# Desktop Commander MCP

> MIT MCP for terminal, files, and processes on your desktop host

**Category:** AI Agents  
**Pricing:** open-source  
**URL:** https://github.com/wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP  
**GitHub:** https://github.com/wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP  
**Added:** 2026-09-26

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## The Hook

Desktop Commander MCP gives Claude (and other MCP clients) terminal control, filesystem search/edit, and process management on the host — beyond plain filesystem MCP.

## What's Good

MIT (wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP). Free via npm `@wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander`, npx, Smithery, or Docker isolation path. Extends MCP filesystem server with search/replace editing and long-running terminal commands. ★9753 on GitHub.

## The Catch

local blast radius: shell + files + processes on your machine. Remote MCP path (mcp.desktopcommander.app) expands the trust boundary further. Vs playwright-mcp / BrowserSkill: those are browser control; this is host OS control. Guardrails exist; it is not a sandbox unless you choose Docker.

## Verdict

MIT host-OS MCP when agents need real terminal/file control — only with explicit trust boundaries; prefer Docker isolation or skip if browser MCP is enough.