A side-by-side look at the Computer Use and Gnome Desktop MCP MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Computer Use for os automation work as a local process; choose Gnome Desktop MCP for os automation. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
mouse_move, mouse_move_smooth, mouse_move_relative.screenshot, screenshot_window, screenshot_area.Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | OS Automation | OS Automation |
| Quality signal | 52/100 · Good | 49/100 · Fair |
| Install command | Confirmed | Not confirmed yet |
| Transport | 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 | 3 | 15 |
| Directory activity | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 4 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 44 | 26 |
| Full listing | View Computer Use | View Gnome Desktop MCP |
mouse_moveMove cursor to absolute coordinatesmouse_move_smoothSmooth cursor movement (human-like)mouse_move_relativeRelative cursor movementmouse_get_positionGet current cursor positionmouse_clickMouse clickmouse_click_atMove and clickmouse_togglePress/release mouse buttonmouse_dragDrag operationmouse_drag_smoothSmooth drag operationmouse_scrollScrollmouse_scroll_directionScroll in directionmouse_scroll_smoothSmooth scrollscreenshotFull screen capturescreenshot_windowCapture a specific windowscreenshot_areaCapture a rectangular regionpick_colorGet pixel color at coordinatescleanup_screenshotsRemove temp screenshot fileslist_windowsList all open windowsget_windowGet detailed window propertiesfocus_windowFocus and raise a windowmove_resize_windowMove and resize a windowminimize_windowMinimize/restoremaximize_windowMaximize/restoreclose_windowClose a windowPaste 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.
{
"mcpServers": {
"computer-use-2": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"go-computer-use-mcp-server"
]
}
}
}
No confirmed install command for Gnome Desktop MCP yet — follow the setup steps linked from its listing page rather than a guessed package name.