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Notepad++ MCP Server

by sandraschi
GitHub
Python
MIT License
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Notepad++ MCP Server

Python FastMCP License: MIT Tools Tests

FastMCP 2.12 compatible MCP server for comprehensive Notepad++ automation and control.

✨ 15 powerful tools including advanced tab and session management 🧪 18 comprehensive tests with real Windows API integration 🎯 Production-ready with structured logging and error handling

🚀 Installation & Setup

📦 Option 1: DXT Installation (Recommended)

  1. Download the latest DXT file from Releases

  2. Open Claude Desktop

  3. Go to Settings → Developer → MCP Servers

  4. Drag & Drop the DXT file onto the extensions screen

  5. Restart Claude Desktop - the server will auto-install and configure

🐍 Option 2: Python Installation

# Install from PyPI pip install notepadpp-mcp # Or install from source git clone https://github.com/sandraschi/notepadpp-mcp.git cd notepadpp-mcp pip install -e .

⚙️ Claude Desktop Configuration

Add to your Claude Desktop configuration:

{ "mcpServers": { "notepadpp-mcp": { "command": "notepadpp-mcp", "args": [] } } }

🔧 Manual Configuration (if needed)

{ "mcpServers": { "notepadpp-mcp": { "command": "python", "args": ["-m", "notepadpp_mcp.tools.server"], "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}", "env": { "PYTHONPATH": "${workspaceFolder}/src" } } } }

📋 Requirements

🖥️ System Requirements

  • Windows 10/11 (64-bit)

  • Notepad++ 8.0+ installed and accessible

  • Python 3.10+ with pip

  • pywin32 for Windows API integration

🛠️ Dependencies

  • FastMCP 2.12+ - MCP framework

  • pywin32 - Windows API bindings

  • psutil - System monitoring

  • pathlib - Path operations

🚨 Important Notes

  • Notepad++ must be installed on the system

  • Server requires Windows API access (pywin32)

  • First run may require Notepad++ to be started manually

🎯 New in v1.0: Advanced Workspace Management

📑 Tab Management Tools

Organize and navigate multiple open files efficiently:

  • List all tabs: See filenames, modification status, and active tab

  • Switch tabs: Jump to any tab by index (0-based)

  • Close tabs: Remove tabs individually or current tab

💾 Session Management Tools

Save and restore your entire workspace:

  • Save sessions: Preserve all open files and cursor positions

  • Load sessions: Restore complete workspace state

  • List sessions: Browse saved workspace configurations

💡 Usage Examples

# Get comprehensive help about all tools get_help() # List all open tabs list_tabs() # Save current workspace save_session("my_project_session") # Load a saved session load_session("my_project_session") # Switch to tab 2 switch_to_tab(2)

📁 Project Structure

notepadpp-mcp/ ├── src/notepadpp_mcp/ │ ├── tools/ # MCP server implementation │ ├── docs/ # Documentation and examples │ ├── tests/ # Test suite │ └── dxt/ # DXT packaging configuration ├── pyproject.toml # Package configuration ├── README.md # This file └── LICENSE # MIT license

📚 Documentation

🛠️ Tools Overview (15 Total)

Category

Tools

Description

File Operations

4

Create, open, save, and inspect files

Text Operations

2

Insert and search text content

Status & Info

3

Monitor system and document state

Tab Management

3

Organize and navigate multiple files

Session Management

3

Save and restore workspace states

Total: 15 production-ready tools with comprehensive Windows API integration.

⚡ Features

📁 File Operations (4 tools)

  • open_file - Open files in Notepad++

  • new_file - Create new files

  • save_file - Save current file

  • get_current_file_info - Get file metadata

📝 Text Operations (2 tools)

  • insert_text - Insert text at cursor position

  • find_text - Search text with case sensitivity options

📊 Status & Information (3 tools)

  • get_status - Notepad++ status and window info

  • get_system_status - Comprehensive system diagnostics

  • get_help - Hierarchical help system

📑 Tab Management (3 tools) ✨ NEW

  • list_tabs - List all open tabs with metadata

  • switch_to_tab - Switch between tabs by index

  • close_tab - Close tabs by index or current tab

💾 Session Management (3 tools) ✨ NEW

  • save_session - Save workspace to named session

  • load_session - Load saved sessions

  • list_sessions - List all saved sessions

🔧 Core Capabilities

  • 🎯 Windows Integration: Native Windows API with pywin32

  • ⚡ FastMCP 2.12: Latest MCP framework compliance

  • 📝 Structured Logging: Professional error handling

  • 🧪 Comprehensive Testing: 18 tests covering all tools

  • 📚 Self-Documenting: Built-in help system

🛠️ Development

# Clone and install git clone https://github.com/sandraschi/notepadpp-mcp.git cd notepadpp-mcp pip install -e .[dev] # Run comprehensive tests python -m pytest src/notepadpp_mcp/tests/ # Format code black src/ # Test real Notepad++ integration python demonstration_test.py # Development helper python dev.py test|format|build|validate-dxt

