applescript-mcp MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol server that enables LLM applications to interact with macOS through AppleScript.
This server provides a standardized interface for AI applications to control system functions, manage files, handle notifications, and more.


Features

- 🗓️ Calendar management (events, reminders)
- 📋 Clipboard operations
- 🔍 Finder integration
- 🔔 System notifications
- ⚙️ System controls (volume, dark mode, apps)
- 📟 iTerm terminal integration
- 📬 Mail (create new email, list emails, get email)
- 🔄 Shortcuts automation
- 💬 Messages (list chats, get messages, search messages, send a message)
- 🗒️ Notes (create formatted notes, list notes, search notes)
- 📄 Pages (create documents)

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- 🧭 Safari (open in Safari, save page content, get selected page/tab)
- ✅ Reminders (create, get)

Prerequisites

- macOS 10.15 or later
- Node.js 18 or later

Available Categories

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| Command | Description | Parameters |
| ------- | --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| add | Create calendar event | title, startDate, endDate, calendar (optional) |
| list | List today's events | None |

#### Examples

``
// Create a new calendar event
Create a calendar event titled "Team Meeting" starting tomorrow at 2pm for 1 hour

// List today's events
What events do I have scheduled for today?
`

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| Command | Description | Parameters |
| ----------------- | ---------------------- | ---------- |
| set_clipboard | Copy to clipboard | content |
| get_clipboard | Get clipboard contents | None |
| clear_clipboard | Clear clipboard | None |

#### Examples

`
// Copy text to clipboard
Copy "Remember to buy groceries" to my clipboard

// Get clipboard contents
What's currently in my clipboard?

// Clear clipboard
Clear my clipboard
`

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| Command | Description | Parameters |
| -------------------- | ------------------ | ------------------------------ |
| get_selected_files | Get selected files | None |
| search_files | Search for files | query, location (optional) |
| quick_look | Preview file | path |

#### Examples

`
// Get selected files in Finder
What files do I currently have selected in Finder?

// Search for files
Find all PDF files in my Documents folder

// Preview a file
Show me a preview of ~/Documents/report.pdf
`

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> Note: Sending notification requires that you enable notifications in System Settings > Notifications > Script Editor.

| Command | Description | Parameters |
| ----------------------- | ----------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| send_notification | Show notification | title, message, sound (optional) |
| toggle_do_not_disturb | Toggle DND mode | None |

#### Examples

`
// Send a notification
Send me a notification with the title "Reminder" and message "Time to take a break"

// Toggle Do Not Disturb
Turn on Do Not Disturb mode
`

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| Command | Description | Parameters |
| ------------------- | ----------------- | -------------------------- |
| volume | Set system volume | level (0-100) |
| get_frontmost_app | Get active app | None |
| launch_app | Open application | name |
| quit_app | Close application | name, force (optional) |
| toggle_dark_mode | Toggle dark mode | None |

#### Examples

`
// Set system volume
Set my Mac's volume to 50%

// Get active application
What app am I currently using?

// Launch an application
Open Safari

// Quit an application
Close Spotify

// Toggle dark mode
Switch to dark mode
`

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| Command | Description | Parameters |
| ----------------- | --------------- | --------------------------------- |
| paste_clipboard | Paste to iTerm | None |
| run | Execute command | command, newWindow (optional) |

#### Examples

`
// Paste clipboard to iTerm
Paste my clipboard contents into iTerm

// Run a command in iTerm
Run "ls -la" in iTerm

// Run a command in a new iTerm window
Run "top" in a new iTerm window
`

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| Command | Description | Parameters |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| run_shortcut | Run a shortcut | name, input (optional) |
| list_shortcuts | List all available shortcuts | limit (optional) |

#### Examples

`
// List available shortcuts
List all my available shortcuts

// List with limit
Show me my top 5 shortcuts

// Run a shortcut
Run my "Daily Note in Bear" shortcut

// Run a shortcut with input
Run my "Add to-do" shortcut with input "Buy groceries"
`

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| Command | Description | Parameters |
| ------------- | -------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| create_email| Create a new email in Mail.app | recipient, subject, body |
| list_emails | List emails from a mailbox | mailbox (optional), count (optional), unreadOnly (optional) |
| get_email | Get a specific email by search | subject (optional), sender (optional), dateReceived (optional), mailbox (optional), account (optional), unreadOnly (optional), includeBody (optional) |

#### Examples

`
// Create a new email
Compose an email to john@example.com with subject "Meeting Tomorrow" and body "Hi John, Can we meet tomorrow at 2pm?"

