# Tools changed (breaking): Filesystem (reference) > Source: > Published: 2026-11-12 00:00:00+00:00 # Filesystem (reference) **93**/100 Score = points from our five tests (install, handshake, maintenance, docs, license). Not a quality or security rating. [Methodology](https://testedmcp.com/methodology/) - Install20/20 - Handshake30/30 - Maintenance25/25 - Docs15/15 - License3/10 Retested 2026-11-12 on @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem@2.3.0. The date versions 2025.1.14 to 2026.8.31 are also affected; npm ranks those date versions above 2.3.0, so the install line pins 2.3.0 explicitly. The tool list is 16 (append_file and copy_file were added; directory_tree has a new depth input). Tool-call test (2026-11-12, direct MCP stdio client, no LLM): **pass**. 2 of 2 calls passed in the 2026-11-12 fixed-in retest. Evidence: local test run, Nov 12, 2026. **Transport (tested 2026-10-27):** stdio Tested version: 2.3.0 · tested 2026-11-12 **Token cost (estimate):** approx. 2885 tokens, cl100k estimate (16 tools, measured 2026-11-12, version 2.3.0). This is an estimate from our testing of the tool names, descriptions and input schemas, counted with cl100k_base. ## Permissions: 10 read, 6 write (state-changing), 0 unclassified · Auth: local · Rate limit: unknown · Pricing unit: unknown Auth: local. Rate limit: unknown. Pricing unit: unknown. - `append_file` — write (state-changing) - `copy_file` — write (state-changing) - `create_directory` — write (state-changing) - `directory_tree` — read - `edit_file` — write (state-changing) - `get_file_info` — read - `list_allowed_directories` — read - `list_directory` — read - `list_directory_with_sizes` — read - `move_file` — write (state-changing) - `read_file` — read - `read_media_file` — read - `read_multiple_files` — read - `read_text_file` — read - `search_files` — read - `write_file` — write (state-changing) local stdio server with no recorded cloud credential Score **93/100** · Tools **16** · Token cost **approx. 2,885 tokens** (Tool list changed 2026-11-12; count from 2026-11-12 capture) · [Compare](https://testedmcp.com/compare/?s=filesystem-reference) · Last tested **2026-11-12** · Version tested `2.3.0` · Package [@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem)[modelcontextprotocol/servers](https://testedmcp.com/go/filesystem-reference/) Summary: Filesystem (reference) completed an MCP handshake without credentials and exposed 16 tools. Related: [Sequential Thinking (reference) test results](https://testedmcp.com/tools/sequential-thinking-reference/) ## Evidence summary - Handshake - pass - Tools listed - 16 - Context cost - approx. 2885 tokens, cl100k estimate (16 tools, measured 2026-11-12, version 2.3.0; an estimate) [ranking](https://testedmcp.com/best/lowest-context-cost-mcp-servers/) ·[add up your servers' context cost](https://testedmcp.com/guides/how-much-context-mcp-servers-cost/) Tool list changed 2026-11-12; count from 2026-11-12 capture - API key - No key needed for the tools we called - Tested - 2026-11-12 ## Test results | Test | Result | Points | Evidence | |---|---|---|---| | install | pass | 20 | `npm install @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem` (Node 20, Linux) succeeded in 0s. | | handshake | pass | 30 | MCP `initialize` +`tools/list` over stdio succeeded with no credentials; 16 tools listed in 0.3s. | | maintenance | pass | 25 | Repo pushed 24 days before test; 91,469 GitHub stars. | | docs | pass | 15 | README over 3,000 chars; install instructions present; `mcpServers` config example present. Check of the package's own README (README shipped in npm package). | | license | partial | 3 | License not machine-detected as OSI (SEE LICENSE IN LICENSE). | ## Local-model readiness Token cost (estimate): **approx. 