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# FastMCP Google Docs Server

Connect Claude Desktop (or other MCP clients) to your Google Docs!

This server uses the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and the `fastmcp` library to provide tools for reading and appending text to Google Documents. It acts as a bridge, allowing AI assistants like Claude to interact with your documents programmatically.

**Features:**

- **Read Documents:** Provides a `readGoogleDoc` tool to fetch the text content of a specified Google Doc.
- **Append to Documents:** Provides an `appendToGoogleDoc` tool to add text to the end of a specified Google Doc.
- **Google Authentication:** Handles the OAuth 2.0 flow to securely authorize access to your Google Account.
- **MCP Compliant:** Designed for use with MCP clients like Claude Desktop.

---

## Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have:

1.  **Node.js and npm:** A recent version of Node.js (which includes npm) installed on your computer. You can download it from [nodejs.org](https://nodejs.org/). (Version 18 or higher recommended).
2.  **Git:** Required for cloning this repository. ([Download Git](https://git-scm.com/downloads)).
3.  **A Google Account:** The account that owns or has access to the Google Docs you want to interact with.
4.  **Command Line Familiarity:** Basic comfort using a terminal or command prompt (like Terminal on macOS/Linux, or Command Prompt/PowerShell on Windows).
5.  **Claude Desktop (Optional):** If your goal is to connect this server to Claude, you'll need the Claude Desktop application installed.

---

## Setup Instructions

Follow these steps carefully to get your own instance of the server running.

### Step 1: Google Cloud Project & Credentials (The Important Bit!)

This server needs permission to talk to Google APIs on your behalf. You'll create special "keys" (credentials) that only your server will use.

1.  **Go to Google Cloud Console:** Open your web browser and go to the [Google Cloud Console](https://console.cloud.google.com/). You might need to log in with your Google Account.
2.  **Create or Select a Project:**
    - If you don't have a project, click the project dropdown near the top and select "NEW PROJECT". Give it a name (e.g., "My MCP Docs Server") and click "CREATE".
    - If you have existing projects, you can select one or create a new one.
3.  **Enable APIs:** You need to turn on the specific Google services this server uses.
    - In the search bar at the top, type "APIs & Services" and select "Library".
    - Search for "**Google Docs API**" and click on it. Then click the "**ENABLE**" button.
    - Search for "**Google Drive API**" and click on it. Then click the "**ENABLE**" button (this is often needed for finding files or permissions).
4.  **Configure OAuth Consent Screen:** This screen tells users (usually just you) what your app wants permission for.
    - On the left menu, click "APIs & Services" -> "**OAuth consent screen**".
    - Choose User Type: Select "**External**" and click "CREATE".
    - Fill in App Information:
      - **App name:** Give it a name users will see (e.g., "Claude Docs MCP Access").
      - **User support email:** Select your email address.
      - **Developer contact information:** Enter your email address.
    - Click "**SAVE AND CONTINUE**".
    - **Scopes:** Click "**ADD OR REMOVE SCOPES**". Search for and add the following scopes:
      - `https://www.googleapis.com/auth/documents` (Allows reading/writing docs)
      - `https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.file` (Allows access to specific files opened/created by the app)
      - Click "**UPDATE**".
    - Click "**SAVE AND CONTINUE**".
    - **Test Users:** Click "**ADD USERS**". Enter the same Google email address you are logged in with. Click "**ADD**". This allows _you_ to use the app while it's in "testing" mode.
    - Click "**SAVE AND CONTINUE**". Review the summary and click "**BACK TO DASHBOARD**".
5.  **Create Credentials (The Keys!):**
    - On the left menu, click "APIs & Services" -> "**Credentials**".
    - Click "**+ CREATE CREDENTIALS**" at the top and choose "**OAuth client ID**".
    - **Application type:** Select "**Desktop app**" from the dropdown.
    - **Name:** Give it a name (e.g., "MCP Docs Desktop Client").
    - Click "**CREATE**".
6.  **⬇️ DOWNLOAD THE CREDENTIALS FILE:** A box will pop up showing your Client ID. Click the "**DOWNLOAD JSON**" button.
    - Save this file. It will likely be named something like `client_secret_....json`.
    - **IMPORTANT:** Rename the downloaded file to exactly `credentials.json`.
7.  ⚠️ **SECURITY WARNING:** Treat this `credentials.json` file like a password! Do not share it publicly, and **never commit it to GitHub.** Anyone with this file could potentially pretend to be _your application_ (though they'd still need user consent to access data).

