# Nvim Mcp > MCP server that connects AI agents to your running Neovim instance via msgpack-RPC — no plugins required. - **Type:** MCP server - **Install:** `agentstack add mcp-paulburgess1357-nvim-mcp` - **Verified:** Pending review - **Seller:** [paulburgess1357](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/paulburgess1357) - **Installs:** 0 - **Category:** [AI & ML](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/ai-and-ml) - **Latest version:** 0.1.0 - **License:** MIT - **Upstream author:** [paulburgess1357](https://github.com/paulburgess1357) - **Source:** https://github.com/paulburgess1357/nvim-mcp ## Install ```sh agentstack add mcp-paulburgess1357-nvim-mcp ``` Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent. ## About # nvim-mcp [](https://pypi.org/project/nvim-mcp/) An [MCP](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) server that gives AI agents first-class access to your running Neovim session. It connects through Neovim's native msgpack-RPC socket — no plugins required. Works with Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, and any MCP-compatible client. _Before you connect an agent to Neovim, please read [Working safely](#working-safely)._ ## What agents can do - **See what you see** — editor mode, working directory, open buffers, window layout, cursor context, folds, selections, marks, and diagnostics. - **Edit buffers in memory** — find-and-replace or full rewrites with immediate feedback and full undo support. Nothing touches disk until you save. - **Run any Vim command** — `:w`, `:e`, `:vsplit`, macros, or anything else you could type at the command line. - **Send keystrokes** — navigate, enter insert mode, trigger mappings. - **Query LSP diagnostics** — errors, warnings, and hints across one buffer or the whole session. - **Annotate code with highlights and virtual text** — colored line highlights and inline/above/below text notes that never touch the buffer's real content. - **Work with multiple instances** — auto-discovers running sessions and connects to the right one. See [multiple instances](docs/MULTIPLE_INSTANCES.md). Anything you can do in Neovim, the agent can too. See the [full tool reference](docs/TOOLS.md) for details. ## Demos Using nvim-mcp across two terminals Using nvim-mcp with a terminal inside Neovim Claude and Cursor collaborating in one Neovim instance Using nvim-mcp in Cursor Multiple Neovim instances ## Quick start nvim-mcp runs via [uv](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/) (recommended) or [Nix](https://nixos.org/download/). > **Cursor users:** A [Marketplace plugin](https://cursor.com/marketplace) is pending review — once available, it installs the MCP server and agent rule together (you can skip to step 4). To activate the rule, start chats with something like _"Connect to my Neovim instance"_ — or set the rule to "Always" in **Settings → Rules** to apply it on every turn. 1. **Install a launcher.** uv ```bash curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh ``` Nix Install [Nix](https://nixos.org/download/) — flakes must be enabled. 2. **Register the MCP server** with your client. Example for Cursor (`.cursor/mcp.json`): With uv ```json { "mcpServers": { "nvim-mcp": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["nvim-mcp"] } } } ``` With Nix ```json { "mcpServers": { "nvim-mcp": { "command": "nix", "args": ["run", "github:paulburgess1357/nvim-mcp"] } } } ``` For Claude Code, Codex, Claude Desktop, OpenCode, and other clients, see the [configuration guide](config/README.md). 3. **Add agent rules — do not skip this.** Without rules, the agent has the tools but doesn't know *when or how* to use them, and behavior will be unreliable. See the [configuration guide](config/README.md#2-add-agent-rules) for setup. 4. **Start Neovim** — on most Linux systems it listens on a Unix socket automatically and is discovered by nvim-mcp. If auto-discovery doesn't work, see [environment variables](config/README.md#3-environment-variables-optional). Running multiple instances? See [multiple instances](docs/MULTIPLE_INSTANCES.md). ## Verify it works Open a file in Neovim and paste this into your AI agent: ``` For each step: explain what you're about to do, then do it, then tell me what happened. Wait for me to say "next" before moving on. 1. What file am I in? Highlight the function my cursor is in. 2. Are there any diagnostics? Highlight any lines with errors or warnings. 3. Add a docstring above the function, then show me the diff. 4. Open a vertical split, write a short test for that function, and save both files. ``` ## Working safely The tools and agent rules are designed to use non-destructive operations — edits happen in memory, undo history is preserved, and the agent is steered toward buffer operations. But LLMs are non-deterministic, have full access to Neovim's API, and you should assume they will make mistakes. Work in a version-controlled directory. ## Requirements - Linux - Python ≥ 3.10 - Neovim ≥ 0.11 ([older versions](config/README.md#3-environment-variables-optional) work with `--listen` and `NVIM_ADDRESS`) ## License MIT — see [LICENSE](LICENSE). ## Source & license This open-source MCP server is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code. - **Author:** [paulburgess1357](https://github.com/paulburgess1357) - **Source:** [paulburgess1357/nvim-mcp](https://github.com/paulburgess1357/nvim-mcp) - **License:** MIT Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above. ## Pricing - **Free** — Free ## Security capabilities Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access: - **Network access:** yes - **Filesystem access:** no - **Shell / process execution:** no - **Environment & secrets:** no - **Dynamic code execution:** no *"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.* ## Versions - **0.1.0** — security scan: flagged — Imported from the upstream source. ## Links - Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/mcp-paulburgess1357-nvim-mcp - Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/paulburgess1357 - Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse --- Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.