Remote Files MCP Server

MCP server for monitoring remote file sources, detecting new files, and extracting content

Local serverstdio

What is the Remote Files MCP MCP server?

Most monitoring and observability work still happens through a UI a human drives. Remote Files MCP MCP server moves it into the conversation instead. MCP server for monitoring remote file sources, detecting new files, and extracting content.

The short version

MCP server for monitoring remote file sources, detecting new files, and extracting content. Works with any storage backend via rclone (70+ providers) or custom commands.

  • Multi-source monitoring — — track multiple remote locations (Google Drive, S3, SFTP, local dirs, etc.)
  • New file detection — — state-based diffing detects new and changed files
  • Content extraction — — extracts text from DOCX, PDF, and plain text files
  • Auto-cleanup — — downloaded files are deleted after content extraction
  • Hybrid transport — — built-in rclone support + custom shell commands

The tools it exposes

The server publishes 3 tools. What each one is for:

  • check_sources — The check_sources tool exposed by this server
  • init_source — Initialize a source baseline. All current files are marked as known
  • fetch_file — Download a file, extract text, and auto-delete the local copy

What it needs from you

  • Node.js >= 18 - npm - rclone (if using the rclone transport — the installer can install it for you)

Getting it running

The server ships on npm as npm, so your MCP client can launch it on demand — there is no separate build step. Add the server block to your client's configuration, restart it, and the tools register themselves.

How it compares

This sits in the monitoring and observability group, where several servers overlap in what they claim to do but differ sharply once you actually set them up. Remote Files MCP's toolset — check_sources, init_source, fetch_file — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by vinerima; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

We check each listing at SyncDev against the project's documentation before it goes live — if something here drifts out of date, it is a bug worth reporting.

Things to watch

  • 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.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
check_sourcesThe check_sources tool exposed by this server.
init_sourceInitialize a source baseline. All current files are marked as known.
fetch_fileDownload a file, extract text, and auto-delete the local copy.

How to install the Remote Files MCP MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "remote-files": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "npm"]
    }
  }
}

Add to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.

Configuration

  • Node.js >= 18 - npm - rclone (if using the rclone transport — the installer can install it for you)

Example prompts to try

  • Use Remote Files MCP to check sources.
  • Use Remote Files MCP to init source.
  • Use Remote Files MCP to fetch file.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Remote Files MCP to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 3 tools (check_sources, init_source, fetch_file) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Remote Files MCP directly.