
Bash MCP
โ 9from tinywind
Execute shell commands without permission prompts.
bash-mcp
A simple MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that enables Claude to execute shell commands without permission prompts.
โ ๏ธ Security Warning: This server executes arbitrary shell commands. Use with caution and only in trusted environments.
Available Tools
run - Execute a command
// Simple command
run("ls -la")
// With working directory
run("npm test", { cwd: "/path/to/project" })
// With timeout (milliseconds)
run("long-running-command", { timeout: 60000 })run_background - Start a background process
// Start a dev server
run_background("npm run dev", "frontend")
// Start backend service with working directory
run_background("./gradlew bootRun", "backend", { cwd: "./backend" })kill_background - Stop a background process
kill_background("frontend")list_background - List all background processes
list_background()Response Format
All tools return JSON formatted responses:
{
"success": true,
"stdout": "command output",
"stderr": "error output if any",
"command": "executed command"
}For background processes:
{
"success": true,
"name": "frontend",
"pid": 12345,
"command": "npm run dev",
"message": "Started background process 'frontend' (PID: 12345)"
}Features
- Execute any shell command without permission prompts
- Run long-running processes in the background
- Manage background processes (list, kill)
- Capture stdout and stderr
- Set working directory for commands
- Configure timeout for commands
- Automatic cleanup on server shutdown
- NEW: Automatic output truncation with full output saved to temp files
- NEW: Configurable output size limits and temp directory via environment variables
Environment Variables
BASH_MCP_MAX_OUTPUT_SIZE: Maximum output size in bytes before truncation (default: 51200/50KB)BASH_MCP_TEMP_DIR: Directory for storing full output when truncated (default: system temp directory)
Example Configuration
{
"mcpServers": {
"bash": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["bash-mcp"],
"env": {
"BASH_MCP_MAX_OUTPUT_SIZE": "102400",
"BASH_MCP_TEMP_DIR": "/tmp/bash-mcp-outputs"
}
}
}
}Output Overflow Handling
When command output exceeds BASH_MCP_MAX_OUTPUT_SIZE:
- Output is truncated to the specified limit
- Full output is saved to a temporary file
- The response includes the file path where full output can be found
- If custom temp directory fails, falls back to system temp directory
Security Considerations
This MCP server executes arbitrary shell commands with the same privileges as the Node.js process. Only use in development environments or trusted contexts.
Author
tinywind tinywind0@gmail.com
# Install globally
npm install -g bash-mcp
# Or use with npx
npx bash-mcpBefore it works, you'll need: BASH_MCP_MAX_OUTPUT_SIZEBASH_MCP_TEMP_DIR
Installation
# Install globally
npm install -g bash-mcp
# Or use with npx
npx bash-mcpQuick Start
For Claude Desktop
Add to your claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"bash": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["bash-mcp"]
}
}
}For Claude Code (Cursor, VS Code)
- Open command palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P)
- Run "MCP: Add Server"
- Select "NPM" as the server type
- Enter:
bash-mcp
Example Usage
User: Start the development servers
Assistant: I'll start both frontend and backend servers for you.
[Uses run_background tool]
Started frontend server (PID: 12345)
Started backend server (PID: 12346)
User: Check if they're running
Assistant: [Uses list_background tool]
Both servers are running successfully!Requirements
- Node.js >= 16.0.0
- npm or npx
No common issues documented yet. If you hit a problem, the repository's GitHub Issues page is the best place to look.
Licensed under MITโ you can use, modify, and redistribute it under that license's terms.
License
MIT