From 1229586b52bc8d5f360e54566a77ac98ca83f9af Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: eduardruzga Date: Tue, 27 May 2025 22:24:04 +0300 Subject: [PATCH 1/4] Small page text cleanup --- docs/index.html | 22 +++++++++++++++++----- 1 file changed, 17 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-) diff --git a/docs/index.html b/docs/index.html index 5939139..5191ac3 100644 --- a/docs/index.html +++ b/docs/index.html @@ -920,14 +920,14 @@
-

Your personal
AI Full Stack Engineer 
without token costs

+

Your personal
AI Full Stack Engineer 
with Claude Desktop

-

Your personal
AI Full Stack Engineer
without token costs

+

Your personal
AI Full Stack Engineer
with Claude Desktop

-

Work with code and text, run processes, and automate tasks, going far beyond other AI editors - without API token costs.

+

Work with code and text, run processes, and automate tasks using Claude Desktop's subscription model - no per-token API charges.

@@ -999,8 +999,8 @@

Local file storage and processing

-

Unlimited token access

-

Work without worrying about API token limits or per-token costs. Use Desktop Claude client to gain access to unlimited tokens. We recommend Claude Max subscription for the best experience.

+

Subscription-based usage

+

Use your Claude Desktop subscription instead of paying per API token. Daily usage limits depend on your plan tier (Pro: 45 messages/5hrs, Max: higher limits). Much more cost-effective than API pricing for regular development work.

@@ -1585,6 +1585,18 @@

Frequently Asked Questions

+
+
+ Is usage really "unlimited"? + +
+
+
+

Desktop Commander uses Claude Desktop's subscription model, which has usage limits that reset 2-3 times per day based on your plan tier. It's "unlimited" in that you don't pay per token like with API access, but you do have message limits. For most development work, Claude Pro's 45 messages per 5-hour window is quite generous - equivalent to 1,800+ messages per month.

