How to Set Up MCP Server Integration with Claude Code, Cursor, and VS Code Using OfficeCLI

OfficeCLI provides a built-in MCP server that you can register with Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, and LM Studio using simple officecli mcp commands that write JSON configuration files to each tool's settings directory.

OfficeCLI's Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration enables AI coding assistants to invoke OfficeCLI commands directly for editing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. This guide covers the complete setup process based on the iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI source code, including the McpInstaller registration system and McpServer JSON-RPC implementation.

What Is the OfficeCLI MCP Server?

The MCP server in OfficeCLI is a long-running stdio process that communicates via JSON-RPC. Located in src/officecli/McpServer.cs, it reads requests from stdin and writes responses to stdout, translating MCP calls into OfficeCLI CLI operations.

The companion McpInstaller (src/officecli/McpInstaller.cs) handles the registration plumbing—locating a stable binary path and writing configuration files for each supported AI client.

Supported AI Clients and Configuration Locations

OfficeCLI supports four targets with distinct configuration paths:

Target	Configuration File	Registration Method
Claude Code	~/.claude.json	CLI-first (claude mcp add), with JSON fallback
Cursor	~/.cursor/mcp.json	Direct JSON write
VS Code (Copilot)	~/.vscode/mcp.json	Direct JSON write
LM Studio	~/.cache/lm-studio/extensions/plugins/mcp/officecli	Plugin manifest + bridge config

Each registration creates an mcpServers.officecli entry with the command path and ["mcp"] arguments.

Registering OfficeCLI with Claude Code

Claude Code receives preferred treatment in the installer. The McpInstaller.InstallClaude() method (lines 70-100 of McpInstaller.cs) first attempts to use the native claude CLI:

officecli mcp claude

Under the hood, this executes:

claude mcp remove -s user officecli
claude mcp add -s user officecli -- /home/user/.local/bin/officecli mcp

If the claude binary is unavailable, the installer falls back to InstallJson(), writing directly to ~/.claude.json:

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

Registering OfficeCLI with Cursor

Cursor uses the generic JSON installer path. Run:

officecli mcp cursor

The McpInstaller.InstallJson() method (called from line 62) writes to ~/.cursor/mcp.json with identical structure to the Claude Code example above.

Registering OfficeCLI with VS Code

VS Code Copilot integration follows the same pattern:

officecli mcp vscode

This updates ~/.vscode/mcp.json via InstallJson().

Verifying and Managing Registrations

List Current Status

Check which clients have OfficeCLI registered:

officecli mcp list

Output format (from ListStatus(), lines 403-420):

officecli MCP registration status:

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

Unregister from a Target

Remove OfficeCLI from any client:

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

Each invokes the corresponding UninstallClaude(), UninstallJson(), or UninstallLmStudio() method to clean up configuration files.

How McpInstaller Locates Your Binary

The registration process requires a stable binary path that survives OfficeCLI upgrades. The OfficecliPath property (lines 25-40 of McpInstaller.cs) resolves in priority order:

1. ~/.local/bin/officecli — self-installed path
2. Binary found on $PATH
3. Current process path (fallback)

This ensures configuration files reference a durable location rather than temporary or version-specific paths.

Complete Command Reference

Command	Purpose	Source Method
officecli mcp claude	Register with Claude Code	InstallClaude()
officecli mcp cursor	Register with Cursor	InstallJson()
officecli mcp vscode	Register with VS Code	InstallJson()
officecli mcp lms	Register with LM Studio	InstallLmStudio()
officecli mcp list	Show registration status	ListStatus()
officecli mcp uninstall <target>	Remove registration	Uninstall*() methods

Summary

• Start the server: officecli mcp launches the JSON-RPC stdio server (McpServer.cs)
• Register clients: officecli mcp <target> handles Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, and LM Studio
• Claude Code gets CLI integration: Uses claude mcp add when available, JSON fallback when not
• Stable paths matter: Installer prefers ~/.local/bin/officecli for durable registrations
• Manage easily: list and uninstall subcommands provide full lifecycle control

Frequently Asked Questions

Does OfficeCLI support other MCP clients beyond Claude Code, Cursor, and VS Code?

Yes. The McpInstaller also supports LM Studio via officecli mcp lms, which writes a plugin manifest to ~/.cache/lm-studio/extensions/plugins/mcp/officecli rather than a JSON config file. The underlying MCP server protocol is standard, so manual registration with other JSON-RPC-over-stdio clients is possible by replicating the command/args structure.

Why does Claude Code registration try the CLI first while other clients use direct JSON?

The InstallClaude() method specifically checks for the claude binary to leverage native MCP management commands, which handle schema validation and potential future format changes. Other clients lack exposed CLI tooling for MCP management, so InstallJson() writes configuration directly to their expected paths. This hybrid approach appears in lines 70-100 of McpInstaller.cs.

What happens if I move or upgrade the OfficeCLI binary after registration?

Registrations may break if the binary path changes. Re-run officecli mcp <target> after any installation that modifies the binary location. The McpInstaller recalculates OfficecliPath on each run and updates configuration files with the current stable path.

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