### Step 2: Get the Server Code

1.  **Clone the Repository:** Open your terminal/command prompt and run:
    ```bash
    git clone https://github.com/a-bonus/google-docs-mcp.git mcp-googledocs-server
    ```
2.  **Navigate into Directory:**
    ```bash
    cd mcp-googledocs-server
    ```
3.  **Place Credentials:** Move or copy the `credentials.json` file you downloaded and renamed (from Step 1.6) directly into this `mcp-googledocs-server` folder.

### Step 3: Install Dependencies

Your server needs some helper libraries specified in the `package.json` file.

1.  In your terminal (make sure you are inside the `mcp-googledocs-server` directory), run:
    ```bash
    npm install
    ```
    This will download and install all the necessary packages into a `node_modules` folder.

### Step 4: Build the Server Code

The server is written in TypeScript (`.ts`), but we need to compile it into JavaScript (`.js`) that Node.js can run directly.

1.  In your terminal, run:
    ```bash
    npm run build
    ```
    This uses the TypeScript compiler (`tsc`) to create a `dist` folder containing the compiled JavaScript files.

### Step 5: First Run & Google Authorization (One Time Only)

Now you need to run the server once manually to grant it permission to access your Google account data. This will create a `token.json` file that saves your permission grant.

1.  In your terminal, run the _compiled_ server using `node`:
    ```bash
    node ./dist/server.js
    ```
2.  **Watch the Terminal:** The script will print:
    - Status messages (like "Attempting to authorize...").
    - An "Authorize this app by visiting this url:" message followed by a long `https://accounts.google.com/...` URL.
3.  **Authorize in Browser:**
    - Copy the entire long URL from the terminal.
    - Paste the URL into your web browser and press Enter.
    - Log in with the **same Google account** you added as a Test User in Step 1.4.
    - Google will show a screen asking for permission for your app ("Claude Docs MCP Access" or similar) to access Google Docs/Drive. Review and click "**Allow**" or "**Grant**".
4.  **Get the Authorization Code:**
    - After clicking Allow, your browser will likely try to redirect to `http://localhost` and show a **"This site can't be reached" error**. **THIS IS NORMAL!**
    - Look **carefully** at the URL in your browser's address bar. It will look like `http://localhost/?code=4/0Axxxxxxxxxxxxxx&scope=...`
    - Copy the long string of characters **between `code=` and the `&scope` part**. This is your single-use authorization code.
5.  **Paste Code into Terminal:** Go back to your terminal where the script is waiting ("Enter the code from that page here:"). Paste the code you just copied.
6.  **Press Enter.**
7.  **Success!** The script should print:
    - "Authentication successful!"
    - "Token stored to .../token.json"
    - It will then finish starting and likely print "Awaiting MCP client connection via stdio..." or similar, and then exit (or you can press `Ctrl+C` to stop it).
8.  ✅ **Check:** You should now see a new file named `token.json` in your `mcp-googledocs-server` folder.
9.  ⚠️ **SECURITY WARNING:** This `token.json` file contains the key that allows the server to access your Google account _without_ asking again. Protect it like a password. **Do not commit it to GitHub.** The included `.gitignore` file should prevent this automatically.

### Step 6: Configure Claude Desktop (Optional)

If you want to use this server with Claude Desktop, you need to tell Claude how to run it.