🧪 Testing

  • 18 comprehensive tests covering all tools

  • Real Windows API testing with actual Notepad++ integration

  • Demonstration script (demonstration_test.py) tests live functionality

  • CI/CD ready with automated testing pipeline

🏗️ Architecture

🎯 Core Components

  • NotepadPPController - Windows API integration layer

  • FastMCP Server - MCP protocol implementation

  • Tool Decorators - Automatic tool registration

  • Structured Logging - Professional error handling

🔧 Integration Flow

  1. MCP Client (Claude Desktop) → FastMCP Server

  2. Server → NotepadPPController → Windows API

  3. Windows API → Notepad++ Application → User Interface

📁 File Structure

src/notepadpp_mcp/ ├── tools/server.py # Main MCP server (966 lines) ├── tests/ # Comprehensive test suite ├── docs/ # Documentation and examples └── dxt/ # DXT packaging configuration

🐛 Troubleshooting

❌ Common Issues

"Notepad++ not found"

# Check if Notepad++ is installed python demonstration_test.py # Install Notepad++ # Download from: https://notepad-plus-plus.org/downloads/ # Or via Chocolatey: choco install notepadplusplus

"Windows API not available"

# Install pywin32 pip install pywin32 # Restart Python environment # Try running demonstration script again python demonstration_test.py

"Server not connecting"

{ "mcpServers": { "notepadpp-mcp": { "command": "python", "args": ["-m", "notepadpp_mcp.tools.server"], "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}", "env": { "PYTHONPATH": "${workspaceFolder}/src" } } } }

"Tools not appearing in Claude"

  1. Restart Claude Desktop after configuration

  2. Check logs in Claude developer console

  3. Verify Notepad++ is running on the system

  4. Run demonstration script to test functionality

🆘 Getting Help

Run Diagnostics

# Test all functionality python demonstration_test.py # Check tool availability python -c "from notepadpp_mcp.tools.server import app; print('Tools:', len(app._tools))"

Debug Mode

# Enable debug logging import logging logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG) # Run server with debug output python -m notepadpp_mcp.tools.server

Manual Testing

# Test individual tools from notepadpp_mcp.tools.server import get_status, get_help # Get status status = await get_status() print("Status:", status) # Get help help_info = await get_help() print("Help:", help_info)

🤝 Contributing

📝 Development Setup

# Clone repository git clone https://github.com/sandraschi/notepadpp-mcp.git cd notepadpp-mcp # Install development dependencies pip install -e .[dev] # Run tests python -m pytest # Format code black src/ # Build DXT package python dev.py build

🐛 Reporting Issues

  1. Run demonstration script first: python demonstration_test.py

  2. Check existing issues on GitHub

  3. Include error logs and system information

  4. Test with different Notepad++ versions if possible

💡 Feature Requests

  • Check existing tools in the tools overview

  • Consider Windows API limitations

  • Test with real Notepad++ workflows

  • Follow FastMCP 2.12 patterns

📜 Changelog

v1.0.0 - Current Release

  • ✅ 15 comprehensive tools for Notepad++ automation

  • ✅ Real Windows API integration with pywin32

  • ✅ Advanced tab and session management

  • ✅ 18 comprehensive tests with full coverage

  • ✅ DXT packaging for easy installation

  • ✅ Production-ready error handling and logging

Planned Features

  • Multi-instance support for multiple Notepad++ windows

  • Plugin integration for extended functionality

  • Configuration files for custom settings

  • Batch operations for multiple file processing

📄 License

MIT - see LICENSE

This server cannot be installed

-
security - not tested
A
license - permissive license
-
quality - not tested

How are these scores calculated?

local-only server

The server can only run on the client's local machine because it depends on local resources.

Enables comprehensive automation and control of Notepad++ on Windows, including file operations, text editing, tab management, and session management through 15 integrated tools. Supports advanced workspace management with the ability to save and restore complete editing sessions.

  1. 🚀 Installation & Setup
    1. 📦 Option 1: DXT Installation (Recommended)
    2. 🐍 Option 2: Python Installation
    3. ⚙️ Claude Desktop Configuration
    4. 🔧 Manual Configuration (if needed)
  2. 📋 Requirements
    1. 🖥️ System Requirements
    2. 🛠️ Dependencies
    3. 🚨 Important Notes
  3. 🎯 New in v1.0: Advanced Workspace Management
    1. 📑 Tab Management Tools
    2. 💾 Session Management Tools
    3. 💡 Usage Examples
  4. 📁 Project Structure
    1. 📚 Documentation
      1. 🛠️ Tools Overview (15 Total)
        1. ⚡ Features
          1. 📁 File Operations (4 tools)
          2. 📝 Text Operations (2 tools)
          3. 📊 Status & Information (3 tools)
          4. 📑 Tab Management (3 tools) ✨ NEW
          5. 💾 Session Management (3 tools) ✨ NEW
          6. 🔧 Core Capabilities
        2. 🛠️ Development
          1. 🧪 Testing
        3. 🏗️ Architecture
          1. 🎯 Core Components
          2. 🔧 Integration Flow
          3. 📁 File Structure
        4. 🐛 Troubleshooting
          1. ❌ Common Issues
          2. 🆘 Getting Help
        5. 🤝 Contributing
          1. 📝 Development Setup
          2. 🐛 Reporting Issues
          3. 💡 Feature Requests
        6. 📜 Changelog
          1. v1.0.0 - Current Release
          2. Planned Features
        7. 📄 License

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