Filesystem (reference)

Lets the agent read, write, search and move files, limited to the folders you list in the config.

📄 Files & office documents★ 91,226Updated 2026-10-13Auth: noneGitHub ↗

SourcesGitHubmodelcontextprotocol/servers

Runner-up · best for files & office documents

See the pick for the verdict.

Test results

Last passed 2026-10-14

Claude CodePassed2026-10-13 · install, connect, tools, agent task

CursorPassed2026-10-13 · install, connect, tools, agent task

Claude DesktopPassed2026-10-14 · install, connect, tools, agent task

ChatGPT (Codex)Passed2026-10-14 · install, connect, tools, agent task

Protocol: 14 tools + tool call OK · 2026-10-13

⚠️ Client note: Claude Code sends MCP roots (its project folder plus any additional directories), and the server replaces the command-line folder with those roots. Fix: add the folder to Claude Code too, via permissions.additionalDirectories in .claude/settings.json (or --add-dir / /add-dir). Verified on the box Oct 13: list_allowed_directories then returns the folder. Cursor uses the command-line folder as-is.

Install

claude mcp add filesystem -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path/to/allowed/dir

Run in your terminal. This exact command is what our harness runs in Claude Code; see the results above.

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

Save as .cursor/mcp.json. This exact config is what our harness runs in Cursor; see the results above.

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

Add to claude_desktop_config.json and restart Claude Desktop. Tested on the Linux beta; see the results above.

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

Add to ~/.codex/config.toml (shared by the ChatGPT (Codex) CLI and the ChatGPT desktop app; Codex runs inside the ChatGPT desktop app). Tested with the ChatGPT (Codex) CLI bundled in the ChatGPT desktop app; see the results above.

Not connecting? Troubleshooting: Claude Code · Cursor · Claude Desktop · ChatGPT (Codex)

Test history

Date	Check	Result	Version
2026-10-13	Protocol (direct stdio)	Protocol: 14 tools + tool call OK	1.0.0
2026-10-13	Claude Code	Passed install, connect, tools, agent task	2.1.296 (Claude Code)
2026-10-13	Cursor	Passed install, connect, tools, agent task	2026.10.12-d47ca18
2026-10-14	Claude Desktop	Passed install, connect, tools, agent task	Claude Desktop 2.37337.1 (Linu
2026-10-14	ChatGPT (Codex)	Passed install, connect, tools, agent task	codex-cli 0.162.0-alpha.17.2

Tools seen by our harness (14)

read_fileread_text_fileread_media_fileread_multiple_fileswrite_fileedit_filecreate_directorylist_directorylist_directory_with_sizesdirectory_treemove_filesearch_filesget_file_infolist_allowed_directories