MCP servers / Git

Git MCP server: setup for Claude Code, Claude Desktop and Cursor

The Git server lets your AI look at a local repository (status, diffs, history) and also make changes to it: stage files, commit, create branches and switch between them.

It works on the repository folder you name, on your machine. In the version we tested it has no push, pull or fetch tool, so nothing leaves your computer through this server.

Runs with

uvx (uv, for Python)

Package

mcp-server-git on PyPI

Needs

Python tooling: it runs through uvx, which comes with uv.

Tools

12 (7 read-only, 5 can change things)

Source

modelcontextprotocol/servers

Last checked

2026-09-20 (server reported version 1.30.0)

Config for Git

Generated by the same code as the free builder, so it matches what you get there. Pick your client, then copy.

Claude Code

Save as .mcp.json in your project root. Claude Code asks you to approve it the first time.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "git": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-server-git",
        "--repository",
        "/path/to/your/repo"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Or add it from a terminal instead (single quotes work in bash, zsh and PowerShell; more on this command):

claude mcp add git -- uvx mcp-server-git --repository /path/to/your/repo

Claude Desktop

Merge into claude_desktop_config.json (Settings → Developer → Edit Config), then fully quit and restart Claude Desktop.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "git": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-server-git",
        "--repository",
        "/path/to/your/repo"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Cursor

Save as .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json for all projects.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "git": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-server-git",
        "--repository",
        "/path/to/your/repo"
      ]
    }
  }
}

What it can do

These are all 12 tools the server reported when we started it and asked on 2026-09-20. The labels come from the hints each tool declares about itself.

• git_status read-only
  Shows the working tree status
• git_diff_unstaged read-only
  Shows changes in the working directory that are not yet staged
• git_diff_staged read-only
  Shows changes that are staged for commit
• git_diff read-only
  Shows differences between branches or commits
• git_commit can change things
  Records changes to the repository
• git_add can change things
  Adds file contents to the staging area
• git_reset can change things
  Unstages all staged changes
• git_log read-only
  Shows the commit logs
• git_create_branch can change things
  Creates a new branch from an optional base branch
• git_checkout can change things
  Switches branches
• git_show read-only
  Shows the contents of a commit
• git_branch read-only
  List Git branches

Watch out for

• Replace /path/to/your/repo with your repository folder. The server refuses to start outside a Git repository (we saw this while testing).
• It can write, not just read: git_add, git_commit, git_reset, git_create_branch and git_checkout all change the repository.
• Commits are local until you push them yourself, so they are easy to review or undo before they go anywhere.
• If the path is wrong the server exits at startup. With a folder that does not exist we got NoSuchPathError, and with a folder that is not a repository, "is not a valid Git repository". See fixing connection errors.

Try asking

• “Show me what changed since the last commit and summarize it in two sentences.”
• “Look at the last 10 commits and tell me which files change most often.”
• “Stage only the test files and write a commit message for them. Do not commit anything else.”

Related servers

• GitHub: Work with repositories, issues and pull requests on GitHub.
• Filesystem: Let the AI read and edit files in folders you allow.