Synology NAS README
The full upstream README, mirrored here for reference. Install config, tool schemas, adoption signals, and an original overview live on the Synology NAS listing page.
mcp-synology
MCP server for Synology NAS devices. Exposes Synology DSM API functionality as MCP tools that Claude can use.
Migrating from synology-mcp
If you're upgrading from synology-mcp (v0.3.x or earlier), the package has been renamed. A migration script handles config, state, keyring entries, and Claude Desktop config automatically:
The script migrates:
- Config directory (
~/.config/synology-mcp/→~/.config/mcp-synology/) - State directory (
~/.local/state/synology-mcp/→~/.local/state/mcp-synology/) - Keyring credentials
- Claude Desktop
claude_desktop_config.json(updates command and paths)
See CHANGELOG.md for full details on breaking changes.
Supported Modules
File Station
Browse, search, transfer, and manage files on your NAS. 14 tools across two permission tiers:
- READ — list_shares, list_files, list_recycle_bin, search_files, get_file_info, get_dir_size, download_file
- WRITE — create_folder, rename, copy_files, move_files, delete_files, restore_from_recycle_bin, upload_file
System
Monitor NAS health and resource utilization. 2 read-only tools:
- get_system_info — model, firmware version, RAM, temperature, uptime (works for all users)
- get_resource_usage — live CPU load, memory usage, disk I/O, network throughput (requires admin account)
Features
- Interactive setup — guided configuration that creates your config, stores credentials, handles 2FA, and emits a Claude Desktop snippet
- Permission tiers — READ or WRITE per module, enforced at tool registration
- 2FA support — auto-detected; device token bootstrap with automatic silent re-auth
- Secure credentials — OS keyring integration that works transparently on macOS, Windows, and Linux (including from Claude Desktop). See docs/credentials.md.
- Multi-NAS — manage multiple NAS devices with separate configs, credentials, and state
Quick Start
1. Run setup
Requires uv. uvx downloads and runs the latest version automatically — no separate install step needed.
Setup will prompt for your NAS host, credentials, and preferences. If your account has 2FA enabled, it will prompt for an OTP code and store a device token for automatic future logins.
At the end, it prints a Claude Desktop JSON snippet ready to copy-paste.
2. Add to Claude Desktop
Copy the snippet from setup into your claude_desktop_config.json and restart Claude Desktop. It will look something like:
The config file name (e.g., nas.yaml) also serves as a natural identifier for the connection — you can name it to match your NAS (e.g., home-nas.yaml, office-nas.yaml).
On Linux, the server auto-detects the D-Bus session socket for keyring access. If auto-detection fails, add "env": {"DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS": "unix:path=/run/user/<uid>/bus"} to the Claude Desktop config. The setup command includes this in the generated snippet.
3. Verify
Alternative: global install
If you prefer a persistent install (avoids download on each invocation). Requires uv — install with curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh (macOS/Linux) or see the installation guide for other options.
Alternative: env-var-only mode
No config file needed if SYNOLOGY_HOST is set. This is useful for Docker or CI environments:
Or from the CLI:
2FA Support
mcp-synology fully supports DSM accounts with two-factor authentication. It's auto-detected — you don't need to configure anything special:
- Bootstrap —
mcp-synology setupdetects 2FA, prompts for your OTP code, and stores a device token in the keyring - Silent re-auth — subsequent logins use the device token automatically (no OTP prompts)
- Per-instance — each NAS config gets its own device token, so mixed 2FA/non-2FA setups work fine
Device tokens persist until you explicitly revoke them in DSM (Personal > Security > Sign-in Activity). They do not expire on their own. If a token is revoked, run mcp-synology setup again to re-bootstrap.
Keyring & Credentials
Credentials are stored in the OS keyring and accessed transparently:
| Platform | Backend | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| macOS | Keychain | Just works |
| Windows | Credential Manager | Just works |
| Linux | GNOME Keyring / KWallet | Auto-detects D-Bus session, works from Claude Desktop |
Credential resolution order: env vars > config file > keyring. Explicit sources override the implicit default.
For environments without a keyring (Docker, CI), use environment variables or inline credentials in the config file.
See docs/credentials.md for keyring service names, multi-NAS setup, and how to inspect/remove stored credentials.
Updates
mcp-synology checks for updates and notifies you in your Claude Desktop conversation — the first tool response in each session will include a notice if a newer version is available on PyPI.
To manage updates from the CLI:
To disable update notifications, add to your config (top level):
Configuration
Interactive setup creates a config file for you. For manual configuration or advanced options, see examples/:
config-minimal.yaml— simplest possible configconfig-power-user.yaml— HTTPS, custom timeouts, logging, instructionsconfig-docker.yaml— environment-variable-driven
Multi-NAS
Each NAS gets its own config file, credentials, and Claude Desktop entry. The config file name serves as a natural identifier (e.g., home-nas.yaml, media-server.yaml).
Set alias to give Claude a display name for the connection:
The alias appears in the MCP server name (e.g., synology-HomeNAS) so Claude knows which NAS it's talking to.
Custom Instructions
Custom instructions let you shape how Claude interacts with your NAS tools. This is useful when:
- Multiple NAS connections — tell Claude which connection to prefer for different tasks ("use this for media, use admin for cross-user operations")
- Safety guardrails — add rules like "always confirm before deleting" or "never touch /Backups"
- Context — explain what's on the NAS ("this is a media server, /video has our library sorted by genre")
Add context — custom_instructions is prepended to the built-in prompt (higher priority):
Full control — instructions_file replaces the built-in prompt entirely. Copy the built-in server.md as a starting point:
Both support template variables: {display_name}, {instance_id}, {host}, {port}.
Debugging
Two ways to enable debug logging:
Or set it persistently in your config file:
Debug output includes every DSM API request/response (passwords masked), credential resolution steps, config discovery, version negotiation, and module registration decisions.
Contributing
See DEVELOPMENT.md for build commands, testing, integration test setup, and design docs.
Acknowledgements
This project was built using a Spec-First Coding approach — a human-AI collaboration model where design precedes implementation and specs are the contract between the two.
Unlike vibe coding, where you describe what you want and let the AI generate code on the fly, spec-first coding treats design as a separate, deliberate phase. The four specs in docs/specs/ were developed through extended conversation — exploring trade-offs, rejecting alternatives, and documenting decisions with rationale. Implementation then used the specs as the source of truth across 11 build phases.
Live testing against real hardware revealed behaviors the specs couldn't anticipate (DSM API quirks, search service throttling, version format incompatibilities). These discoveries are documented in CLAUDE.md and the code, which is authoritative where specs diverge.
License