About Everything MCP Server
Everything MCP Server exposes Everything-powered file search to MCP clients on Windows. It supports filtered filename searches, duplicate lookup, and content search, while providing read-only access.
Key features
- 01Fast filename search
- 02Filters for path, type, size, and date
- 03Duplicate filename lookup
- 04Search within indexed file contents
- 05Read-only file access
Use cases
- 01Finding files by name and filters
- 02Locating duplicate filenames
- 03Searching text in indexed documents
MCP support
The MCP server exposes file search, advanced filtering, duplicate lookup, and content search tools to MCP clients, using Everything's native SDK.
Configuration
Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.
We haven’t collected a package or remote endpoint for this server. Follow the instructions in the project README.
Tools
Local servers expose tools only once running on your machine, and the maintainer has not provided a tool list.
Details
From the project READMEEverything MCP Server
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides instant file search capabilities using Everything's native SDK. This server integrates Everything's powerful search engine with AI tooling, enabling lightning-fast file system searches through the MCP interface.
Features
- 🔍 Instant File Search: Leverage Everything's instant indexing for near-instantaneous file searches
- 🎯 Advanced Filtering: Search by path, extension, size, date modified, and more
- 🔄 Duplicate Detection: Find duplicate files across your system
- 📄 Content Search: Search within file contents (requires Everything content indexing)
- ⚡ High Performance: Direct API access through native SDK integration
- 🛡️ Read-Only: Safe, non-destructive file system access
Tools Provided
1. search_files
Basic file search with regex and case sensitivity options.
Parameters:
query(string): Search query for file namesmaxResults(number, optional): Maximum results to return (default: 100)matchCase(boolean, optional): Enable case-sensitive searchmatchWholeWord(boolean, optional): Match whole words onlyregex(boolean, optional): Enable regular expression search
2. search_files_advanced
Advanced search with comprehensive filtering options.
Parameters:
query(string): Search query for file namespath(string, optional): Limit search to specific pathextension(string, optional): Filter by file extension (e.g., 'txt', 'pdf')size(string, optional): Filter by file size (e.g., '>1mb', '<100kb', '1gb..2gb')dateModified(string, optional): Filter by date modified (e.g., 'today', 'yesterday', 'thisweek', '2024')maxResults(number, optional): Maximum results to return (default: 100)matchCase(boolean, optional): Enable case-sensitive searchmatchWholeWord(boolean, optional): Match whole words onlyregex(boolean, optional): Enable regular expression searchsortBy(enum, optional): Sort results by field (name_asc, name_desc, path_asc, path_desc, size_asc, size_desc, date_asc, date_desc)
3. find_duplicates
Find duplicate files by filename.
Parameters:
filename(string): Filename to search for duplicatespath(string, optional): Limit search to specific pathmaxResults(number, optional): Maximum results to return (default: 50)
4. search_content
Search for text content within files.
Parameters:
content(string): Text content to search for within filesfileTypes(string, optional): Limit to specific file types (e.g., 'txt;doc;pdf')path(string, optional): Limit search to specific pathmaxResults(number, optional): Maximum results to return (default: 50)
Prerequisites
-
Everything Application: Must be installed and running
- Download from: https://www.voidtools.com/
- Ensure it's running in the background for API access
-
Node.js: Version 18+ with ES module support
-
Windows OS: Required for Everything SDK compatibility
Installation
- Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/peterparker57/everything-mcp-server.git
cd everything-mcp-server
- Install dependencies:
npm install
- Build the project:
npm run build
Configuration
Add the server to your MCP settings file:
{
"mcpServers": {
"everything": {
"command": "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node.exe",
"args": ["path/to/everything-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
"disabled": false,
"env": {},
"alwaysAllow": [
"search_files",
"search_files_advanced",
"find_duplicates",
"search_content"
]
}
}
}
Usage Examples
Basic File Search
Search for: "msbuild.exe"
Options: Case sensitive, max 50 results
Advanced Search with Filters
Query: "*.pdf"
Path: "C:\\Documents"
Size: ">1mb"
Date Modified: "thisweek"
Sort: "size_desc"
Find Duplicates
Filename: "config.json"
Path: "C:\\Projects" (optional)
Content Search
Content: "function main"
File Types: "js;ts;py"
Path: "C:\\Code" (optional)
Architecture
Technology Stack
- Language: TypeScript
- Framework: MCP SDK (@modelcontextprotocol/sdk)
- FFI Library: koffi (for native DLL integration)
- Module System: ES modules
- Target: Everything SDK (Windows file search utility)
Key Components
- Main Server (
src/index.ts): Core MCP server implementation - Everything SDK: Native Windows DLLs for file search
- Build System: TypeScript compilation to ES modules
- Configuration: Package.json with ES module support
Development
Building
npm run build
Testing
Start the server directly to test:
node build/index.js
Project Structure
everything-mcp-server/
├── src/
│ └── index.ts # Main server implementation
├── EverythingSDK/ # Everything native SDK files
│ └── dll/
│ ├── Everything32.dll
│ └── Everything64.dll
├── build/ # Compiled JavaScript output
├── package.json # Project configuration
├── tsconfig.json # TypeScript configuration
└── README.md # This file
Troubleshooting
"Everything search client is not running"
- Start Everything application
- Ensure it's not running in portable mode without service
"Connection closed" MCP error
- Check that build directory exists and contains index.js
- Verify Node.js path in MCP configuration
- Ensure Everything application is running
ES Module errors
- Verify package.json has
"type": "module" - Check import statements use .js extensions
- Ensure koffi is imported as default export
Performance Notes
- Everything indexes files instantly, searches are near-instantaneous
- Content search requires Everything to have content indexing enabled
- Large result sets are automatically limited (configurable per tool)
- Direct API access provides better performance than command-line interface
Security Considerations
- Server provides read-only file system access through Everything
- No file modification capabilities
- Respects Everything's own security and indexing settings
- Content search limited to files Everything has indexed
Contributing
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch (
git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature) - Commit your changes (
git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature') - Push to the branch (
git push origin feature/amazing-feature) - Open a Pull Request
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
Acknowledgments
- Everything by voidtools for the amazing file search utility
- Model Context Protocol for the MCP framework
- koffi for the excellent FFI library
Related Projects
- MCP SDK - TypeScript SDK for Model Context Protocol
- Everything - The file search utility this server integrates with
Note: This is a Windows-specific MCP server that requires the Everything application to be installed and running. For cross-platform file search solutions, consider other MCP servers or file search tools.
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