MCP File Splice

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for efficient file content splicing - cut, copy, and move lines between files without AI reading or memorizing file contents.

What it does

This MCP server provides tools for manipulating file contents at the line level:

• Copy lines between files or within the same file
• Cut (move) lines between files or within the same file
• Create files automatically if destination doesn't exist
• Safe operations - copy first, then delete for cut operations
• Multiple modes - insert, replace, or append content

Key Features

• Efficient: Direct file manipulation without AI reading large files
• Safe: Copy-first approach prevents data loss
• Flexible: Multiple insertion modes and line range support
• Smart: Handles line number adjustments for same-file operations
• Robust: Comprehensive error handling and validation

Installation

From NPM (When Published)

# Install with user scope
claude mcp add file-splice -s user -- npx @chinchillaenterprises/mcp-file-splice

# Start Claude to use the tools
claude

For Development

# Clone and build
cd mcp-file-splice
npm install
npm run build

# Add to Claude for testing
claude mcp add file-splice-dev -s user -- node $(pwd)/dist/index.js

Available Tools

📋 file_copy_lines

Copy lines from one file to another.

Parameters:

• source_file - Path to source file
• dest_file - Path to destination file (created if doesn't exist)
• start_line - Starting line number (1-based)
• end_line - Ending line number (1-based, inclusive)
• dest_line - Destination line number (1-based, 0 = append)
• mode - How to insert: "insert", "replace", or "append"

✂️ file_cut_lines

Cut (move) lines from one file to another.

Parameters: Same as file_copy_lines

📋 file_copy_within

Copy lines within the same file to another location.

Parameters:

• file_path - Path to the file
• start_line - Starting line number (1-based)
• end_line - Ending line number (1-based, inclusive)
• dest_line - Destination line number (1-based)
• mode - How to insert: "insert", "replace", or "append"

✂️ file_cut_within

Cut (move) lines within the same file to another location.

Parameters: Same as file_copy_within

Usage Examples

Copy lines between files

Copy lines 10-15 from config.txt to backup.txt at the end:
file_copy_lines(source_file="config.txt", dest_file="backup.txt", start_line=10, end_line=15, mode="append")

Cut lines between files

Move lines 5-8 from old.txt to new.txt at line 1:
file_cut_lines(source_file="old.txt", dest_file="new.txt", start_line=5, end_line=8, dest_line=1, mode="insert")

Copy within same file

Duplicate lines 20-25 and place at line 50:
file_copy_within(file_path="document.txt", start_line=20, end_line=25, dest_line=50, mode="insert")

Cut within same file

Move lines 100-110 to the beginning of the file:
file_cut_within(file_path="document.txt", start_line=100, end_line=110, dest_line=1, mode="insert")

Modes Explained

• insert: Insert lines at destination, shifting existing lines down
• replace: Overwrite existing lines at destination
• append: Add lines to the end of file (same as dest_line=0)

Safety Features

1. Validation: Checks line ranges and file accessibility
2. Copy-first approach: For cut operations, copies to destination before deleting source
3. Directory creation: Automatically creates directories for destination files
4. Error handling: Comprehensive error messages for debugging
5. Overlap detection: Prevents invalid operations in same-file cuts

Order of Operations

Copy Operations:

1. Read source lines
2. Insert at destination
3. Done ✅

Cut Operations:

1. Read source lines
2. Insert at destination
3. Delete from source (only after successful insertion)
4. Done ✅

This ensures data is never lost during operations.

Contributing

To add features or fix issues:

1. Edit src/index.ts
2. Build with npm run build
3. Test locally
4. Submit PR

Publishing

npm run build
npm publish --access public

Part of the Chinchilla Enterprises MCP suite