git clone https://github.com/vishalmeena2211/pdf-triage-mcp.git
cd pdf-triage-mcp
npm install
npm run build
node dist/index.js --root ~/Documents

Then substitute "command": "node", "args": ["/absolute/path/to/dist/index.js", ...] for the npx invocation in any config below.

Config file

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pdf-triage": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "pdf-triage-mcp",
        "--root", "/Users/me/Documents"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Verify: Fully quit and relaunch Claude Desktop (not just close the window). A tools icon appears near the chat input — click it and confirm the four pdf_* tools are listed.

Logs: ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log (macOS), %APPDATA%\Claude\logs\mcp*.log (Windows).

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CLI — the easiest route. The -- separator is mandatory; everything after it is the server command.

# Just you, this project (default)
claude mcp add pdf-triage -- npx -y pdf-triage-mcp --root /Users/me/Documents

# Just you, every project
claude mcp add --scope user pdf-triage -- npx -y pdf-triage-mcp --root /Users/me/Documents

# Shared with your team, writes .mcp.json to the repo
claude mcp add --scope project pdf-triage -- npx -y pdf-triage-mcp --root /Users/me/Documents

Or edit .mcp.json at the project root directly:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pdf-triage": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "pdf-triage-mcp",
        "--root", "/Users/me/Documents"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Verify: claude mcp list → look for ✔ Connected. Project-scoped servers need approval on first use — run /mcp inside a session.

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Config file: .cursor/mcp.json (project) or ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global). Project wins on conflict.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pdf-triage": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "pdf-triage-mcp",
        "--root", "/Users/me/Documents"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Verify: Cursor hot-reloads — no restart. Open Cursor Settings → Tools & MCP and look for a green dot next to pdf-triage.

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Config file: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json (macOS/Linux), %USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json (Windows).

Not created on first launch — create it yourself if missing.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pdf-triage": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "pdf-triage-mcp",
        "--root", "/Users/me/Documents"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Verify: Windsurf watches the file and hot-reloads on save. Tools appear in Cascade on the next chat session.

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The key is servers, not mcpServers. This is the most common mistake when copying a config from Claude Desktop.

Config file: .vscode/mcp.json (workspace), or Command Palette → MCP: Open User Configuration (global).

{
  "servers": {
    "pdf-triage": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "pdf-triage-mcp",
        "--root", "/Users/me/Documents"
      ]
    }
  }
}

CLI alternative:

code --add-mcp '{"name":"pdf-triage","command":"npx","args":["-y","pdf-triage-mcp","--root","/Users/me/Documents"]}'

Verify: MCP tools only work in Agent mode — switch from Ask/Edit to Agent in Copilot Chat, then click Configure Tools and confirm the pdf_* tools appear. Restart VS Code after first adding the file.

Docs

The key is context_servers, not mcpServers, and command is a nested object rather than a string.

Config file: ~/.config/zed/settings.json (macOS/Linux), %APPDATA%\Zed\settings.json (Windows). Command Palette → zed: open settings.

{
  "context_servers": {
    "pdf-triage": {
      "source": "custom",
      "command": {
        "path": "npx",
        "args": [
          "-y", "pdf-triage-mcp",
          "--root", "/Users/me/Documents"
        ],
        "env": {}
      }
    }
  }
}

If your Zed version rejects that, it predates the nested form — try command, args and env flat at the top level of the server object instead.

Verify: Agent Panel (Cmd+Shift+A) → gear icon → MCP Servers. Green dot means connected.

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Config file — separate from VS Code's own:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pdf-triage": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "pdf-triage-mcp",
        "--root", "/Users/me/Documents"
      ],
      "disabled": false,
      "autoApprove": ["pdf_classify", "pdf_search"]
    }
  }
}

autoApprove runs the listed read-only tools without a confirmation prompt.

Easier route: Cline panel → MCP servers icon → Edit MCP Settings opens this file directly.

Verify: Panel refreshes automatically; green dot next to the server.

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Config file: ~/.continue/config.yaml (global) or .continue/config.yaml (project). YAML is current; config.json is deprecated.

mcpServers here is a list, not an object — and YAML needs spaces, never tabs.

mcpServers:
  - name: pdf-triage
    command: npx
    args:
      - -y
      - pdf-triage-mcp
      - --root
      - /Users/me/Documents

Verify: Reloads automatically on save. Switch Continue to Agent mode — MCP tools are unavailable in other modes.

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CLI:

gemini mcp add pdf-triage npx -y pdf-triage-mcp --root /Users/me/Documents

# global instead of project-scoped
gemini mcp add --scope user pdf-triage npx -y pdf-triage-mcp --root /Users/me/Documents

Or edit ~/.gemini/settings.json (global) / .gemini/settings.json (project):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pdf-triage": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "pdf-triage-mcp",
        "--root", "/Users/me/Documents"
      ],
      "timeout": 30000,
      "trust": false
    }
  }
}

Verify: Run /mcp inside a gemini session — servers show CONNECTED with their tool list. Or gemini mcp list from the shell.

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Config file: ~/.codex/config.toml (global) or .codex/config.toml (project).

TOML, and the key is mcp_servers — snake_case, never mcpServers.

[mcp_servers.pdf-triage]
command = "npx"
args = [
  "-y", "pdf-triage-mcp",
  "--root", "/Users/me/Documents"
]
startup_timeout_sec = 20
tool_timeout_sec = 60

Verify: codex doctor --json validates the config syntax. Note that it validates syntax only — it does not confirm the server actually spawned.

Known upstream issue: several Codex CLI versions have a bug where stdio servers validate cleanly but silently fail to start, showing Tools: none in the TUI (#3441, #26810). That is a Codex runtime bug, not a config error.

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AI Assistant — configured through the IDE, no file to edit:

1. Settings → Tools → AI Assistant → Model Context Protocol (MCP)
2. Add → transport STDIO
3. Paste:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pdf-triage": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "pdf-triage-mcp",
        "--root", "/Users/me/Documents"
      ]
    }
  }
}

4. OK → Apply

Junie uses a file instead — ~/.junie/mcp/mcp.json (global) or .junie/mcp/mcp.json (project), same JSON shape.

Verify: Check the Status column in the MCP settings panel; click it to list the server's tools.

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Config file: ~/.lmstudio/mcp.json (macOS/Linux), %USERPROFILE%\.lmstudio\mcp.json (Windows).

Easier via the app: right sidebar → Program tab → Install → Edit mcp.json.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pdf-triage": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "pdf-triage-mcp",
        "--root", "/Users/me/Documents"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Verify: Auto-reloads on save; tools appear in the Program panel. LM Studio shows a confirmation dialog the first time a model calls a tool.

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