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+
+
+
Which operating systems does it support? From 1607b384550f2e9899890bc7e8ab0becd19832fa Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: eduardruzga Date: Wed, 28 May 2025 10:33:45 +0300 Subject: [PATCH 2/4] FAQ updates --- FAQ.md | 49 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ README.md | 75 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------ docs/index.html | 30 ++++++++++++++++++++ 3 files changed, 146 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-) diff --git a/FAQ.md b/FAQ.md index 9b0389b..e4390db 100644 --- a/FAQ.md +++ b/FAQ.md @@ -255,6 +255,28 @@ Absolutely. While it excels at coding-related tasks, Claude Desktop Commander ca - Running and managing any terminal-based tools - Data processing and analysis +### Can I use Desktop Commander in any MCP client outside of Claude? + +Yes, you can install Desktop Commander MCP on other clients that support MCP, including: +- Cursor +- Windsurf +- DeepChat +- Any other client with MCP support + +You can use any model available for that client with Desktop Commander. + +**However, important caveats:** +- **Unexpected behavior**: Desktop Commander can work unexpectedly on other clients due to differences in system prompts and potential conflicts with their own built-in tools +- **Not optimized for other clients**: Desktop Commander is primarily designed and tested with Claude Desktop +- **Varying results**: The experience may differ significantly from the Claude Desktop experience + +**If you try other clients:** +- Test carefully with non-critical projects first +- Be aware that some features may not work as expected +- Consider reporting your experience to help improve compatibility + +We welcome feedback from users who try Desktop Commander with other MCP clients to help us understand compatibility and improve the experience across different platforms. + ## Security & Permissions ### Is it safe to give Claude access to my file system? @@ -275,6 +297,33 @@ Recent updates have removed path limitations, and work is in progress to add con Claude Desktop Commander doesn't have a pre-defined blocklist, but you can use the `block_command` and `unblock_command` functions to manage which commands Claude can execute. It's recommended to block commands that could potentially be destructive, such as `rm -rf` or `format`. +### Why is the fileWriteLineLimit set to 50 by default? What is the maximum value? + +The `fileWriteLineLimit` setting is set to 50 lines by default for these specific reasons: + +**Why 50 lines is the default:** +- **AIs are wasteful with tokens**: Instead of doing two small edits in a file, AIs may decide to rewrite the whole thing. We're trying to force AIs to do things in smaller changes as it saves time and tokens +- **Claude UX message limits**: There are limits within one message and hitting "Continue" does not really work. What we're trying here is to make AI work in smaller chunks so when you hit that limit, multiple chunks have succeeded and that work is not lost - it just needs to restart from the last chunk + +**What is the maximum value:** +- You can set it to thousands if you want - there's no technical restriction + +**Configuration examples:** +```javascript +// You can set it very high if needed +set_config_value({ "key": "fileWriteLineLimit", "value": 2000 }) + +// Or keep it small to force efficient behavior +set_config_value({ "key": "fileWriteLineLimit", "value": 25 }) +``` + +**Why the chunking approach works:** +When you exceed the limit, the system automatically suggests breaking operations into chunks: +1. First chunk: `write_file(path, firstChunk, {mode: 'rewrite'})` +2. Additional chunks: `write_file(path, nextChunk, {mode: 'append'})` + +This way, if Claude hits message limits partway through, the completed chunks are preserved and you only need to restart from where it left off, rather than losing all the work. + ## Usage Scenarios ### Is it suitable for large codebases? diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index ff1b002..360c586 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -66,7 +66,9 @@ Execute long-running terminal commands on your computer and manage processes thr ## Installation First, ensure you've downloaded and installed the [Claude Desktop app](https://claude.ai/download) and you have [npm installed](https://docs.npmjs.com/downloading-and-installing-node-js-and-npm). -### Option 1: Install through npx +> **📋 Update & Uninstall Information:** Before choosing an installation option, note that **only Options 1 and 3 have automatic updates**. Options 2, 4, and 5 require manual updates. See the sections below for update and uninstall instructions for each option. + +### Option 1: Install through npx ⭐ **Auto-Updates** Just run this in terminal: ``` npx @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest setup @@ -78,14 +80,22 @@ npx @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest setup --debug ``` Restart Claude if running. -### Option 2: Using bash script installer (macOS) +**✅ Auto-Updates:** Yes - automatically updates when you restart Claude +**🔄 Manual Update:** Run the setup command again +**🗑️ Uninstall:** Run `npx @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest setup --uninstall` + +### Option 2: Using bash script installer (macOS) ❌ **Manual Updates** For macOS users, you can use our automated bash installer which will check your Node.js version, install it if needed, and automatically configure Desktop Commander: ``` curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP/refs/heads/main/install.sh | bash ``` This script handles all dependencies and configuration automatically for a seamless setup experience. -### Option 3: Installing via Smithery +**❌ Auto-Updates:** No - requires manual updates +**🔄 Manual Update:** Re-run the bash installer command above +**🗑️ Uninstall:** Remove the MCP server entry from your Claude config file and delete the cloned repository if it exists + +### Option 3: Installing via Smithery ⭐ **Auto-Updates** To install Desktop Commander for Claude Desktop automatically via [Smithery](https://smithery.ai/server/@wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander): @@ -93,7 +103,11 @@ To install Desktop Commander for Claude Desktop automatically via [Smithery](htt npx -y @smithery/cli install @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander --client claude ``` -### Option 4: Add to claude_desktop_config manually +**✅ Auto-Updates:** Yes - automatically updates when you restart Claude +**🔄 Manual Update:** Re-run the Smithery install command +**🗑️ Uninstall:** `npx -y @smithery/cli uninstall @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander --client claude` + +### Option 4: Add to claude_desktop_config manually ❌ **Manual Updates** Add this entry to your claude_desktop_config.json: - On Mac: `~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` @@ -115,7 +129,11 @@ Add this entry to your claude_desktop_config.json: ``` Restart Claude if running. -### Option 5: Checkout locally +**❌ Auto-Updates:** No - uses npx but config might not update automatically +**🔄 Manual Update:** Usually automatic via npx, but if issues occur, update your config file or re-add the entry +**🗑️ Uninstall:** Remove the "desktop-commander" entry from your claude_desktop_config.json file + +### Option 5: Checkout locally ❌ **Manual Updates** 1. Clone and build: ```bash git clone https://github.com/wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP.git @@ -130,11 +148,28 @@ The setup command will: - Configure Claude's desktop app - Add MCP servers to Claude's config if needed -### Updating Desktop Commander +**❌ Auto-Updates:** No - requires manual git updates +**🔄 Manual Update:** `cd DesktopCommanderMCP && git pull && npm run setup` +**🗑️ Uninstall:** Remove the cloned directory and remove MCP server entry from Claude config -When installed through npx (Option 1) or Smithery (Option 3), Desktop Commander will automatically update to the latest version whenever you restart Claude. No manual update process is needed. +## Updating & Uninstalling Desktop Commander -For manual installations, you can update by running the setup command again. +### Automatic Updates (Options 1 & 3 only) +**Options 1 (npx) and 3 (Smithery)** automatically update to the latest version whenever you restart Claude. No manual intervention needed. + +### Manual Updates (Options 2, 4 & 5) +- **Option 2 (bash installer):** Re-run the curl command +- **Option 4 (manual config):** Usually automatic via npx, but re-add config entry if issues occur +- **Option 5 (local checkout):** `cd DesktopCommanderMCP && git pull && npm run setup` + +### Uninstalling Desktop Commander +- **Option 1:** `npx @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest setup --uninstall` +- **Option 2:** Remove MCP server entry from Claude config and delete any cloned repositories +- **Option 3:** `npx -y @smithery/cli uninstall @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander --client claude` +- **Option 4:** Remove the "desktop-commander" entry from your claude_desktop_config.json file +- **Option 5:** Delete the cloned directory and remove MCP server entry from Claude config + +After uninstalling, restart Claude Desktop to complete the removal. ## Usage @@ -298,6 +333,30 @@ set_config_value({ "key": "allowedDirectories", "value": ["/Users/username/proje The configuration is saved to `config.json` in the server's working directory and persists between server restarts. +#### Understanding fileWriteLineLimit + +The `fileWriteLineLimit` setting controls how many lines can be written in a single `write_file` operation (default: 50 lines). This limit exists for several important reasons: + +**Why the limit exists:** +- **AIs are wasteful with tokens**: Instead of doing two small edits in a file, AIs may decide to rewrite the whole thing. We're trying to force AIs to do things in smaller changes as it saves time and tokens +- **Claude UX message limits**: There are limits within one message and hitting "Continue" does not really work. What we're trying here is to make AI work in smaller chunks so when you hit that limit, multiple chunks have succeeded and that work is not lost - it just needs to restart from the last chunk + +**Setting the limit:** +```javascript +// You can set it to thousands if you want +set_config_value({ "key": "fileWriteLineLimit", "value": 1000 }) + +// Or keep it smaller to force more efficient behavior +set_config_value({ "key": "fileWriteLineLimit", "value": 25 }) +``` + +**Maximum value**: You can set it to thousands if you want - there's no technical restriction. + +**Best practices**: +- Keep the default (50) to encourage efficient AI behavior and avoid token waste +- The system automatically suggests chunking when limits are exceeded +- Smaller chunks mean less work lost when Claude hits message limits + ### Best Practices 1. **Create a dedicated chat for configuration changes**: Make all your config changes in one chat, then start a new chat for your actual work. diff --git a/docs/index.html b/docs/index.html index 5191ac3..fd60fdb 100644 --- a/docs/index.html +++ b/docs/index.html @@ -1597,6 +1597,20 @@

