Nextcloud MCP Server

Note: This project is a complete rewrite in TypeScript of the original Python-based cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server, now with Smithery deployment support for one-click cloud deployment.

Key Differences from the Original Repository:

• Language: This project is written in TypeScript, while the original is in Python.
• Smithery Support: Added full support for Smithery deployment and local testing via Smithery playground.
• Project Structure: The project structure has been adapted for a Node.js/TypeScript environment with MCP SDK integration.
• Dependencies: This project uses npm for package management, whereas the original uses Python's dependency management tools.
• Deployment: Now supports both local development and cloud deployment via Smithery.

The Nextcloud MCP (Model Context Protocol) server allows Large Language Models (LLMs) like OpenAI's GPT, Google's Gemini, or Anthropic's Claude to interact with your Nextcloud instance. This enables automation of various Nextcloud actions across Notes, Calendar, Contacts, Tables, and WebDAV file operations.

Features

The server provides integration with multiple Nextcloud apps, enabling LLMs to interact with your Nextcloud data through a comprehensive set of 30 tools across 5 main categories.

Supported Nextcloud Apps

Available Tools (30 Total)

📝 Notes Tools (5 tools)

📅 Calendar Tools (6 tools)

👥 Contacts Tools (6 tools)

📊 Tables Tools (6 tools)

📁 WebDAV File System Tools (6 tools)

🔍 Revolutionary Unified WebDAV Search Feature

The crown jewel of this MCP server is the powerful unified search system for WebDAV files, inspired by modern search interfaces like on an another MCP that I have created: mcp-datagovmy. This completely transforms how you interact with your Nextcloud files by eliminating the need to specify exact file paths.

✨ Key Features

• 🎯 Multi-scope Search: Search across filenames, file content, and metadata simultaneously
• 🧠 Smart File Type Detection: Automatically handles text files, code, configuration files, documents, and media
• 🔧 Advanced Filtering: Filter by file type, size range, modification date, and directory
• 📈 Intelligent Ranking: Results ranked by relevance with bonuses for recent files and exact matches
• 👀 Content Preview: Optional content previews for matched text files
• ⚡ Performance Optimized: Intelligent caching, timeout protection, and parallel processing
• 🛡️ Error Recovery: Fallback strategies prevent timeouts and provide helpful suggestions

🚀 Usage Examples

// Basic search - find all files containing "FAQ Dean List"
await nextcloud_webdav_search_files({
  query: "FAQ Dean List"
});

// Advanced search - find PDF reports from 2024
await nextcloud_webdav_search_files({
  query: "report 2024",
  fileTypes: ["pdf"],
  searchIn: ["filename", "content"],
  limit: 20,
  includeContent: true,
  quickSearch: true
});

// Directory-specific search with date range
await nextcloud_webdav_search_files({
  query: "meeting notes",
  basePath: "/Documents",
  searchIn: ["filename", "content"],
  dateRange: {
    from: "2024-01-01",
    to: "2024-12-31"
  }
});

// Search by file characteristics
await nextcloud_webdav_search_files({
  query: "configuration files",
  sizeRange: { min: 1024, max: 102400 }, // 1KB - 100KB
  fileTypes: ["json", "yaml", "xml", "conf"]
});

// Quick search for large directories (optimized)
await nextcloud_webdav_search_files({
  query: "budget",
  basePath: "/", // Root directory
  quickSearch: true, // Enables optimizations
  limit: 25,
  maxDepth: 2 // Limit search depth
});

📋 Complete Parameter Reference

🎯 Performance Tips

• For root directory searches: Use quickSearch: true and maxDepth: 2-3 for faster results
• For specific directories: Use basePath: "/Documents" instead of searching root "/"
• For large result sets: Add fileTypes filter to narrow scope
• For timeout issues: Enable quickSearch and use smaller limit values

🧪 Test Tool (1 tool)

🔄 Before vs After: The Search Revolution

Before Unified Search

// You had to know exact paths
await nextcloud_webdav_read_file({
  path: "/Documents/Finance/Reports/Q4_Budget_Analysis_2024.pdf"
});

// Multiple calls needed to explore
await nextcloud_webdav_list_directory({ path: "/" });
await nextcloud_webdav_list_directory({ path: "/Documents" });
await nextcloud_webdav_list_directory({ path: "/Documents/Finance" });
// ... and so on

After Unified Search ✨

// Natural language search across entire Nextcloud!
await nextcloud_webdav_search_files({
  query: "Q4 budget analysis 2024",
  fileTypes: ["pdf"]
});

// Finds files instantly regardless of location!

🛠️ Advanced Search Strategies

Content-Aware Search

The system intelligently extracts and searches content from:

• 📝 Text Files: .txt, .md, .csv - Full content indexing
• 💻 Code Files: .js, .ts, .py, .html, .css - Syntax-aware search
• ⚙️ Config Files: .json, .xml, .yaml - Structure-aware indexing
• 📄 Documents: .pdf, .docx - Metadata and properties
• 🎬 Media Files: Images, videos - EXIF data and metadata

Smart Ranking System

Results are ranked using advanced algorithms:

1. Exact filename matches → 100 points
2. Word boundaries in filenames → 80 points
3. Partial filename matches → 60+ points (position bonus)
4. Content frequency matches → 50+ points (term density)
5. Recent file bonus → +10 points (last 30 days)
6. File type preference → +5 points (text/code files)
7. Size convenience → +5 points (files under 100KB)

