About FreeRDC
FreeRDC is an MCP server that lets AI assistants work with files in explicitly approved folders. It provides file and document operations while rejecting paths outside those folders; shell, GUI, and system tools are disabled unless enabled separately.
Key features
- 01Read, write, search, and edit files
- 02Restrict access to approved folders
- 03Risky tools disabled by default
- 04Hash-chained audit log
- 05STOP-file kill switch
Use cases
- 01Search and edit documents in an approved folder
- 02Give an assistant access to a limited project directory
- 03Enable shell or GUI tools only when needed
MCP support
Exposes file and document tools to MCP clients, with optional shell, GUI, and system tools. It can run locally or be connected through the hosted MCP endpoint.
Configuration
Remote servers need no local install. Pick your client, then copy the config or install in one click.
https://freerdc.sjaman.deno.net/mcpclaude mcp add --transport http danielarif26-freerdc https://freerdc.sjaman.deno.net/mcp{"mcpServers":{"danielarif26-freerdc":{"type":"http","url":"https://freerdc.sjaman.deno.net/mcp"}}}Open in Cursor{"servers":{"danielarif26-freerdc":{"type":"http","url":"https://freerdc.sjaman.deno.net/mcp"}}}Open in VS Code{"mcpServers":{"danielarif26-freerdc":{"type":"http","url":"https://freerdc.sjaman.deno.net/mcp"}}}{"mcpServers":{"danielarif26-freerdc":{"serverUrl":"https://freerdc.sjaman.deno.net/mcp"}}}Run commands in a terminal; paste JSON into the client’s MCP config and restart. Servers that need sign-in will prompt on first connect.
Tools
Details
From the project READMEFreeRDC
Give ChatGPT and Claude access to the folders you choose — and nothing else.
FreeRDC is an MCP server for file work with AI assistants. It reads, writes, searches and edits files and documents inside the folders you approve, and refuses everything outside them. Anything that can run commands, click the screen or shut the machine down is off unless you turn it on.
Demo video ·
Website ·
Privacy ·
Listed on the official MCP Registry as io.github.danielarif26/freerdc
Why FreeRDC
- Containment first. Paths outside your approved folders,
..traversal and symlink escapes are rejected before any file is touched. Protected paths such as device keys are denied even inside a root. - Risky tools are opt-in. Shell, GUI and system tools are disabled by default. The desktop extension exposes 23 file and document tools out of the box and 84 only when you enable local power.
- Every tool is described and annotated. In the desktop extension, each tool has a title, a description, input and output schemas, and read-only / destructive / open-world hints, so the assistant knows what it is about to do.
- Local. The desktop extension runs on your Mac. Your files are not sent to FreeRDC servers.
- Audited. Every operation is written to a hash-chained audit log, with a
STOPfile kill switch.
Get started
Claude Desktop (desktop extension)
- Download
freerdc-0.1.0.mcpbfrom Releases. - Open it with Claude Desktop and pick the folder(s) FreeRDC may use.
- Leave local power tools off unless you need shell or GUI access.
Requires macOS and Node.js 22+. Details and privacy policy:
mcpb/README.md.
ChatGPT (self-hosted)
Run the server locally and reach it privately through OpenAI Secure MCP Tunnel.
Do not expose the local listener to the public internet. See
docs/OPENAI-INTEGRATION.md and
docs/DEPLOYMENT.md.
ChatGPT hosted connector (early access)
The hosted connector is in review for the ChatGPT app directory. Until it is
listed, add it in ChatGPT developer mode with the MCP URL
https://freerdc.sjaman.deno.net/mcp.
-
Connect FreeRDC in ChatGPT. The sign-in page shows a 10-character pairing code (letters A–Z and digits 2–9).
-
Download
freerdc-agent-hosted.mjsfrom Releases. Requires Node.js 22+. -
Pair this computer, choosing the folder ChatGPT may use:
node freerdc-agent-hosted.mjs connect --server https://freerdc.sjaman.deno.net/mcp --code YOUR_CODE --device-id my-mac --root /absolute/allowed/folder -
Keep the agent running while you use FreeRDC:
node freerdc-agent-hosted.mjs run --device-id my-mac
The pairing code expires after about 10 minutes. The agent is a prebuilt binary; its source is not included in this repository.
Run from source
Requires Node.js 22+, npm and Git.
npm ci
npm run build
node packages/server/dist/src/cli.js --root /absolute/allowed/folder --port 8787
The server binds to 127.0.0.1 only, requires at least one explicit root,
stores state under ~/.freerdc, and leaves process tools disabled. Create
~/.freerdc/STOP to activate the kill switch. Pick the narrowest folder that
fits the task — never add credentials, caches or unrelated projects to a root.
Installer scripts
macOS or Linux:
curl -fsSLo install.sh https://raw.githubusercontent.com/danielarif26/freerdc/main/install.sh
sh install.sh
Windows PowerShell:
Invoke-WebRequest https://raw.githubusercontent.com/danielarif26/freerdc/main/install.ps1 -OutFile install.ps1
.\install.ps1
The installers follow the mutable main branch. For higher assurance, review a
commit or tag and pin it with FREERDC_REF=<tag-or-commit>. Rerun with
--uninstall (macOS/Linux) or -Uninstall (Windows) to remove an
installer-managed copy.
Packages
| Package | Purpose |
|---|---|
@freerdc/protocol | Wire schemas, RPC contracts, errors, redaction, negotiation |
@freerdc/guard | Path containment, protected-path denylist, concurrency primitives |
@freerdc/agent | Filesystem, process policy, RPC dispatcher, authenticated connector |
@freerdc/server | MCP tools, HTTP host, OAuth, audit log, runtime CLI |
npm run typecheck && npm run build && npm test
Security
- Secrets belong in environment variables or file references — never in this repository, profiles, shell history or tunnel metadata.
- Report vulnerabilities privately; see
SECURITY.md.
License
Released under AGPL-3.0-or-later. See
docs/EDITIONS.md for what the Community Edition includes.
Comments
New to MCP?
From what the protocol is to installing your first server, these answers cover most first questions.
An open protocol that defines how AI applications connect to external tools and data in a uniform way. Clients talk to the model; MCP servers provide tools, resources and prompt templates. They exchange standard messages, so one server can be reused by many clients.