Filesystem (Reference)

Filesystem (Reference) MCP Server

Local filesystem access with configurable allowed paths.

What is an MCP Server?⁠

Characteristics

Attribute	Details
Docker Image	mcp/filesystem⁠
Author	modelcontextprotocol⁠
Repository	https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers⁠
Dockerfile	https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/blob/2025.4.24/src/filesystem/Dockerfile⁠
Docker Image built by	Docker Inc.
Docker Scout Health Score
Verify Signature	COSIGN_REPOSITORY=mcp/signatures cosign verify mcp/filesystem --key https://raw.githubusercontent.com/docker/keyring/refs/heads/main/public/mcp/latest.pub
Licence	MIT License

Available Tools (11)

Tools Details

Tool: create_directory

Create a new directory or ensure a directory exists. Can create multiple nested directories in one operation. If the directory already exists, this operation will succeed silently. Perfect for setting up directory structures for projects or ensuring required paths exist. Only works within allowed directories.

Tool: directory_tree

Get a recursive tree view of files and directories as a JSON structure. Each entry includes 'name', 'type' (file/directory), and 'children' for directories. Files have no children array, while directories always have a children array (which may be empty). The output is formatted with 2-space indentation for readability. Only works within allowed directories.

Tool: edit_file

Make line-based edits to a text file. Each edit replaces exact line sequences with new content. Returns a git-style diff showing the changes made. Only works within allowed directories.

Tool: get_file_info

Retrieve detailed metadata about a file or directory. Returns comprehensive information including size, creation time, last modified time, permissions, and type. This tool is perfect for understanding file characteristics without reading the actual content. Only works within allowed directories.

Tool: list_allowed_directories

Returns the list of directories that this server is allowed to access. Use this to understand which directories are available before trying to access files.

Tool: list_directory

Get a detailed listing of all files and directories in a specified path. Results clearly distinguish between files and directories with [FILE] and [DIR] prefixes. This tool is essential for understanding directory structure and finding specific files within a directory. Only works within allowed directories.

Tool: move_file

Move or rename files and directories. Can move files between directories and rename them in a single operation. If the destination exists, the operation will fail. Works across different directories and can be used for simple renaming within the same directory. Both source and destination must be within allowed directories.

Tool: read_file

Read the complete contents of a file from the file system. Handles various text encodings and provides detailed error messages if the file cannot be read. Use this tool when you need to examine the contents of a single file. Only works within allowed directories.

Tool: read_multiple_files

Read the contents of multiple files simultaneously. This is more efficient than reading files one by one when you need to analyze or compare multiple files. Each file's content is returned with its path as a reference. Failed reads for individual files won't stop the entire operation. Only works within allowed directories.

Tool: search_files

Recursively search for files and directories matching a pattern. Searches through all subdirectories from the starting path. The search is case-insensitive and matches partial names. Returns full paths to all matching items. Great for finding files when you don't know their exact location. Only searches within allowed directories.

Tool: write_file

Create a new file or completely overwrite an existing file with new content. Use with caution as it will overwrite existing files without warning. Handles text content with proper encoding. Only works within allowed directories.

Use this MCP Server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-v",
        "/local-directory:/local-directory",
        "mcp/filesystem",
        "/local-directory"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Why is it safer to run MCP Servers with Docker?⁠