How to Configure the OfficeCLI MCP Server for Integration with Claude Code, Cursor, or VS Code

OfficeCLI provides a built-in MCP server that communicates via JSON-RPC over STDIO and can be registered with Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, and LM Studio using the officecli mcp command.

The OfficeCLI repository includes a native implementation of the Model Context Protocol (MCP), enabling AI assistants to invoke OfficeCLI commands for editing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. This guide explains how to configure the MCP server for integration with Claude Code, Cursor, or VS Code using the registration utilities provided in the source code.

Architecture Overview

The MCP implementation in OfficeCLI consists of three primary components that handle server execution, client registration, and CLI integration.

The MCP Server Component

The actual server implementation resides in src/officecli/McpServer.cs. This file implements a long-running stdio process that reads JSON-RPC requests from stdin and writes responses to stdout. When started with the officecli mcp command, the server listens for incoming tool invocations and forwards them to the OfficeCLI CLI implementation.

The Registration Logic

McpInstaller (src/officecli/McpInstaller.cs) contains the core logic for registering and unregistering the server with various AI clients. This static class handles:

• Binary path resolution (lines 25-40): Determines a stable path to the officecli executable that survives upgrades, preferring ~/.local/bin/officecli, then $PATH, then the current process path.
• Target-specific configuration: Writes JSON configuration files to client-specific locations.
• Claude CLI integration: Attempts to use the claude CLI tool when available, falling back to direct JSON file manipulation.

CLI Integration

The mcp sub-command is defined in src/officecli/CommandBuilder.IntegrationStubs.cs and exposed through the help system in CommandBuilder.Help.cs. This front-end parses commands like officecli mcp claude or officecli mcp list and delegates to the appropriate McpInstaller methods.

Configure the MCP Server for Claude Code

Claude Code supports MCP servers through a configuration file at ~/.claude.json or via the claude CLI tool.

To register OfficeCLI with Claude Code, run:

officecli mcp claude

Under the hood, McpInstaller.InstallClaude() (lines 70-100) executes the following logic:

1. Attempts to run claude mcp remove -s user officecli to clear any existing entry.
2. Attempts to run claude mcp add -s user officecli -- /home/user/.local/bin/officecli mcp.
3. If the claude binary is not available, falls back to InstallJson() which writes directly to ~/.claude.json.

The resulting configuration in ~/.claude.json appears as:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "officecli": {
      "command": "/home/user/.local/bin/officecli",
      "args": ["mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Configure the MCP Server for Cursor

Cursor stores MCP server configurations in ~/.cursor/mcp.json under the mcpServers key.

To register OfficeCLI with Cursor:

officecli mcp cursor

This invokes McpInstaller.InstallJson() (line 62), which writes the server entry directly to ~/.cursor/mcp.json. The JSON structure mirrors the Claude Code format, specifying the command path and ["mcp"] arguments array.

Configure the MCP Server for VS Code

VS Code (including GitHub Copilot chat integration) uses ~/.vscode/mcp.json for MCP server registration.

To configure the integration:

officecli mcp vscode

The McpInstaller class handles this target through the same InstallJson() method used for Cursor, inserting the officecli entry into the mcpServers object within the VS Code configuration file.

Verify and Manage Registrations

After configuring one or more targets, verify the registration status:

officecli mcp list

This executes McpInstaller.ListStatus() (lines 403-420) and displays output similar to:

officecli MCP registration status:

  ✓ LM Studio       registered
  ✓ Claude Code     registered
  ✗ Cursor          not registered
  ✗ VS Code         not registered

Unregistering the MCP Server

To remove the OfficeCLI MCP server from a specific client:

officecli mcp uninstall claude
officecli mcp uninstall cursor
officecli mcp uninstall vscode

Each command invokes the corresponding UninstallClaude(), UninstallJson(), or target-specific removal method to delete the entry from the respective configuration file.

Summary

• MCP Server Location: The STDIO-based JSON-RPC server is implemented in src/officecli/McpServer.cs and started via officecli mcp.
• Registration Logic: src/officecli/McpInstaller.cs handles binary path resolution and client-specific configuration.
• Claude Code: Uses ~/.claude.json; prefers the claude CLI tool when available, otherwise writes JSON directly.
• Cursor: Uses ~/.cursor/mcp.json via direct JSON manipulation.
• VS Code: Uses ~/.vscode/mcp.json via direct JSON manipulation.
• Management: Use officecli mcp list to check status and officecli mcp uninstall <target> to remove configurations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does OfficeCLI store the MCP configuration for Claude Code?

Claude Code configuration is stored in ~/.claude.json under the mcpServers key. The McpInstaller class attempts to use the claude CLI tool first (lines 70-100), but if unavailable, it falls back to writing this JSON file directly.

Can I use the OfficeCLI MCP server with LM Studio?

Yes. Run officecli mcp lms to register with LM Studio. According to McpInstaller.cs, this creates a plugin manifest in ~/.cache/lm-studio/extensions/plugins/mcp/officecli using the InstallLmStudio() method, enabling the server to communicate with LM Studio's plugin system.

What happens if the officecli binary is moved or upgraded?

The McpInstaller determines a stable binary path during registration (lines 25-40). It prefers ~/.local/bin/officecli over temporary paths, ensuring that the configuration remains valid after upgrades. If you move the binary manually, re-run the registration command to update the paths in the client configuration files.

How do I troubleshoot MCP connection issues?

First, verify the registration using officecli mcp list to confirm the target shows as "registered". Check that the binary path in the respective JSON file (e.g., ~/.claude.json) points to a valid executable. The server communicates over STDIO, so ensure no other process is interfering with the stdin/stdout streams when the AI client launches the officecli mcp command.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}