MCP Filesystem Server

Filesystem access is one of the most common things an agent needs and one of the easiest ways to cause accidental damage. This skill exposes a scoped filesystem server through the Model Context Protocol so the agent can read, write, and list files only inside a directory you define.

What it is

A lightweight MCP server that exposes directory-scoped file operations to an agent. It runs as a separate process, registers its tools with the Hermes gateway, and rejects any path that escapes the configured workspace.

Who it targets

• Agent builders who need safe file access without giving the agent free rein over the whole machine.
• Teams running Hermes or OpenClaw who want file tools to follow the MCP standard.
• Users who want to isolate each agent to its own workspace directory.

What it does

• read_file — read text or binary files within scope.
• write_file — create or overwrite files within scope.
• list_directory — list files and folders.
• search_files — grep-style search inside the workspace.
• get_file_info — metadata, size, and modification time.

All paths are canonicalized and checked against the configured root. Any attempt to access files outside the root returns an error.

Dependencies

• Hermes Agent
• Node.js 18+
• A dedicated workspace directory

How to install

hermes skill install mcp-filesystem-server

Then configure the root directory in your agent config:

skills:
  mcp-filesystem-server:
    root: /home/agent/workspace
    allow_write: true

Skill source

• Hermes Agent skills directory