Error Handling & Recovery

• 🕐 20-second timeout protection - Prevents hanging operations
• 🔄 Automatic fallback search - Falls back to directory listing if indexing fails
• 💡 Intelligent suggestions - Provides helpful tips for optimization
• 📊 Performance metrics - Shows search duration and result counts

Installation

Quick Start with npm (Recommended)

Install directly from npm and run as an MCP server:

# Install globally
npm install -g mcp-nextcloud

# Or install locally in your project
npm install mcp-nextcloud

Usage as MCP Server

After installation, you can run the MCP server directly:

# If installed globally
mcp-nextcloud

# If installed locally
npx mcp-nextcloud

# Or using npm script
npm exec mcp-nextcloud

Environment Setup: Create a .env file with your Nextcloud credentials:

NEXTCLOUD_HOST=https://your.nextcloud.instance.com
NEXTCLOUD_USERNAME=your_nextcloud_username
NEXTCLOUD_PASSWORD=your_nextcloud_app_password

Integration with LLM Applications

Add to your MCP client configuration (e.g., Claude Desktop, Continue, etc.):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nextcloud": {
      "command": "mcp-nextcloud",
      "env": {
        "NEXTCLOUD_HOST": "https://your.nextcloud.instance.com",
        "NEXTCLOUD_USERNAME": "your_username",
        "NEXTCLOUD_PASSWORD": "your_app_password"
      }
    }
  }
}

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• Access to a Nextcloud instance
• npm or yarn package manager

Local Development Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/hithereiamaliff/mcp-nextcloud.git
   cd mcp-nextcloud

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Configure your Nextcloud credentials (see Configuration section)

4. Build the project:

   npm run build

Configuration

Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the root directory based on .env.sample:

# .env
NEXTCLOUD_HOST=https://your.nextcloud.instance.com
NEXTCLOUD_USERNAME=your_nextcloud_username
NEXTCLOUD_PASSWORD=your_nextcloud_app_password_or_login_password

Important Security Note: Use a dedicated Nextcloud App Password instead of your regular login password. Generate one in your Nextcloud Security settings.

Smithery Configuration

When deploying via Smithery, you can configure credentials through:

• Environment variables (as above)
• Smithery configuration interface (recommended for cloud deployment)

Deployment & Usage

Option 1: npm Package (Recommended for End Users)

The easiest way for users to get started:

npm install -g mcp-nextcloud
mcp-nextcloud

This installs a global CLI that can be used directly with MCP clients.

Option 2: Local Development with Smithery Playground

The fastest way to test your server locally during development:

npm run dev

This will:

1. Build the TypeScript project
2. Start the Smithery development server
3. Automatically open the Smithery playground in your browser
4. Connect to your local server for immediate testing

Option 3: Cloud Deployment via Smithery

1. Ensure your project is configured:

   npm run build

2. Deploy to Smithery:

   npm run deploy

3. Follow the Smithery deployment prompts to configure your Nextcloud credentials securely.

Manual Local Development

For traditional local development:

npm run start

The server will start and listen for MCP connections.

Publishing to npm

For Maintainers

To publish this package to npm:

1. Prepare the release:

   npm run build
   npm version patch|minor|major

2. Publish to npm:

   npm publish

3. Verify the publication:

   npm view mcp-nextcloud

Publishing Checklist

• All tests pass (Smithery deployment confirmed working)
• TypeScript builds without errors (npm run build)
• Version bumped appropriately (npm version)
• README updated with changes
• .npmignore properly excludes development files
• CLI executable works (dist/cli.js)

Dual Deployment Strategy

This project supports both deployment methods simultaneously:

• Smithery: For cloud deployment and development testing
• npm: For end-user installation and MCP client integration

The Smithery configuration (smithery.yaml) and npm package configuration coexist without interference.

Smithery Integration

This project includes full Smithery support with:

• smithery.yaml: Specifies TypeScript runtime
• Development server: Local testing with hot reload
• One-click deployment: Deploy to cloud with a single command
• Configuration management: Secure credential handling
• Playground integration: Immediate testing interface

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. 404 Errors on WebDAV/Calendar/Contacts:

   • Ensure your Nextcloud credentials are correct
   • Verify the Nextcloud apps (Calendar, Contacts) are installed and enabled
   • Check that your app password has the necessary permissions

2. Authentication Failures:

   • Use an App Password instead of your regular password
   • Verify the NEXTCLOUD_HOST URL is correct (including https://)
   • Ensure the Nextcloud instance is accessible

3. Missing Tools:

   • Run the hello tool to verify all 30 tools are available
   • Check the server logs for any initialization errors

4. Search Timeout Issues:

   • Use quickSearch: true for root directory searches
   • Specify a basePath like "/Documents" instead of searching root "/"
   • Add fileTypes filters to narrow the search scope
   • Reduce maxDepth parameter for faster results

Development

Project Structure

├── src/
│   ├── index.ts          # Main Smithery entry point
│   ├── app.ts            # Legacy entry point
│   ├── client/           # Nextcloud API clients
│   ├── models/           # TypeScript interfaces
│   └── server/           # Tool implementations
├── smithery.yaml         # Smithery configuration
├── package.json          # Project dependencies and scripts
└── README.md            # This file

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test with npm run dev
5. Submit a pull request

License

This project is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 (AGPL-3.0) - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Original Python implementation by cbcoutinho
• Built with Model Context Protocol
• Deployable via Smithery