File Context Server MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides file system context to Large Language Models (LLMs). This server enables LLMs to read, search

Local serverstdio

What is the File Context Server MCP server?

If you already use File Context Server, the file context server mcp server is the piece that lets your assistant work with it directly. A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides file system context to Large Language Models (LLMs). This server enables LLMs to read, search, and analyze code files with advanced caching and real-time file watching capabilities.

What the server does

  • File Operations —
  • Read file and directory contents
  • List files with detailed metadata
  • Real-time file watching and cache invalidation
  • Support for multiple file encodings
  • Recursive directory traversal

Installation

Installation goes through your MCP client rather than a global install: point it at @smithery/cli on npm and it is fetched when the client starts. The copy-paste blocks for Claude Desktop, Claude Code and Cursor are further down this page.

Credentials and setup notes

Configuration is passed through the environment: INVALID_PATH. Treat anything key-shaped as a real credential — scope it to the minimum the server needs, and rotate it if it ever lands in a shared config.

Where it fits

Among the file and storage access options, the useful question is rarely "what can it do" but "what does it cost you to run" — permissions, credentials, and how much of your context its toolset consumes. It is maintained by bsmi021; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

SyncDev reviews every entry in this directory against the project's own documentation before publishing, and revisits them as servers change.

Worth knowing first

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • Keep per-call confirmation enabled while you learn its behaviour; it is the cheapest safeguard you have.

How to install the File Context Server MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "file-context-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@smithery/cli"],
      "env": {
        "INVALID_PATH": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
INVALID_PATHFilesystem location the server is allowed to use.Optional

Frequently asked questions

You can install it automatically via Smithery using `npx -y @smithery/cli install @bsmi021/mcp-file-context-server --client claude` or manually with `npm install @modelcontextprotocol/file-context-server`.