Clipboard MCP Server vs Kwin MCP
A side-by-side look at the Clipboard MCP Server and Kwin MCP MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
K
Kwin MCPOS Automation · Local subprocess (stdio)MCP server for Linux desktop GUI automation on KDE Plasma 6 Wayland — 29 tools for virtual and live sessions59GoodAuth: no auth requiredVerdict: choose Clipboard MCP Server for os automation work as a local process; choose Kwin MCP for os automation as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Clipboard MCP Server when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the OS Automation domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You want tools like
clipboard_read, clipboard_write, clipboard_inspect.
KChoose Kwin MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the OS Automation domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
- You want tools like
session_start, session_connect, session_stop.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | K Kwin MCP | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | OS Automation | OS Automation |
| Quality signal | 56/100 · Good | 59/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | No auth required |
| Pricing | Not declared | Free |
| Required env vars | None listed | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 2 | 71 |
| Directory activity | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 3 | 29 |
| Full listing | View Clipboard MCP Server | View Kwin MCP |
Tools & capabilities
Clipboard MCP Server tools 3
clipboard_readRead clipboard contents in a specified format (text, HTML, RTF, image, or auto-select richest)clipboard_writeWrite plain text or HTML to the clipboard, replacing current contents, or clear it outrightclipboard_inspectList available clipboard formats and byte sizes without reading full content
Kwin MCP tools 29
session_startStart an isolated virtual KWin Wayland session (one at a time) with its own `dbus-run-session` bus, `kwin_wayland --virtual` compositor, AT-SPI2 bus and EIS input. `screen_width`/`screen_height` must be positive integers. `enable_clipboard=true` serves the clipboard tools (off by default because `w…session_connectAttach to an already running KWin session: the real desktop or a KWin inside a container. Empty values default to `$DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS` and `$WAYLAND_DISPLAY` (a socket name is resolved under `$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR`). Clipboard is always enabled. Actions affect real applications, and `window_close…session_stopEnd the current session. Virtual: terminate the whole session process group (`SIGTERM`, then `SIGKILL` for members that remain), KWin, launched apps and the bus. Live: detach, kill only apps launched through kwin-mcp, restore the accessibility switch. Releases all held input and reports it. Idempot…session_infoReport the current session (or `null`): its kind, Wayland socket, bus address, screen size, enabled backends (input, clipboard, accessibility), retention and artifacts directory, every app launched through kwin-mcp, and the held input. Works without a session.app_launchLaunch a program in the session, split with `shlex` (no shell), in its own process group, with stdin closed. `env` adds environment variables for this process. stdout and stderr go to a log file read with `app_log`. An empty command or unbalanced quotes is an error. A failed launch keeps the sessio…app_logReturn the tail of the captured stdout/stderr of an app launched with `app_launch` (`session_info` lists the PIDs). `last_n_lines=0` returns the whole log.screen_captureCapture the whole workspace, or a `region` rectangle of it, as a PNG via KWin ScreenShot2 (Spectacle fallback). Returns a `Frame`: the file path, the `kwin://screenshots/{name}` URI, the image size, `size_kb`, the image-to-logical `mapping` and `coverage`, plus the `Coordinate space` text line. `ma…element_queryReturn the AT-SPI2 elements matching `locator`, in pre-order, with role, name, description, states, rectangle (or the reason it is unavailable), actions, text content (capped at 200 characters), slider/scrollbar value, `app`, `window_id`, `child_count` and a `ref` to use as a target. `locator.match…element_actInvoke a named AT-SPI action (case-insensitive, e.g. `Press`, `Toggle`, `Activate`) on exactly one element without pointer coordinates: `element={ref}` from `element_query`, or `element={strict: Locator}` for a strict search with the same `match` modes (depth 64, fails closed on any unreadable node…window_listList KWin windows, dialogs, popups and shell surfaces included, with `id`, `app_id`, `caption`, `kind`, `active`, `frame` and `client` rectangles, `moveable`/`resizeable`/`closeable`, and `desktops`. `filter` is the same `WindowSelector` the mutators use, applied as an AND-ed filter: `{active: true…desktop_listList KWin virtual desktops in pager order (`id`, `name`) with the current one marked.window_focusRaise and activate exactly one window through KWin scripting (`workspace.activeWindow`). The result reports the window's observed state afterwards, or that it vanished.- +17 more on the listing page
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Clipboard MCP Server
{
"mcpServers": {
"clipboard-mcp-server": {
"command": "bunx",
"args": [
"@cyanheads/clipboard-mcp-server@latest"
]
}
}
}
Kwin MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"kwin-mcp-2": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"kwin-mcp"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Clipboard MCP Server is categorized under OS Automation and uses a local stdio subprocess. Kwin MCP belongs to OS Automation and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Clipboard MCP Server for os automation work and Kwin MCP for os automation.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
Clipboard MCP Server has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. Kwin MCP is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add clipboard-mcp-server and kwin-mcp-2 as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Clipboard MCP Server has a quality signal of 56/100 (Good) with 0 views, 0 installs and 2 GitHub stars. Kwin MCP has 59/100 (Good) with 1 views, 0 installs and 71 GitHub stars.