MCP Directory

How to add MCP Server Commands to Claude Desktop

Let LLMs run shell commands and processes on the host machine via a single run_process tool. Paste the config into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json and restart Claude Desktop.

Last updated June 14, 2026 · 227★ · stdio · no auth

Claude Desktop config for MCP Server Commands

npx mcp-server-commands
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-server-commands": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-server-commands"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Setup steps

  1. 1Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config (this opens ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json).
  2. 2Paste the MCP Server Commands config below under the top-level "mcpServers" key.
  3. 3Fill in any placeholder secrets (API keys, paths) in the snippet.
  4. 4Save the file, then fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop.
  5. 5Open a chat and confirm MCP Server Commands's tools appear under the 🔌 tools menu.

Before you start

  • Node.js (npx) to run the published mcp-server-commands npm package
  • An MCP client such as Claude Desktop, Zed, or Groq Desktop

What MCP Server Commands can do in Claude Desktop

run_process

Runs a process on the host machine. Invoke via command_line (string, executed through the system default shell — supports pipes, redirects, variable expansion) or argv (string array, direct executable invocation with no shell interpretation); the two are mutually exclusive. Returns STDOUT and STDERR as text. Accepts an optional stdin parameter to pipe scripts into commands like fish/bash/zsh/python or to create files via cat.

Security

Runs arbitrary commands with the permissions of the user that starts the server. Be careful what you ask it to run. In Claude Desktop use 'Approve Once' (not 'Allow for This Chat') so you can review each command, and 'Deny' for untrusted commands. DO NOT run the server with sudo. If bridging to HTTP via mcpo, vet it for security concerns.

MCP Server Commands + Claude Desktop FAQ

Where is the Claude Desktop config file?

Claude Desktop reads MCP servers from ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. Paste the MCP Server Commands config there under the "mcpServers" key and restart the client.

Is MCP Server Commands safe to use with Claude Desktop?

Runs arbitrary commands with the permissions of the user that starts the server. Be careful what you ask it to run. In Claude Desktop use 'Approve Once' (not 'Allow for This Chat') so you can review each command, and 'Deny' for untrusted commands. DO NOT run the server with sudo. If bridging to HTTP via mcpo, vet it for security concerns.

Can I pass both command_line and argv?

No. They are mutually exclusive — the tool infers whether to use a shell based on which parameter you provide. command_line goes through the system's default shell; argv invokes the executable directly with no shell interpretation.

How do I expose this over HTTP instead of STDIO?

The server is implemented with the STDIO transport. For HTTP/OpenAPI, bridge it with mcpo (e.g. 'uvx mcpo --port 3010 --api-key "supersecret" -- npx mcp-server-commands'), which works with Open-WebUI. Vet mcpo for security concerns before relying on it.

Is it safe to run?

It executes arbitrary commands with the permissions of the user running the server, so review each command. In Claude Desktop use 'Approve Once' to review every command and 'Deny' for untrusted ones, and never run the server with sudo.

View repo Full MCP Server Commands page