trackmcp
Back to directory
gorosun

unified-diff-mcp

View on GitHub

Unified Diff MCP Server

12 stars TypeScriptOthers Updated Jul 6, 2026

Documentation

Unified Diff MCP Server

smithery badge

Beautiful diff visualization for Claude Desktop. Transform code diffs into stunning visual comparisons with GitHub Gist integration and local file output.

✨ Features

  • 🎨 Beautiful HTML diff visualization using diff2html
  • 🌐 GitHub Gist integration for instant sharing
  • 📁 Local file output (PNG/HTML)
  • 🔄 Auto-delete functionality for temporary diffs
  • 🖥️ Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)
  • High-performance with Bun runtime
  • 🛡️ Enhanced Security with multi-level protection for shared diffs
  • 🔒 Multi-level security (Low/Medium/High) for different use cases

🚀 Quick Start

Installing via Smithery

bash
bunx @smithery/cli install @gorosun/unified-diff-mcp --client claude --config '{
  "defaultAutoOpen": true,
  "defaultOutputMode": "html",
  "githubUsername": "your_actual_github_username",
  "githubToken": "ghp_your_actual_token_here"
}'

Manual Installation

1. **Install Claude Desktop and Bun**

2. Clone and build:

bash
git clone https://github.com/gorosun/unified-diff-mcp.git
   cd unified-diff-mcp
   bun install

3. Configure Claude Desktop - see Configuration below

🛠️ Tools Overview

ToolPurposeOutputBest For
`visualize_diff_html_content`Browser display & sharingGitHub Gist + HTML preview URLQuick sharing, instant viewing
`visualize_diff_output_file`Local file storagePNG/HTML filesLocal storage, presentations

📖 Usage Examples

🎯 Optimal Prompts by Purpose

PurposeRecommended PromptTool UsedOutput
Quick Preview`Please visualize and preview the following diff:``以下のdiffを可視化してプレビューしてください``visualize_diff_html_content`GitHub Gist + HTML preview URL
Local Storage`Please visualize and save the following diff to a file:``以下のdiffを可視化してファイルに保存してください``visualize_diff_output_file`Local HTML/PNG file
Share with Others`Please visualize the following diff and create a shareable link:``以下のdiffを可視化して共有リンクを作成してください``visualize_diff_html_content`GitHub Gist with shareable URL
Image Export`Please visualize and save the following diff as a PNG image:``以下のdiffを可視化してPNG画像で保存してください``visualize_diff_output_file`Local PNG image
Code Review`Please visualize the following diff in side-by-side format:``以下のdiffをside-by-side形式で可視化してください`Either toolSide-by-side comparison
Documentation`Please visualize and save the following diff as an HTML file:``以下のdiffを可視化してHTMLファイルで保存してください``visualize_diff_output_file`Local HTML file
🔒 Secure Sharing`Please visualize this diff with high security:``以下のdiffを高セキュリティで可視化してください``visualize_diff_html_content`Secret Gist with auto-delete

Share diff instantly (GitHub Gist)

code
visualize_diff_html_content:
- Creates temporary GitHub Gist
- Auto-deletes after 30 minutes
- Instant browser-ready URLs
- Perfect for code reviews

Save diff locally

code
visualize_diff_output_file:
- Saves PNG or HTML to local disk
- Auto-opens in browser (optional)
- Perfect for documentation

🎛️ Configuration

Environment Variables

VariableDescriptionDefault
`GITHUB_TOKEN`GitHub Personal Access Token (for Gist integration)Required for `visualize_diff_html_content`
`DEFAULT_AUTO_OPEN`Auto-open generated files`false`
`DEFAULT_OUTPUT_MODE`Default output format (`html` or `image`)`html`

GitHub Token Setup

1. Go to GitHub Settings > Personal Access Tokens

2. Generate new token with `gist` scope

3. Add to your environment:

bash
export GITHUB_TOKEN="your_token_here"

Claude Desktop Configuration

macOS:

bash
code ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Windows:

bash
code %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Configuration template:

json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "unified-diff-mcp": {
      "command": "bun",
      "args": ["run", "/path/to/unified-diff-mcp/src/index.ts"],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_TOKEN": "your_github_token_here",
        "DEFAULT_AUTO_OPEN": "true",
        "DEFAULT_OUTPUT_MODE": "html"
      }
    }
  }
}

📋 Parameters Reference

Common Parameters

ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
`diff`string*(required)*Unified diff text
`format`string`side-by-side`Display format (`line-by-line` or `side-by-side`)
`showFileList`boolean`true`Show file list summary
`highlight`boolean`true`Enable syntax highlighting
`oldPath`string`file.txt`Original file path
`newPath`string`file.txt`Modified file path
`autoOpen`boolean`false`Auto-open in browser

GitHub Gist Specific

ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
`expiryMinutes`number`30`Auto-delete time (1-1440 minutes)
`public`boolean`false`Public vs secret gist

Local File Specific

ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
`outputType`string`html`Output format (`html` or `image`)

🌍 Platform Support

PlatformAuto-OpenCommands
Windows`start` (primary), `explorer` (fallback)
macOS`open` (primary), AppleScript (fallback)
Linux`xdg-open`

🔧 Development

Development mode (with hot reload):

json
{
  "command": "bun",
  "args": ["--watch", "/path/to/unified-diff-mcp/src/index.ts"]
}

Production mode:

json
{
  "command": "bun",
  "args": ["run", "/path/to/unified-diff-mcp/src/index.ts"]
}

📚 Advanced Usage

🔒 Enhanced Security Levels

When GitHub Token isn't available or for secure sharing, you can choose from multiple security levels:

Security LevelConfigurationFeaturesUse Cases
🟢 LowSecret Gist + 60min auto-deleteURL-only accessCode examples, learning
🟡 MediumSecret Gist + Password + 30min auto-deleteURL + Access code requiredTeam reviews
🔴 HighSecret Gist + Password + 15min auto-deleteURL + Access code + Short durationSensitive code

Usage Example

code
Please visualize this diff with high security:
--- a/config.js
+++ b/config.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 const config = {
-  apiKey: 'old-key'
+  apiKey: 'new-secure-key',
+  timeout: 5000
 };

Response Example:

code
🔒 **Secure Diff Visualization**

🔴 **Security Level**: High Security - Secret Gist + Password (15min auto-delete)
📋 **Preview Link**: https://htmlpreview.github.io/?...
🔑 **Access Code**: `a7x9k2`
⏰ **Auto-delete**: 15 minutes

🔄 Fallback Functionality

When GitHub Token is unavailable, the system falls back to local files:

  • HTML saved as temporary file
  • Automatic browser opening
  • Security-based file management

For detailed setup and integration guides:

🤝 Supported Clients

  • Claude Desktop (Primary)
  • Claude Code (CLI)
  • VS Code + MCP Extension
  • Cline and other MCP clients

📄 License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Dependencies

LibraryLicensePurpose
diff2htmlMITHTML diff generation
playwright-coreApache 2.0Browser automation
@modelcontextprotocol/sdkMITMCP integration

Made with ❤️ for the Claude Desktop community

Frequently asked questions

What is unified-diff-mcp?

unified-diff-mcp is Unified Diff MCP Server

How do I install unified-diff-mcp?

Open the GitHub repository and follow its README. Most MCP servers are added to your client's MCP config, then called by your agent.

Is unified-diff-mcp open source?

Yes — it is hosted on GitHub at https://github.com/gorosun/unified-diff-mcp and has 12 stars.

Related MCP tools

Run your own MCP server? See who uses it and what to fix.

Measure it with TrackMCP