What is the key difference between Chisel and Files?

Chisel belongs to the File Systems category with local stdio execution, while Files belongs to the File Systems category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Chisel or Files in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Chisel and Files free or paid?

Chisel operates under a Free / Open Source model (API Key required). Files operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Chisel lists 6 tools with 3 views and 17 GitHub stars. Files lists 0 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Chisel and Files together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

How do I install Chisel or Files in Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf?

Both servers follow the standard Model Context Protocol configuration format. Simply copy the JSON block from the configuration section above and paste it into your AI client's mcpServers configuration object (for instance in claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json ), then completely restart or refresh the application.

Are Chisel and Files free to use, or do they require API keys?

Chisel is listed under a Free / Open Source model with API Key required . Files operates under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . If environment variables are required (such as API keys), be sure to define them under the env key in your MCP client's configuration file.

Can I run both Chisel and Files at the same time in my AI client?

Yes! MCP clients support multi-server orchestration. You can include both ckanthony-chisel and files as distinct keys inside the single mcpServers object in your configuration file. Your AI assistant will automatically select and call the appropriate tool from either server during chat sessions.

Which MCP server has higher directory engagement and quality ratings?

On AllMCPs, Chisel has a Quality Score of 64 /100 ( Good ) with 3 views, 0 installs, and 17 GitHub stars. Files holds a Quality Score of 27 /100 ( Emerging ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 0 GitHub stars.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Chisel vs Files

In-depth architectural comparison of the Chisel and Files MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Chisel

File Systems · Local stdio

Quality: 64/100 (Good) | Auth: API Key required

Files

File Systems · Local stdio

Quality: 27/100 (Emerging) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Chisel if you need specialized File Systems tools running via a local process. Choose Files if your workspace requires File Systems integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Chisel when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the File Systems domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (Free / Open Source).
You have access to required keys: CHISEL_BEARER_TOKEN, CHISEL_ROOT_PATH, CHISEL_READONLY.
Primary tools included: patch_apply, append, write_file.

Explore Chisel Details

Choose Files when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the File Systems domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Files Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Chisel ckanthony File Systems	F Files File Systems
Summary	Reduce context usage on file use. Send only unified diffs instead of full files (up to 20-100× fewer tokens), and read large files with targeted grep/sed instead of full reads (up to 500×). Kernel-enforced path confinement hard-locks the agent to a configured root: no accidental reads or writes outside scope. Standalone for your file access or embed in any MCP server (Rust, Node.js, Python via WASM).	Sandboxed local filesystem: read, search, edit, copy, archive, and safely manage files.
Category & Scope	File Systems

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Chisel Tools (6)

patch_apply

Apply a unified diff atomically; accepts raw or ````diff` fenced patches — **primary edit tool; sends only changed lines, not the full file

append

Append content to an existing file

write_file

Write (create or overwrite) a file; creates parent dirs automatically

create_directory

Create a directory tree (`mkdir -p` semantics)

move_file

Move or rename a file within root

shell_exec

Run a whitelisted command — `grep sed awk find cat head tail wc sort uniq cut tr diff file stat ls du rg

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Chisel Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ckanthony-chisel": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "skills"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CHISEL_BEARER_TOKEN": "YOUR_CHISEL_BEARER_TOKEN_HERE",
        "CHISEL_ROOT_PATH": "YOUR_CHISEL_ROOT_PATH_HERE",
        "CHISEL_READONLY": "YOUR_CHISEL_READONLY_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Files Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "files": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "files"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Chisel is categorized under File Systems and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Files belongs to File Systems using local stdio subprocess. Select Chisel when you need capabilities focused on file systems and Files when you require tools for file systems.

More alternatives to Chisel More alternatives to Files File Systems category hub