What is Mcp Source Server

mcp-source-server is an MCP Server designed for source code editing, enabling developers to leverage AI assistance for a more efficient coding workflow.

Use cases

Use cases include streamlining the coding process for developers using AI tools, reducing repetitive tasks, and enhancing collaboration within coding projects.

How to use

To use mcp-source-server, clone the repository, install dependencies, build the project, and run tests. After setup, it can assist in searching through project files, analyzing the codebase, and providing intelligent suggestions.

Key features

Key features include core file operations such as reading, writing, listing, and streaming large files, enhanced operations like deleting and renaming files, and robust security features like directory traversal protection and file extension whitelisting.

Where to use

mcp-source-server can be used in software development environments where AI assistance is desired for code editing and project management.

Preface

Want to do Vibe Coding with AI assistance but tired of being limited to tools like Cursor or Windsurf with additional API costs? Why not leverage the AI assistants you’re already paying for, like Claude Desktop, for your development workflow?
With this mindset, I developed this MCP Server (or rather, I had Claude help me develop this tool).
Once you set up this MCP Server, your AI assistant can automatically search through relevant files in your project, analyze the codebase, and provide intelligent correction suggestions. While you’ll still need to handle building and running your project manually and paste error messages back into the conversation, this approach can significantly reduce repetitive copy-paste work for users who are already subscribed to AI services, making the development process much more streamlined.

✨ Features

Core File Operations

• Read Files: Securely read source code files with size limits
• Write Files: Create and update files with optional backup
• List Files: Browse directory contents with metadata
• Stream Writing: Efficient handling of large file writes

🆕 Enhanced Operations (v0.2.1)

• Delete Files: Safely delete files with automatic backup
• Rename/Move Files: Rename files or move them between directories
• Partial Write: LLM-optimized feature to update specific file sections without rewriting entire files

🔒 Security Features

• Directory Traversal Protection: Prevents access outside workspace
• File Extension Whitelist: Only allows approved file types
• Path Blacklisting: Blocks access to sensitive directories
• Size Limits: Prevents excessive file operations
• Concurrent Operation Limits: Protects system resources

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

# Clone the repository
git clone [email protected]/Chakotay-Lee/mcp-source-server
cd mcp-source-server

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build the project
npm run build

# Run tests
npm test

Claude Desktop Configuration

Add the following configuration to your Claude Desktop config file:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "source-code-server": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/your/mcp-source-server/dist/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MCP_WORKSPACE_DIR": "/path/to/your/workspace"
      }
    }
  }
}

Replace /path/to/your/mcp-source-server with the actual path to this project, and /path/to/your/workspace with your desired workspace directory.

📋 Available Tools

Basic Operations

• read_source_file - Read file content
• write_source_file - Write content to file
• list_source_files - List files in directory
• stream_write_source_file - Stream write for large files

🆕 Enhanced Operations

• delete_source_file - Delete file with backup option
• rename_source_file - Rename or move file with backup
• partial_write_source_file - Update specific file content (LLM optimized)

Utility

• get_server_stats - Get server status and statistics

🔧 Configuration

Environment Variables

• MCP_WORKSPACE_DIR: Set the workspace directory (default: ./workspace)

Security Configuration

The server includes built-in security configurations:

Allowed File Extensions

• Programming: .js, .ts, .jsx, .tsx, .py, .cpp, .c, .h, etc.
• Web: .html, .css, .scss, .json, .xml, .yaml, etc.
• Documentation: .md, .txt, .rst, .adoc
• Templates: .template, .example, .sample, .config
• No extension: Dockerfile, Makefile, .gitignore, etc.

Blacklisted Paths

• .. - Directory traversal prevention
• .git/ - Git repository files
• node_modules/ - Dependencies directory
• .env. - Environment files (except templates)
• secrets/ - Secrets directory
• System files (.DS_Store, Thumbs.db)

💡 Usage Examples

Basic File Operations

// Read a file
await callTool('read_source_file', { filePath: 'src/index.js' });

// Write a file
await callTool('write_source_file', {
  filePath: 'src/new-file.js',
  content: 'console.log("Hello World");',
  createBackup: true
});

// List files
await callTool('list_source_files', { dirPath: 'src' });

🆕 Enhanced Operations

// Delete a file (with backup)
await callTool('delete_source_file', {
  filePath: 'old-file.js',
  createBackup: true
});

// Rename/move a file
await callTool('rename_source_file', {
  oldPath: 'old-name.js',
  newPath: 'src/new-name.js',
  createBackup: true
});

// LLM-optimized partial update
await callTool('partial_write_source_file', {
  filePath: 'utils.js',
  oldContent: 'function oldFunction() { return "old"; }',
  newContent: 'function newFunction() { return "updated"; }'
});

🛡️ Security Notes

Allowed Development Files

✅ .gitignore, .env.template, Dockerfile, Makefile, package.json, tsconfig.json

Protected Files

🔒 .env, .env.local, .env.production, .git/config, node_modules/, secrets/

🧪 Testing

# Run all tests
npm test

# Run specific test
npm test -- --testNamePattern="should allow development configuration files"

# Run with coverage
npm run test:coverage

🔄 Backup System

The server automatically creates backups in the .backups directory with timestamps:

• Format: filename.timestamp.backup
• Location: workspace/.backups/
• Automatic cleanup recommended

📊 Performance Features

• Concurrent Operation Limits: Prevents system overload
• File Size Limits: Default 10MB per file
• LLM Optimization: Partial write reduces file I/O for small changes
• Stream Processing: Efficient handling of large files

🤝 Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests for new functionality
5. Ensure all tests pass
6. Submit a pull request

📝 License

[Your License Here]

🆕 Changelog

v0.2.1

• ✨ Added file deletion functionality
• ✨ Added file rename/move functionality
• ✨ Added LLM-optimized partial write functionality
• 🔧 Fixed .env.template file access
• 🔧 Enhanced security with precise pattern matching
• 🧪 Comprehensive test suite (21 tests)

v0.1.0

• 🎉 Initial release with basic file operations
• 🔒 Security features and path validation
• 📚 MCP protocol implementation