erik-balfe/mcp-clipboard

MCP Clipboard Manager

Give your AI agent a memory - Never lose context again! 🚀

The easiest way to add persistent clipboard functionality to Claude Desktop, VS Code, or any MCP-compatible AI agent.

🎯 What This Does

Problem: AI agents forget everything between conversations. That useful code snippet or error message? Gone.

Solution: This gives your AI a persistent, searchable clipboard that remembers everything across sessions.

⚡ One-Click Installation

Option 1: Docker (Recommended - No Setup Required)

Just add this to your MCP client config and restart:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "clipboard": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", "--rm", "-i",
        "-v", "mcp-clipboard-data:/app/data",
        "-e", "DOCKER_CONTAINER=true",
        "ghcr.io/erik-balfe/mcp-clipboard:latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Option 2: Direct Install (Requires Bun)

1. Install Bun: curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash
2. Add to config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "clipboard": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@tyr/mcp-clipboard@latest"]
    }
  }
}

📁 Where to Put the Config

✅ That's It!

Restart your AI client and you're done. Your AI can now:

• Remember code snippets, error messages, and notes
• Search through everything it's saved
• View images and files you've copied
• Pin important items to keep forever

🎪 What Your AI Can Do Now

💬 Example Usage

You: "Save this error for debugging later"
AI: I'll save that error message to the clipboard.

[Later conversation]
You: "What was that database error from earlier?"
AI: Let me search the clipboard... Found it! Here's the error:

🔒 Privacy & Security

• 100% Local: Everything stays on your machine
• No Network: Completely offline operation
• Secure: Built-in path validation and rate limiting
• Private Mode: Sensitive content auto-expires

💡 Common Use Cases

💻 For Developers

• Save error messages and ask AI to debug them later
• Keep useful code snippets across conversations
• Pin frequently used commands and references
• Build a searchable knowledge base with AI help

📚 For Research

• Save quotes and references while reading
• Ask AI to synthesize information from multiple clips
• Keep track of important sources and data
• Build connections between different research threads

✍️ For Content Creation

• Save draft versions and get AI feedback
• Compare different revisions of your work
• Keep inspiration and ideas organized
• Let AI help you refine and improve content

🔧 Settings

• Storage: Everything saved in Docker volume mcp-clipboard-data (persistent)
• Limits: 50 items max (pinned items don't count)
• File Size: Up to 100MB per file
• Search: Full-text search across all content
• Persistence: Data survives container restarts

🚨 Need Help?

Quick Fixes

Docker not working?

• Make sure Docker is installed and running
• Try the direct install option instead

AI can't see clipboard tools?

• Restart your AI client after adding the config
• Check that the config file is valid JSON

Permission errors?

• Make sure the config file location is writable
• Use absolute paths (like /Users/username) instead of ~ or ${HOME}
• Ensure the mounted directories exist and are readable

Still Having Issues?

1. Check the logs in your AI client for error messages
2. Test manually: docker run ghcr.io/erik-balfe/mcp-clipboard:latest
3. File a bug report on GitHub Issues

🎉 That's It!

Your AI agent now has a persistent memory. It can remember conversations, build knowledge over time, and help you way more effectively.

Questions? Open an issue and we'll help you get set up.

git clone https://github.com/erik-balfe/mcp-clipboard.git
cd mcp-clipboard
bun install
bun run dev

📜 License

MIT License - Free to use however you want!