# Filesystem MCP server

> Read, write, search and edit files inside directories you explicitly allow, over a local stdio connection.

- Listing: https://mcp.tc/i/filesystem
- Connect: this is a local (stdio) server; install it on your machine (see Install). The listing link is a page, not an MCP endpoint.
- Type: local (stdio)
- Auth: no API key needed
- Category: [Developer Tools](https://mcp.tc/c/developer-tools)
- Vendor: MCP reference servers
- Verified: yes, mcp.tc checked that this is the official server (https://mcp.tc/verify). It says who runs the server, not that it is safe.
- Homepage: <https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/tree/main/src/filesystem>
- Repository: <https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/tree/main/src/filesystem>
- Package: npm `@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem`

## About

Filesystem is a reference MCP server maintained by the Model Context Protocol steering group. It gives an assistant file operations on your local machine, limited to the directories you pass on the command line. You can read, write, search and edit files within those paths.

It runs locally over stdio through npx as @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem, with one or more allowed directory paths as arguments. It needs Node.js and no API key or sign-in. The project describes its servers as reference implementations, so review your own security needs before giving it access to important folders.

## What it can do

- Read files from allowed directories
- Write and create files in allowed directories
- Edit existing files
- Search for files within allowed paths
- Restrict access to directories set at startup

## Example prompts

- "Read the README in my project folder and summarize it."
- "Search the allowed directory for files that mention TODO."
- "Create a notes.md file in my docs folder with this outline."
- "Edit config.json to change the port to 8080."

## Install

### Claude Code

1. Run this in a terminal, in your project folder:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport stdio filesystem -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path/to/allowed/dir
```

2. Start Claude Code and type `/mcp`. **filesystem** should show as connected.

Add `--scope user` to make it available in every project.

### Claude Desktop

1. Open **Settings → Developer → Edit Config**. It opens `claude_desktop_config.json`. Add:

`claude_desktop_config.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
        "/path/to/allowed/dir"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

2. Save the file and restart Claude Desktop.

Needs Node.js on your computer. The file lives in `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/` on macOS and `%APPDATA%\Claude\` on Windows.

### Cursor

[Add to Cursor](<https://cursor.com/install-mcp?name=filesystem&config=eyJjb21tYW5kIjoibnB4IiwiYXJncyI6WyIteSIsIkBtb2RlbGNvbnRleHRwcm90b2NvbC9zZXJ2ZXItZmlsZXN5c3RlbSIsIi9wYXRoL3RvL2FsbG93ZWQvZGlyIl19>) (opens Cursor)

Or add it by hand to `~/.cursor/mcp.json` (all projects) or `.cursor/mcp.json` (this project):

`mcp.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
        "/path/to/allowed/dir"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

Needs Node.js on your computer.

### VS Code

[Install in VS Code](<https://vscode.dev/redirect/mcp/install?name=filesystem&config=%7B%22type%22%3A%22stdio%22%2C%22command%22%3A%22npx%22%2C%22args%22%3A%5B%22-y%22%2C%22%40modelcontextprotocol%2Fserver-filesystem%22%2C%22%2Fpath%2Fto%2Fallowed%2Fdir%22%5D%7D>) (opens VS Code)

Or from a terminal:

```bash
code --add-mcp '{"name":"filesystem","type":"stdio","command":"npx","args":["-y","@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem","/path/to/allowed/dir"]}'
```

Or commit it to the repo in `.vscode/mcp.json`:

`.vscode/mcp.json`:

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
        "/path/to/allowed/dir"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

Needs Node.js on your computer.

### Devin Desktop

1. Add it to `~/.config/devin/mcp_config.json` (macOS and Linux) or `%APPDATA%\devin\mcp_config.json` (Windows):

`mcp_config.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
        "/path/to/allowed/dir"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

2. Refresh the MCP server list in Cascade.

Devin Desktop is the new name for Windsurf.

### Codex

```bash
codex mcp add filesystem -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path/to/allowed/dir
```

Or edit `~/.codex/config.toml` directly:

`config.toml`:

```toml
[mcp_servers.filesystem]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/allowed/dir"]
```

Needs Node.js on your computer.

### Gemini CLI

```bash
gemini mcp add filesystem npx -- -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path/to/allowed/dir
```

This adds it to the current project. Add `-s user` to use it everywhere.

### Any client

Most clients that start local servers accept this shape:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
        "/path/to/allowed/dir"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

Zed puts servers under `context_servers` in its settings, with the same `command`, `args` and `env` fields.

Needs Node.js on your computer.

## Details

- Server version: 2026.8.31
- Last checked: 2026-10-03
- Listed: 2026-10-03
- Updated: 2026-10-03

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Source: https://mcp.tc/i/filesystem (mcp.tc is an independent directory, not affiliated with this server's publisher). Corrections: https://mcp.tc/report