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codemcp

Name: codemcp MCP Server
Author: ezyang

Minimal MCP coding agent for Claude Desktop — read/write/run, nothing else.

codemcp turns Claude Desktop into a usable coding agent without paying for Claude Code. It exposes just enough to be productive: a file reader/writer, a shell runner, and a project init step. Designed to be small, auditable, and easy to bring your own restrictions.

▶ Watch demo 📦 Install 💡 Use Cases

Why use it

Key features

Tiny surface area: ReadFile, WriteFile, EditFile, RunCommand, InitProject
Project-scoped config in codemcp.toml per repo — defines allowed commands
Auto-commit per change so you always have a git checkpoint
Single-file install via uvx codemcp
Claude Desktop becomes a real IDE-replacement for free-tier coding

Live Demo

What it looks like in practice

codemcp.replay ▶ ready

0/0

Install

Pick your client

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

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "codemcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "codemcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config. Restart after saving.

~/.cursor/mcp.json · .cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "codemcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "codemcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Cursor uses the same mcpServers schema as Claude Desktop. Project config wins over global.

VS Code → Cline → MCP Servers → Edit

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "codemcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "codemcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Click the MCP Servers icon in the Cline sidebar, then "Edit Configuration".

~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "codemcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "codemcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Same shape as Claude Desktop. Restart Windsurf to pick up changes.

~/.continue/config.json

{
  "mcpServers": [
    {
      "name": "codemcp",
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "codemcp"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Continue uses an array of server objects rather than a map.

~/.config/zed/settings.json

{
  "context_servers": {
    "codemcp": {
      "command": {
        "path": "uvx",
        "args": [
          "codemcp"
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to context_servers. Zed hot-reloads on save.

claude mcp add codemcp -- uvx codemcp

One-liner. Verify with claude mcp list. Remove with claude mcp remove.

Use Cases

Real-world ways to use codemcp

Use Claude Desktop as a free Claude Code replacement

👤 Devs on Claude Pro (not Max) who want agentic coding ⏱ ~15 min intermediate

When to use: You don't want to pay for Claude Code but want the same loop in Desktop.

Prerequisites

Server/skill installed and authenticated — See repo README

Flow

Init a project

Initialize codemcp in /repos/my-project. Whitelist pytest and ruff only.✓ Copied

→ codemcp.toml written with those two commands
Iterate

Add a /healthz endpoint and a test for it. Run pytest after.✓ Copied

→ File edits + green test output, auto-committed

Outcome: Coding-agent workflow in plain Claude Desktop — every step a git commit.

Pitfalls

RunCommand only runs what's whitelisted in codemcp.toml — RunCommand only runs what's whitelisted in codemcp.toml — list every command you'll need upfront.

Combine with: github · filesystem

Combinations

Pair with other MCPs for X10 leverage

codemcp + github

Pair with github for complementary capabilities

Use this server together with github to complete a multi-step task.✓ Copied

codemcp + filesystem

Pair with filesystem for complementary capabilities

Use this server together with filesystem to complete a multi-step task.✓ Copied

Tools

What this MCP exposes

Tool	Inputs	When to call	Cost
ReadFile	path: str	Inspect code before editing	free
EditFile	path, old, new	Make a surgical change	free
RunCommand	command: str	Run tests or scripts whitelisted in codemcp.toml	free

Cost & Limits

What this costs to run

API quota: See provider docs for rate limits
Tokens per call: Varies by tool
Monetary: See repo README for pricing details
Tip: Cache tool results and avoid repeated identical calls.

Security

Permissions, secrets, blast radius

Credential storage: Use environment variables; never commit secrets

Data egress: Tool calls go to the provider's API as documented

Troubleshooting

Common errors and fixes

command not in allowlist

Add the command to codemcp.toml under [commands] before asking Claude to run it.

Verify: cat codemcp.toml

edit didn't match

EditFile uses exact match. Read the file first and copy the exact old string including whitespace.

Verify: ReadFile and compare

Alternatives

codemcp vs others

Alternative	When to use it instead	Tradeoff
Claude Code	You're on Claude Max and want first-party integration	Paid; codemcp is free + open source

Resources

📖 Read the official README on GitHub

🐙 Browse open issues

🔍 Browse all 400+ MCP servers and Skills