2885 tokens, cl100k estimate** for 16 tools · about 35% of an 8k context. This is an estimate from our testing (counted with cl100k_base). Small-model friendly (schema heuristic, not a model result): **high**. | Model | Quantization | Runs | Task completed | Correct tool | Avg rounds | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | qwen2.5:3b-instruct-q4_K_M | Q4_K_M GGUF (bartowski/Qwen2.5-3B-Instruct-GGUF), CPU-only | 3 | 100% | 100% | 2 | | qwen2.5:1.5b-instruct-q4_K_M | Q4_K_M GGUF (bartowski/Qwen2.5-1.5B-Instruct-GGUF), CPU-only | 3 | 100% | 100% | 2 | ## Functional tasks (3/3 passed, tested 2026-10-27) | Task | Tool | Result | Evidence | |---|---|---|---| | write file | write_file | pass | [{"type":"text","text":"Successfully wrote to /probe-1793079959975.txt"}] | | read file | read_file | pass | [{"type":"text","text":"testedmcp-qf5qae7yz3q"}] | | list directory | list_directory | pass | [{"type":"text","text":"[FILE] probe-1793079959975.txt"}] | ## What we tested and what we didn't ### Tested on 2026-11-12 - Install from the registry - We connected with no credentials and asked for its tool list: it listed 16 tools (Method details: MCP `initialize` then`tools/list` ) - Maintenance signals (last push, archived/deprecated status) - Docs (README length, install and config example) - License (OSI-approved or not) - Functional tasks: 3/3 passed - Token cost (estimate) - Small local-model task runs (directional) ### Not tested - Security: **not audited** (no code review, no permission or data-flow analysis) - Behaviour with real credentials or a real account - Performance, rate limits or load - Correctness of results beyond the listed tasks Methodology: [how we test](https://testedmcp.com/methodology/). A high score means it installs and responds, not that giving it access to your data carries no risk. ## Known security issues **Security fix released:** [GHSA-p9cv-8g75-4xcg](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/security/advisories/GHSA-p9cv-8g75-4xcg) (medium) and [GHSA-7m4x-rv66-mxhh](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/security/advisories/GHSA-7m4x-rv66-mxhh) (medium). Fixed in 2.3.0 (advisory published 2026-11-11). The date versions 2025.1.14 to 2026.8.31 are also affected. npm ranks those date versions above 2.3.0, so the install line pins 2.3.0 explicitly. Checked on 2026-11-12 for version `2.3.0` against OSV, GitHub advisories, GitHub repository advisories. Scope: the package itself; dependencies not scanned. No published advisories found in OSV and GitHub advisories whose affected range includes @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem 2.3.0 as of 2026-11-12. This is not a security audit. ## Other advisories we checked (8) - Tested version 2.3.0 is not in the affected range of [GHSA-q66q-fx2p-7w4m](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/security/advisories/GHSA-q66q-fx2p-7w4m) . - Tested version 2.3.0 is not in the affected range of [GHSA-hc55-p739-j48w](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/security/advisories/GHSA-hc55-p739-j48w) . - Tested version 2.3.0 is not in the affected range of [GHSA-4gxg-m5jx-9j57](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/security/advisories/GHSA-4gxg-m5jx-9j57) . - Tested version 2.3.0 is not in the affected range of [GHSA-7rgq-gccq-qphx](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/security/advisories/GHSA-7rgq-gccq-qphx) . - Tested version 2.3.0 is not in the affected range of [GHSA-53mr-w429-c597](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/security/advisories/GHSA-53mr-w429-c597) . - Tested version 2.3.0 is not in the affected range of [GHSA-hhwq-wxfx-cj7g](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/security/advisories/GHSA-hhwq-wxfx-cj7g) . - Tested version 2.3.0 is not in the affected range of [GHSA-p9cv-8g75-4xcg](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/security/advisories/GHSA-p9cv-8g75-4xcg) . - Tested version 2.3.0 is not in the affected range of [GHSA-7m4x-rv66-mxhh](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/security/advisories/GHSA-7m4x-rv66-mxhh) . Monthly roundup: [MCP security issues, October 2026](https://testedmcp.com/security/2026-10/). ## Tool list changes ↻ Tools changed (breaking) 2026-11-12 **Tool list changed since last test (2026-11-11 → 2026-11-12): +2 added, 12 changed (breaking).