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MCP server for executing terminal commands through Claude Desktop

8 stars JavaScriptAI & Machine Learning Updated Jul 20, 2025

Documentation

Terminal MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables execution of terminal commands through Claude Desktop.

Features

  • Execute any terminal command with arguments and options
  • Navigate between directories while maintaining state
  • Get terminal environment information
  • Full output capture (stdout, stderr, exit codes)
  • Proper error handling and formatting

Prerequisites

  • Node.js v18 or higher
  • TypeScript
  • Claude Desktop

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

bash
git clone https://github.com/stat-guy/terminal.git
cd terminal

2. Install dependencies:

bash
npm install

3. Build the project:

bash
npm run build

Local Development Setup

1. Create or edit your Claude Desktop configuration file:

    Add the following configuration:

    json
    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "terminal": {
          "command": "node",
          "args": [
            "[PATH_TO_REPO]/dist/index.js"
          ],
          "env": {
            "PERMISSION_REQUIRED": "true"
          }
        }
      }
    }

    Replace `[PATH_TO_REPO]` with the actual path to your cloned repository.

    2. Restart Claude Desktop

    Available Tools

    execute_command

    • Execute any terminal command
    • Supports command arguments and options
    • Captures full output and exit codes

    change_directory

    • Change the current working directory
    • Maintains state between commands
    • Supports relative and absolute paths

    get_current_directory

    • Get the current working directory path

    get_terminal_info

    • Get information about the terminal environment
    • Shows shell, user, platform, and recent command history

    Usage Examples

    Ask Claude to execute terminal commands like:

    code
    Can you check what's in my current directory?
    -> Executes: ls -la
    
    Can you tell me the current directory?
    -> Executes: pwd
    
    Can you change to the Downloads folder?
    -> Executes: cd ~/Downloads

    Security Considerations

    • The server requires explicit user permission through Claude Desktop for command execution
    • Environment variables can be controlled through the configuration
    • Command execution includes timeouts and error handling

    Development

    1. Watch for changes:

    bash
    npm run watch

    2. Test changes:

    • Make changes to source files in `src/`
    • Rebuild using `npm run build`
    • Restart Claude Desktop to load changes

    Project Structure

    code
    /
    ├── src/
    │   └── index.ts    # Main server implementation
    ├── package.json    # Project configuration and dependencies
    ├── tsconfig.json  # TypeScript configuration
    └── README.md      # This file

    Contributing

    Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

    License

    MIT License

    Frequently asked questions

    What is terminal?

    terminal is MCP server for executing terminal commands through Claude Desktop

    How do I install terminal?

    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 terminal open source?

    Yes — it is hosted on GitHub at https://github.com/stat-guy/terminal and has 8 stars.

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