// List emails
Show me my 10 most recent unread emails

// Get a specific email
Find the email from sarah@example.com about "Project Update"
`

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| Command | Description | Parameters |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| list_chats | List available iMessage and SMS chats | includeParticipantDetails (optional, default: false) |
| get_messages | Get messages from the Messages app | limit (optional, default: 100) |
| search_messages | Search for messages containing specific text | searchText, sender (optional), chatId (optional), limit (optional, default: 50), daysBack (optional, default: 30) |
| compose_message | Open Messages app with pre-filled message or auto-send | recipient (required), body (optional), auto (optional, default: false) |

#### Examples

`
// List available chats
Show me my recent message conversations

// Get recent messages
Show me my last 20 messages

// Search messages
Find messages containing "dinner plans" from John in the last week

// Compose a message
Send a message to 555-123-4567 saying "I'll be there in 10 minutes"
`

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| Command | Description | Parameters |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| create | Create a note with markdown-like formatting | title, content, format (optional with formatting options) |
| createRawHtml | Create a note with direct HTML content | title, html |
| list | List notes, optionally from a specific folder| folder (optional) |
| get | Get a specific note by title | title, folder (optional) |
| search | Search for notes containing specific text | query, folder (optional), limit (optional, default: 5), includeBody (optional, default: true) |

#### Examples

`
// Create a new note with markdown formatting
Create a note titled "Meeting Minutes" with content "# Discussion Points\n- Project timeline\n- Budget review\n- Next steps" and format headings and lists

// Create a note with HTML
Create a note titled "Formatted Report" with HTML content "

Quarterly Report

Sales increased by 15%

"

// List notes
Show me all my notes in the "Work" folder

// Get a specific note
Show me my note titled "Shopping List"

// Search notes
Find notes containing "recipe" in my "Cooking" folder
`

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| Command | Description | Parameters |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| create_document | Create a new Pages document with plain text | content |

#### Examples

`
// Create a new Pages document
Create a Pages document with the content "Project Proposal\n\nThis document outlines the scope and timeline for the upcoming project."
`

Architecture

The applescript-mcp server is built using TypeScript and follows a modular architecture:

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1. AppleScriptFramework (framework.ts): The main server class that:
- Manages MCP protocol communication
- Handles tool registration and execution
- Provides logging functionality
- Executes AppleScript commands

2. Categories (src/categories/*.ts): Modular script collections organized by functionality:
- Each category contains related scripts (e.g., calendar, system, notes)
- Categories are registered with the framework in index.ts

3. Types (src/types/index.ts): TypeScript interfaces defining:
- ScriptDefinition: Structure for individual scripts
- ScriptCategory: Collection of related scripts
- LogLevel: Standard logging levels
- FrameworkOptions: Configuration options

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1. Client sends a tool request via MCP protocol
2. Server identifies the appropriate category and script
3. Script content is generated (static or dynamically via function)
4. AppleScript is executed via macOS osascript command
5. Results are returned to the client

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The framework includes a comprehensive logging system that:
- Logs to both stderr and MCP logging protocol
- Supports multiple severity levels (debug, info, warning, error, etc.)
- Provides detailed execution information for troubleshooting

Development

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`bash


Install dependencies

npm install

Build the server

npm run build

Launch MCP Inspector

See: https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/tools/inspector

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector node path/to/server/index.js args...
`

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#### 1. Create Category File

Create src/categories/newcategory.ts:

`typescript
import { ScriptCategory } from "../types/index.js";

export const newCategory: ScriptCategory = {
name: "category_name",
description: "Category description",
scripts: [
// Scripts will go here
],
};
`

#### 2. Add Scripts

`typescript
{
name: "script_name",
description: "What the script does",
schema: {
type: "object",
properties: {
paramName: {
type: "string",
description: "Parameter description"
}
},
required: ["paramName"]
},
script: (args) =>
tell application "App"
// AppleScript code using ${args.paramName}
end tell

}
`

#### 3. Register Category

Update src/index.ts:

`typescript
import { newCategory } from "./categories/newcategory.js";
// ...
server.addCategory(newCategory);
`

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For more complex scripts, you can:

1. Use dynamic script generation:
`typescript
script: (args) => {
// Process arguments and build script dynamically
let scriptContent = tell application "App"\n;

if (args.condition) {
scriptContent += // Conditional logic\n;
}

scriptContent += end tell;
return scriptContent;
}
`

2. Process complex data:
`typescript
// Example from Notes category
function generateNoteHtml(args: any): string {
// Process markdown-like syntax into HTML
let processedContent = content;

if (format.headings) {
processedContent = processedContent.replace(/^# (.+)$/gm, '

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');
// ...
}

return processedContent;
}
`

Debugging

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The MCP Inspector provides a web interface for testing and debugging your server:

`bash
npm run inspector
`

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Enable debug logging by setting the environment variable:

`bash
DEBUG=applescript-mcp* npm start
`

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After running npm run build add the following to your mcp.json file:

`json
{
"mcpServers": {
"applescript-mcp-server": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/path/to/applescript-mcp/dist/index.js"]
}
}
}
``

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- Permission Errors: Check System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Automation
- Script Failures: Test scripts directly in Script Editor.app before integration
- Communication Issues: Check stdio streams aren't being redirected
- Database Access: Some features (like Messages) require Full Disk Access permission

Resources

- AppleScript Language Guide
- MCP Protocol Documentation
- Issue Tracker

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Commit your changes
4. Push to the branch
5. Create a Pull Request

License

MIT License - see LICENSE for details