Patch File MCP

An MCP Server to patch existing files using block format. This allows AI agents (like Claude) to make precise changes to files in your projects.

Overview

Patch File MCP provides a simple way to modify files by applying patches in block format. The key benefits include:

- Makes targeted changes to specific parts of files without rewriting the entire content
- Supports multiple patches to the same file in a single request
- Ensures safety through exact text matching and uniqueness verification
- Better alternative to the edit_block tool from desktop-commander for most file editing tasks

Installation

Using uvx

This method uses uvx (from the uv Python package manager) to run the server without permanent installation:

Prerequisites

Install uvx from uv if you don't have it already.

Set up MCP Client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, etc.)

Merge the following config with your existing config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "patch-file": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "patch-file-mcp",
        "--allowed-dir", "/Users/your-username/projects",
        "--allowed-dir", "/Users/your-username/Documents/code"
      ]
    }
  }
}

> Note: Replace /Users/your-username with the actual path to your own projects and code directories.

Install from Source

Prerequisites

- Python 3.11 or higher
- Pip package manager

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/your-username/patch-file-mcp.git
cd patch-file-mcp
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -e .

Set up MCP Client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, etc.)

Merge the following config with your existing config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "patch-file": {
      "command": "path/to/your/venv/bin/patch-file-mcp",
      "args": [
        "--allowed-dir", "/Users/your-username/projects",
        "--allowed-dir", "/Users/your-username/Documents/code"
      ]
    }
  }
}

> Note: Replace /Users/your-username with the actual path to your own projects and code directories.

Arguments

The --allowed-dir argument is used to specify the directories that the server has access to. You can use it multiple times to allow access to multiple directories. All directories inside the allowed directories are also allowed.
It is optional. If not provided, the server will only have access to the home directory of the user running the server.

Usage

The MCP server is started by the client (e.g., Claude Desktop) based on the configuration you provide. You don't need to start the server manually.

Tools

Patch File MCP provides one main tool:

patch_file

Update the file by applying a patch/edit to it using block format.

patch_file(file_path: str, patch_content: str)

The patch content must have the following format:

<<<<<<< SEARCH
Text to find in the file
=======
Text to replace it with
>>>>>>> REPLACE

You can include multiple search-replace blocks in a single request:

<<<<<<< SEARCH
First text to find
=======
First replacement
>>>>>>> REPLACE
<<<<<<< SEARCH
Second text to find
=======
Second replacement
>>>>>>> REPLACE

This tool verifies that each search text appears exactly once in the file to ensure the correct section is modified. If a search text appears multiple times or isn't found, it will report an error.

Example Workflow

1. Begin a conversation with Claude about modifying a file in your project
2. Claude generates a block format patch that makes the desired changes
3. Claude uses patch_file to apply these changes to your file
4. If the patch fails, Claude provides detailed error information to help you fix the issue

Security Considerations

- All file operations are restricted to allowed directories
- Search texts must appear exactly once in the file to ensure correct targeting
- Detailed error reporting helps identify and fix issues
- Each patch operation is validated before being applied

Advantages over similar tools

- Multiple blocks in one operation: Can apply several changes in a single call
- Safety checks: Ensures the correct sections are modified through exact matching
- Detailed errors: Provides clear feedback when patches can't be applied

Dependencies

- fastmcp (>=2.2.0, <3.0.0)

License

MIT