Kwin MCP vs Claude Background Control
A side-by-side look at the Kwin MCP and Claude Background Control 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 requiredC
Claude Background ControlOS Automation · Local subprocess (stdio)MCP server giving Claude Code real macOS GUI control (click/type/inspect)45FairAuth: no auth requiredVerdict: choose Kwin MCP for os automation work as a local process; choose Claude Background Control 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?
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.
CChoose Claude Background Control 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.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | K Kwin MCP | C Claude Background Control |
|---|---|---|
| Category | OS Automation | OS Automation |
| Quality signal | 59/100 · Good | 45/100 · Fair |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | No auth required | No auth required |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Required env vars | None listed | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 71 | 0 |
| Directory activity | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 29 | Not listed |
| Full listing | View Kwin MCP | View Claude Background Control |
Tools & capabilities
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
Claude Background Control tools
No tool names declared yet. Check the project README from 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.
Kwin MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"kwin-mcp-2": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"kwin-mcp"
]
}
}
}
Claude Background Control
{
"mcpServers": {
"claude-background-control": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"claude-background-control"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Kwin MCP is categorized under OS Automation and uses a local stdio subprocess. Claude Background Control belongs to OS Automation and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Kwin MCP for os automation work and Claude Background Control 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.
Kwin MCP is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. Claude Background Control 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 kwin-mcp-2 and claude-background-control as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Kwin MCP has a quality signal of 59/100 (Good) with 1 views, 0 installs and 71 GitHub stars. Claude Background Control has 45/100 (Fair) with 1 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.