1.  **Find Your Absolute Path:** You need the full path to the server code.
    - In your terminal, make sure you are still inside the `mcp-googledocs-server` directory.
    - Run the `pwd` command (on macOS/Linux) or `cd` (on Windows, just displays the path).
    - Copy the full path (e.g., `/Users/yourname/projects/mcp-googledocs-server` or `C:\Users\yourname\projects\mcp-googledocs-server`).
2.  **Locate `mcp_config.json`:** Find Claude's configuration file:
    - **macOS:** `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/mcp_config.json` (You might need to use Finder's "Go" -> "Go to Folder..." menu and paste `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/`)
    - **Windows:** `%APPDATA%\Claude\mcp_config.json` (Paste `%APPDATA%\Claude` into File Explorer's address bar)
    - **Linux:** `~/.config/Claude/mcp_config.json`
    - _If the `Claude` folder or `mcp_config.json` file doesn't exist, create them._
3.  **Edit `mcp_config.json`:** Open the file in a text editor. Add or modify the `mcpServers` section like this, **replacing `/PATH/TO/YOUR/CLONED/REPO` with the actual absolute path you copied in Step 6.1**:

    ```json
    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "google-docs-mcp": {
          "command": "node",
          "args": [
            "/PATH/TO/YOUR/CLONED/REPO/mcp-googledocs-server/dist/server.js"
          ],
          "env": {}
        }
        // Add commas here if you have other servers defined
      }
      // Other Claude settings might be here
    }
    ```

    - **Make sure the path in `"args"` is correct and absolute!**
    - If the file already existed, carefully merge this entry into the existing `mcpServers` object. Ensure the JSON is valid (check commas!).

4.  **Save `mcp_config.json`.**
5.  **Restart Claude Desktop:** Close Claude completely and reopen it.

---

## Usage with Claude Desktop

Once configured, you should be able to use the tools in your chats with Claude:

- "Use the `@a-bonus/google-docs-mcp` server to read the document with ID `YOUR_GOOGLE_DOC_ID`."
- "Can you get the content of Google Doc `YOUR_GOOGLE_DOC_ID`?"
- "Append 'This was added by Claude!' to document `YOUR_GOOGLE_DOC_ID` using the `@a-bonus/google-docs-mcp` tool."

Remember to replace `YOUR_GOOGLE_DOC_ID` with the actual ID from a Google Doc's URL (the long string between `/d/` and `/edit`).

Claude will automatically launch your server in the background when needed using the command you provided. You do **not** need to run `node ./dist/server.js` manually anymore.

---

## Security & Token Storage

- **`.gitignore`:** This repository includes a `.gitignore` file which should prevent you from accidentally committing your sensitive `credentials.json` and `token.json` files. **Do not remove these lines from `.gitignore`**.
- **Token Storage:** This server stores the Google authorization token (`token.json`) directly in the project folder for simplicity during setup. In production or more security-sensitive environments, consider storing this token more securely, such as using system keychains, encrypted files, or dedicated secret management services.

---

## Troubleshooting

- **Claude shows "Failed" or "Could not attach":**
  - Double-check the absolute path in `mcp_config.json`.
  - Ensure you ran `npm run build` successfully and the `dist` folder exists.
  - Try running the command from `mcp_config.json` manually in your terminal: `node /PATH/TO/YOUR/CLONED/REPO/mcp-googledocs-server/dist/server.js`. Look for any errors printed.
  - Check the Claude Desktop logs (see the official MCP debugging guide).
  - Make sure all `console.log` status messages in the server code were changed to `console.error`.
- **Google Authorization Errors:**
  - Ensure you enabled the correct APIs (Docs, Drive).
  - Make sure you added your email as a Test User on the OAuth Consent Screen.
  - Verify the `credentials.json` file is correctly placed in the project root.

---

## License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the `LICENSE` file for details. (Note: You should add a `LICENSE` file containing the MIT License text to your repository).

---