How do I install the distill mcp server?

Use a recorded configuration for your client, replace example credential values and paths, and verify the documented runtime. Restart or reconnect the client, then inspect the available tools.

What credentials does it need?

It reads `DISTILL_MCP_CONFIG` from the environment. Store these in your client's env block or a secrets manager — never commit them to a repository — and grant the narrowest scope that still covers your use case.

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Distill MCP Server

Convert PDF, DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, HTML, audio to token-efficient Markdown for any MCP client.

Local serverstdioPython

What is the Distill MCP Server?

Convert PDF, DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, HTML, audio to token-efficient Markdown for any MCP client.

What you get

An MCP server that connects any MCP-compatible client to Distill, converting local documents to clean, token-efficient Markdown before the LLM reads them. Typical token reduction is 40–80% compared to raw document text, letting the model fit more content into its context window and reason over it faster.

More MCP options

Compare MCP servers by category, or browse hosted MCP servers if you prefer an endpoint over a local process.

Maintainer setup documentation.

How to install the Distill MCP Server

claude mcp add distill --env DISTILL_MCP_CONFIG=your-value -- npx -y distill-mcp-server

Configuration

Variable	Description	Required
DISTILL_MCP_CONFIG	Configuration value read at startup.	Optional

Example prompts to try

“Use Distill to Rules.”
“Use Distill to Usage.”

Frequently asked questions

Convert PDF, DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, HTML, audio to token-efficient Markdown for any MCP client. Confirm the tools offered by your installed version in the connected client. Tool availability and permissions depend on the server and account configuration.

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