What is Desktop Commander MCP?

It is a community MCP server that exposes terminal, file search, file editing, and process-management capabilities to MCP-compatible AI clients.

How do you install Desktop Commander MCP?

The README documents `npx @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest setup` and config examples using npx with @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest.

It can run commands and edit local files under user permissions, so test in low-risk folders and review its security guidance before giving it sensitive access.

Desktop Commander MCP

Name: Desktop Commander MCP
Author: wonderwhy-er

by wonderwhy-er

communitystdionpm

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Works withClaude DesktopCursorVS CodeWindsurf

About

MCP server for terminal control, file search, process management, and local file editing from AI clients.

Features

Terminal command execution from MCP clients
File-system search and text/code editing
Process management for local workflows
Diff-oriented file editing support
Claude Desktop and other MCP client setup paths

Use Cases

Claude Desktop users

Give an assistant controlled access to local terminal and file workflows for development tasks.

Developers

Search, inspect, patch, and run project files through an MCP-compatible coding workflow.

Agent-tooling teams

Evaluate terminal and file-system MCP access while reviewing local permission boundaries.

What This Server Can Do

MCP servers expose three types of capabilities to AI clients. Here's what Desktop Commander MCP supports.

Tools

Supported18 tools

Functions your AI client can call to perform actions — like querying a database, creating a file, or calling an API.

How to use: Tools run automatically when your AI client decides they're needed. Ask your AI assistant to perform a task, and it will invoke the right tool.

Resources

Not available

This server does not expose read-only data resources.

Prompts

Not available

This server does not provide pre-built prompt templates.

For the full list of available tools, resources, and prompts, check the README on GitHub.

Available Tools (3)

execute_command

Run local terminal commands under the user environment.

search_files

Search the local file system for project files or text.

edit_file

Apply file edits or patches through the MCP server.