Vim MCP Server

Connect Claude Code to Vim/Neovim - query state, execute commands, search help, record macros

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What is the Vim MCP server?

Connect Vim to Claude, Cursor or any other MCP client and it stops being a tab you switch to. Connect Claude Code to Vim/Neovim - query state, execute commands, search help, record macros. The vim mcp server is what makes that connection.

What the server does

Simple MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration for Vim and Claude Code.

For a detailed overview, see vim-mcp overview.

  • Connect Claude Code to one of your Vim instances
  • Query Vim state (buffers, windows, cursor position, etc.)
  • Execute Vim commands from Claude using natural language

Available tools

The toolset is worth reading before you wire it up, because it tells you what the integration is really for:

  • Demo — For more, check out the demo wiki page
  • Overview — For a detailed overview, see vim-mcp overview
  • Prerequisites — The Prerequisites tool exposed by this server

Installation

Setup follows the usual MCP pattern — install or clone the server, register it in your client's configuration file, restart the client. The configuration blocks on this page cover the common clients.

Credentials and setup notes

  • Vim 8+ with +channel feature OR Neovim 0.5+ - Node.js 18+ - Unix domain socket support (Linux/macOS) - File system write access to /tmp directory - claude code / claude desktop or similar tools that support MCP

Where it fits

Among the developer tooling 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. Vim's toolset — Demo, Overview, Prerequisites — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by iggredible; 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.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
DemoFor more, check out the [demo wiki page](https://github.com/iggredible/vim-mcp/wiki/Demo)
OverviewFor a detailed overview, see [vim-mcp overview](doc/vim-mcp-overview.md).
PrerequisitesThe Prerequisites tool exposed by this server.

How to install the Vim MCP server

If npm link failed:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vim-mcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/some/path/.vim/plugged/vim-mcp/server/bin/vim-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

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

Configuration

  • Vim 8+ with +channel feature OR Neovim 0.5+ - Node.js 18+ - Unix domain socket support (Linux/macOS) - File system write access to /tmp directory - claude code / claude desktop or similar tools that support MCP

Example prompts to try

  • Use Vim to Demo.
  • Use Vim to Overview.
  • Use Vim to Prerequisites.

Frequently asked questions

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