Desktop Commander MCP Server

This is MCP server for Claude that gives it terminal control, file system search and diff file editing capabilities

Remote serverstreamable-httpPython

What is the Desktop Commander MCP server?

Desktop Commander MCP server exists for a simple reason — assistants are far more useful when they can act on Desktop Commander directly instead of describing what you should do. This is MCP server for Claude that gives it terminal control, file system search and diff file editing capabilities.

What you get

Work with code and text, run processes, and automate tasks, going far beyond other AI editors - while using host client subscriptions instead of API token costs.

  • Remote AI Control — - Use Desktop Commander from ChatGPT, Claude web, and other AI services via Remote MCP
  • File Preview UI — - Visual file previews in Claude Desktop with rendered markdown, inline images, expandable content, built-in markdown editor, and quick "Open in folder" access
  • Enhanced terminal commands with interactive process control —
  • Execute code in memory (Python, Node.js, R) without saving files —
  • Instant data analysis - just ask to analyze CSV/JSON/Excel files —
  • Native Excel file support — - Read, write, edit, and search Excel files (.xlsx, .xls, .xlsm) without external tools

What the assistant can call

Once Desktop Commander is connected, these are the calls the assistant has available:

  • Security — The Security tool exposed by this server

Setting it up

Being a remote server, there is no local install. You register the endpoint with your client, authorise it once, and the tools appear.

Choosing this one

This sits in the file and storage access group, where several servers overlap in what they claim to do but differ sharply once you actually set them up. Desktop Commander's toolset — Security — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by wonderwhy-er; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

This entry was verified against Desktop Commander's own documentation before publication; SyncDev keeps the directory reviewed rather than auto-generated.

Before you rely on it

  • Your data travels to the provider's service, so the usual questions apply about what you send and what they retain.
  • MCP clients confirm each tool call by default. Leave that on until you have watched what the desktop commander mcp server does with a few real requests.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
SecurityThe Security tool exposed by this server.

How to install the Desktop Commander MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "desktop-commander": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Example prompts to try

  • Use Desktop Commander to Security.

Frequently asked questions

Run `npx @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest remove` or remove the server entry from your claude_desktop_config.json.