Frequently Asked Questions

+
+
+ Why is the fileWriteLineLimit set to 50 by default? What is the maximum value? + +
+
+
+

AIs are wasteful with tokens: Instead of doing two small edits in a file, AIs may decide to rewrite the whole thing. We're trying to force AIs to do things in smaller changes as it saves time and tokens.

+

Claude UX message limits: There are limits within one message and hitting "Continue" does not really work. We're trying to make AI work in smaller chunks so when you hit that limit, multiple chunks have succeeded and that work is not lost - it just needs to restart from the last chunk.

+

Maximum value: You can set it to thousands if you want - there's no technical restriction.

+
+
+
+
Which operating systems does it support? @@ -1609,6 +1623,20 @@

Frequently Asked Questions

+
+
+ Can I use Desktop Commander in any MCP client outside of Claude? + +
+
+
+

Yes, you can install Desktop Commander on other MCP clients like Cursor, Windsurf, DeepChat, or any client with MCP support. You can use any model available for that client.

+

Important caveats: Desktop Commander may work unexpectedly on other clients due to differences in system prompts and conflicts with their built-in tools. It's primarily designed and tested with Claude Desktop.

+

If you try other clients, test carefully with non-critical projects first and consider sharing your experience to help improve compatibility.

+
+
+
+
Is it safe to give Claude access to my file system? @@ -2041,6 +2069,8 @@

Resources

+ +