Filesystem MCP
Let AI read and write files on your local system
BestMCPTools
Filesystem MCP
bestmcptools.org
Maintenance status
ActiveReference server maintained in the official modelcontextprotocol/servers repository.
How to Install Filesystem MCP
$npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystemRequires Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, or another MCP-compatible client.
Setup by client
Claude Desktop (claude_desktop_config.json)
{
"mcpServers": {
"filesystem-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem"
]
}
}
}Cursor (~/.cursor/mcp.json)
{
"mcpServers": {
"filesystem-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem"
]
}
}
}VS Code (.vscode/mcp.json)
{
"servers": {
"filesystem-mcp": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem"
]
}
}
}Claude Code (terminal)
claude mcp add filesystem-mcp -- npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystemAdd any API keys or environment variables the server's README lists.
About Filesystem MCP
Scoped filesystem access for AI models. You pick the allowed directories, the model can read, write and list within them. If those directories hold Markdown notes, the Obsidian MCP setup adds tag, backlink and full-text search.
Filesystem MCP is a File System MCP server designed for developers, writers, and researchers. It enables letting AI assistants read and write files on disk or in cloud storage by exposing scoped file operations as MCP tools. Key capabilities include path-scoped read and write, diff-style previews before writes, directory listing and search, and structured tool calls that work cleanly inside an LLM context. It integrates with Local disk, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and S3-compatible storage, and is best suited for developers, writers, and researchers who need refactoring across many files.
Key Features
- files
- local
- io
- Path-scoped read and write
- Diff-style previews before writes
- Directory listing and search
Pricing
Open Source: from Free
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Foundational for almost any non-trivial agent workflow
- Allow-lists and previews limit risk
- Works locally and against cloud storage
Cons
- Misconfigured scopes are a real footgun
- Large directories can blow up context
- Symlink and permission edge cases
Best For
- Refactoring across many files
- Document drafting and stitching
- Project-folder summarisation
- Media and download organisation
Our Take on Filesystem MCP
The first MCP most people install. Path-scoping makes it safe enough for day-to-day use.