** Confirmed by a re-run with the same arguments. ## Show the diff - Added: `append_file` - Added: `copy_file` - Changed schema: `create_directory` - Changed schema: `directory_tree` - Changed schema: `edit_file` - Changed schema: `get_file_info` - Changed schema: `list_directory` - Changed schema: `list_directory_with_sizes` - Changed schema: `move_file` - Changed schema: `read_file` (breaking) - Changed schema: `read_media_file` - Changed schema: `read_text_file` (breaking) - Changed schema: `search_files` - Changed schema: `write_file` ## Snapshot hash (fingerprint of the tool list) `b6a46ea21cb6`: SHA-256 of the canonical tool names, descriptions and input schemas. If it changes, the tool list changed. ## Raw test record (JSON) ``` { "name": "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "version": "2.3.0", "registry": "npm", "status": "working", "tested": "2026-11-12", "tools_count": 16, "deprecated": false, "archived": false, "tests": { "install": [ "pass", 20, "`npm install @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem` (Node 20, Linux) succeeded in 0s." ], "handshake": [ "pass", 30, "MCP `initialize` + `tools/list` over stdio succeeded with no credentials; 16 tools listed in 0.3s." ], "maintenance": [ "pass", 25, "Repo pushed 24 days before test; 91,469 GitHub stars." ], "docs": [ "pass", 15, "README over 3,000 chars; install instructions present; `mcpServers` config example present. Check of the package's own README (README shipped in npm package)." ], "license": [ "partial", 3, "License not machine-detected as OSI (SEE LICENSE IN LICENSE)." ] } } ``` ## Install `npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ` ## Pin the version we tested `npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem@2.3.0 ` tested 2026-11-12. Newer versions may differ and were not tested by us. ``` { "mcpServers": { "filesystem-reference": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem@2.3.0", "" ] } } } ``` ## Tools listed `append_file`, `copy_file`, `create_directory`, `directory_tree`, `edit_file`, `get_file_info`, `list_allowed_directories`, `list_directory`, `list_directory_with_sizes`, `move_file`, `read_file`, `read_media_file`, `read_multiple_files`, `read_text_file`, `search_files`, `write_file` Tool history: captured Nov 11, 2026. [All tool history](https://testedmcp.com/changes/). ## Quick config ``` { "mcpServers": { "filesystem-reference": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/tmp" ] } } } ``` [Add to config](https://testedmcp.com/free-tools/mcp-config-generator/?s=filesystem-reference) Opens the config generator with this server selected. ## Setup 1. **Install.** Run`npm install @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem` (Node 20). This is the exact command we ran on 2026-11-12. 2. **Configure.** Add the mcpServers entry below to your MCP client config. 3. **Verify.** Restart the client and check that tools/list returns tools (16 in our test). ``` { "mcpServers": { "filesystem-reference": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/tmp" ] } } } ``` ## Test history - 2026-11-12: Retested - 2026-11-12: Tools changed (breaking) - 2026-10-27: Retested - 2026-10-22: New Related: [Best file MCP servers](https://testedmcp.com/best/files-mcp-servers/) ## FAQ ### Is Filesystem (reference) deprecated? No. @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem was not deprecated or archived when we last tested it on 2026-11-12. ### What replaces Filesystem (reference)? Nothing; Filesystem (reference) is not deprecated as of 2026-11-12. ### Does Filesystem (reference) need an API key? No. It completed an MCP handshake with no credentials and listed 16 tools. ## Embed the badge Every tested server gets a free embeddable badge. It shows the current score and test date and expires after 90 days. Testing is free; payment never changes a score.