dbx-mcp-server
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides integration with Dropbox, allowing MCP-compatible clients to interact with Dropbox through a set of powerful tools.
Important Disclaimer: This project is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Dropbox. It is an independent integration that works with Dropbox's public API.
Table of Contents
- Quick Start
- Installation
- Authentication
- Available Tools
- Configuration
- Usage Examples
- Testing
- Development
- License
Quick Start
- Clone the repository
- Run
npm installto install dependencies - Run
npm run buildto build the project - Register a Dropbox app at Dropbox App Console:
- Choose "Scoped access" API
- Choose the access type your app needs
- Name your app and click "Create app"
- Under "Permissions", select the required permissions:
files.metadata.readfiles.content.readfiles.content.writesharing.writeaccount_info.read
- Add
http://localhost:3000/callbackas your redirect URI - Note your App key and App secret
- Run the setup script:
npm run setup - Configure your MCP client to use the server
Installation
-
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/your-username/dbx-mcp-server.git cd dbx-mcp-server -
Install dependencies and build
npm install npm run build -
Run the setup script
npm run setup -
Add to MCP settings
Add the following to your MCP settings file:
{ "mcpServers": { "dbx": { "command": "node", "args": ["/path/to/dbx-mcp-server/build/index.js"] } } }
Authentication
The server uses OAuth 2.0 with PKCE for secure authentication with Dropbox.
Environment Variables
Required:
DROPBOX_APP_KEY: Your Dropbox app's keyDROPBOX_APP_SECRET: Your Dropbox app's secretDROPBOX_REDIRECT_URI: OAuth redirect URITOKEN_ENCRYPTION_KEY: 32+ character key for token encryption
Optional:
TOKEN_REFRESH_THRESHOLD_MINUTES: Minutes before expiration to refresh token (default: 5)MAX_TOKEN_REFRESH_RETRIES: Maximum number of refresh attempts (default: 3)TOKEN_REFRESH_RETRY_DELAY_MS: Delay between refresh attempts in ms (default: 1000)
Available Tools
File Operations
list_files: List files in a directoryupload_file: Upload a filedownload_file: Download a filesafe_delete_item: Safely delete with recycle bin supportcreate_folder: Create a new foldercopy_item: Copy a file or foldermove_item: Move or rename a file/folder
Metadata and Search
get_file_metadata: Get file/folder metadatasearch_file_db: Search files and foldersget_sharing_link: Create sharing linksget_file_content: Get file contents
Account Operations
get_account_info: Get account information
Usage Examples
// List files in root directory
await mcp.useTool("dbx-mcp-server", "list_files", { path: "" });
// Upload a file
await mcp.useTool("dbx-mcp-server", "upload_file", {
path: "/test.txt",
content: Buffer.from("Hello World").toString("base64"),
});
// Search for files
await mcp.useTool("dbx-mcp-server", "search_file_db", {
query: "report",
path: "/Documents",
max_results: 10,
});
Testing
Run the test suite:
npm test
Tests verify all operations including authentication, file operations, and error handling.
Test Structure
The test suite is organized into several modules:
- Dropbox Operations: Tests for basic file operations (upload, download, list, etc.)
- Account Operations: Tests for accessing account information
- Search and Delete: Tests for search functionality and safe deletion with recycle bin support
- Resource System: Tests for the MCP resource system integration
Handling Test Data
The tests use dynamically generated file and folder names based on timestamps to avoid conflicts. Test data is automatically cleaned up after test execution.
Running Specific Tests
To run a specific test file or test group:
npm test -- tests/dropbox/search-delete.test.ts # Run specific test file
npm test -- -t "should search for files" # Run tests matching description
Troubleshooting Tests
If tests fail with timing or authentication issues:
- Check that the mock implementations in
tests/setup.tsmatch your test expectations - Ensure test helpers are correctly configured
- For Jest scope errors, avoid referencing imported variables in mock factory functions
Development
Built with:
- TypeScript
- Model Context Protocol SDK
- Dropbox SDK v10.34.0
- Dropbox API v2
License
MIT License
Copyright (c) 2025 MCP Server Contributors
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.