How to Set Up the OfficeCLI MCP Server for Claude Code, Cursor, and VS Code

OfficeCLI includes a built-in MCP server that exposes JSON-RPC over STDIO; register it with any supported AI client using the officecli mcp <target> command.

The iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI repository provides a native Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants to invoke OfficeCLI commands for document manipulation. This guide covers the exact steps to configure MCP integrations with Claude Code, Cursor, and VS Code, referencing the specific source files and registration logic used under the hood.

Architecture Overview

OfficeCLI’s MCP implementation consists of two core components defined in the source:

• McpServer.cs – A long-running stdio process (src/officecli/McpServer.cs) that reads JSON-RPC requests from stdin and writes responses to stdout.
• McpInstaller.cs – A static helper class (src/officecli/McpInstaller.cs) that registers or unregisters the server with AI clients by writing configuration entries to the appropriate JSON files.

The server is started via the officecli mcp command, which is wired in CommandBuilder.IntegrationStubs.cs.

Supported Clients and Configuration Locations

Each target client stores its MCP server definitions in a specific location:

• Claude Code – ~/.claude.json under the top-level mcpServers key
• Cursor – ~/.cursor/mcp.json under mcpServers
• VS Code (Copilot) – ~/.vscode/mcp.json under mcpServers
• LM Studio – ~/.cache/lm-studio/extensions/plugins/mcp/officecli/

Registering the MCP Server

Claude Code

Run the install command:

officecli mcp claude

Under the hood, McpInstaller.InstallClaude() first attempts to use the claude CLI directly by executing claude mcp remove -s user officecli followed by claude mcp add -s user officecli -- /path/to/officecli mcp. If the CLI is unavailable, the installer falls back to InstallJson(), which writes directly to ~/.claude.json (see lines 70–100 of McpInstaller.cs).

The resulting entry appears as:

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

Cursor

Execute:

officecli mcp cursor

This invokes InstallJson() to write the server configuration to ~/.cursor/mcp.json. Cursor will detect the new entry on restart.

VS Code

Execute:

officecli mcp vscode

The McpInstaller writes the same JSON structure to ~/.vscode/mcp.json, enabling Copilot and other VS Code AI extensions to invoke OfficeCLI tools.

LM Studio

Execute:

officecli mcp lms

McpInstaller.InstallLmStudio() creates a plugin manifest and bridge configuration in the LM Studio cache directory.

Managing Registrations

Check Current Status

List which clients are registered:

officecli mcp list

The ListStatus() method (lines 403–420 in McpInstaller.cs) checks each configuration file and outputs a concise status table:

officecli MCP registration status:

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

Uninstall a Target

Remove the registration from a specific client:

officecli mcp uninstall claude

This calls McpInstaller.UninstallClaude(), which either runs claude mcp remove or edits ~/.claude.json directly to delete the officecli entry.

How the Installer Locates the Binary

To ensure registrations survive upgrades, McpInstaller determines a stable binary path (lines 25–40) using the following priority:

1. The self-installed path at ~/.local/bin/officecli
2. The first officecli found on $PATH
3. The current process executable path

This path is stored in the command field of every MCP configuration file.

Summary

• OfficeCLI provides a built-in MCP server implemented in McpServer.cs that communicates via JSON-RPC over stdio.
• Registration is handled by McpInstaller.cs, which supports Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, and LM Studio.
• Commands follow the pattern officecli mcp <target>, writing entries to client-specific JSON files such as ~/.claude.json.
• Claude Code registration prefers the claude CLI when available, falling back to direct JSON manipulation.
• Status and removal are managed via officecli mcp list and officecli mcp uninstall <target>.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MCP server in OfficeCLI?

The MCP server is a stdio-based JSON-RPC service implemented in src/officecli/McpServer.cs. It exposes OfficeCLI’s document editing capabilities to AI clients that support the Model Context Protocol, allowing assistants to read and modify Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files programmatically.

Where does OfficeCLI store MCP configuration for Claude Code?

OfficeCLI writes Claude Code configuration to ~/.claude.json under the mcpServers key. If the claude CLI is installed, the installer (McpInstaller.InstallClaude()) uses it to manage the entry; otherwise, it edits the JSON file directly.

Can I use the MCP server without installing the Claude CLI?

Yes. The McpInstaller detects missing CLI tools and automatically falls back to InstallJson(), which writes the configuration directly to the client’s JSON file. For Claude Code, this means editing ~/.claude.json manually if the claude command is unavailable.

Why does the installer use a stable binary path instead of the current process path?

The installer (lines 25–40 of McpInstaller.cs) prioritizes ~/.local/bin/officecli to ensure that MCP registrations remain valid after upgrading OfficeCLI. Using a fixed installation path prevents broken references when the binary location changes during updates.

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