For remote hosting or web-based MCP clients:
```bash
npx rclone-mcp http --port 3000
```
## Configuration
### Environment Variables
| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| `RCLONE_URL` | rclone RC daemon URL | `http://localhost:5572` |
| `RCLONE_USER` | HTTP Basic Auth username | — |
| `RCLONE_PASS` | HTTP Basic Auth password | — |
| `RCLONE_TOOLSETS` | Comma-separated toolset list | `default` |
| `RCLONE_READ_ONLY` | Set to `1` to disable write tools | — |
### CLI Arguments
```
rclone-mcp [command]
Commands:
rclone-mcp stdio Run with stdio transport (default)
rclone-mcp http Run with Streamable HTTP transport
Options:
--toolsets Comma-separated list of toolsets
--read-only Only expose read-only tools
--port HTTP port (http command only, default: 3000)
```
## Toolsets
Tools are grouped by API path prefix. Enable only what you need to keep the tool list focused.
| Toolset | Paths | Default |
|---|---|---|
| `core` | `/core/*`, `/rc/*` | Yes |
| `config` | `/config/*` | Yes |
| `operations` | `/operations/*` | Yes |
| `sync` | `/sync/*` | Yes |
| `jobs` | `/job/*` | No |
| `vfs` | `/vfs/*` | No |
| `mount` | `/mount/*` | No |
| `serve` | `/serve/*` | No |
| `cache` | `/cache/*` | No |
| `debug` | `/debug/*` | No |
| `backend` | `/backend/*` | No |
| `options` | `/options/*` | No |
| `plugins` | `/pluginsctl/*` | No |
| `fscache` | `/fscache/*` | No |
Special values:
- `default` — the four default toolsets (core, config, operations, sync)
- `all` — every toolset
### Examples
```bash
# Default toolsets (55 tools)
npx rclone-mcp
# Everything (98 tools)
RCLONE_TOOLSETS=all npx rclone-mcp
# Just file operations and config
npx rclone-mcp --toolsets operations,config
# Default + mount
npx rclone-mcp --toolsets default,mount
# Read-only mode (no copy, delete, sync, etc.)
npx rclone-mcp --read-only
```
## Read-Only Mode
When `--read-only` or `RCLONE_READ_ONLY=1` is set, only non-mutating tools are registered. This excludes operations like file copy/move/delete, sync, config creation, mount/unmount, etc. Useful for giving AI assistants safe, read-only access.
## License
MIT
<div align="center">
<a href="https://discord.gg/rclone">
<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Discord-%235865F2.svg?&logo=discord&logoColor=white&style=for-the-badge">
</a>
</div>
<div align="center">
<sub>Made with ☁️ for the rclone community</sub>
</div>
TDQS
Scored across 56 tools
Each tool has a clearly distinct purpose, with detailed descriptions that prevent ambiguity even among similar operations like delete and deletefile or different sync modes.
All tools follow a consistent category_action pattern (e.g., config_create, core_stats, operations_list), using snake_case throughout with no mixing of conventions.
With 56 tools, the set is large and comprehensive, covering most rclone RC capabilities. While each tool has a specific use, the high count may overwhelm agents and is beyond the typical well-scoped range.
The tool surface covers all major rclone operations: configuration management, core utilities, file operations (CRUD, copy, move, sync), and RC introspection, with no obvious gaps for the advertised server purpose.