Cover Letter MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that generates professional PDF cover letters using LaTeX. This server integrates seamlessly with Claude Desktop to create beautifully formatted cover letters with a clean, professional design and advanced folder management capabilities.

Features

🎯 Professional Design: Clean, modern layout matching professional resume standards
📄 PDF Generation: High-quality PDF output using LaTeX
🔧 Claude Desktop Integration: Works directly within Claude Desktop interface
📁 Advanced Folder Management: Create custom folders and organize cover letters by job, company, or category
🗂️ Directory Navigation: List and browse your cover letter collection with built-in file explorer
⚡ Fast Generation: Dockerized environment for consistent, quick processing
🛡️ Input Sanitization: Automatic escaping of special characters for LaTeX safety
🔒 Secure Paths: Built-in path sanitization prevents security issues

Prerequisites

Docker: Make sure Docker Desktop is installed and running
Claude Desktop: Latest version with MCP support
Git: For cloning the repository

Quick Start

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/cover-letter-mcp.git
cd cover-letter-mcp

2. Create Downloads Directory

mkdir downloads

3. Build the Docker Image

docker build -t cover-letter-mcp .

4. Configure Claude Desktop

Add the following configuration to your Claude Desktop config file:

Location of config file:

Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cover-letter-generator": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--rm",
        "-i",
        "-v",
        "/path/to/your/cover-letter-mcp/downloads:/downloads",
        "cover-letter-mcp",
        "python",
        "server.py"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Replace /path/to/your/cover-letter-mcp/downloads with your actual path:

Windows: "C:/Users/YourUsername/path/to/cover-letter-mcp/downloads:/downloads"
macOS/Linux: "/Users/YourUsername/path/to/cover-letter-mcp/downloads:/downloads"

5. Restart Claude Desktop

Restart Claude Desktop to load the new MCP server configuration.

Usage

Once configured, you can generate cover letters directly in Claude Desktop with advanced organization features:

Example Usage

Basic Cover Letter Generation

Generate a cover letter for:
- Name: John Smith
- Company: Tech Innovations Inc
- Position: Software Engineer
- Body: I am writing to express my interest in the Software Engineer position at your company. With 5 years of experience in software development, I believe I would be a great fit for your team. My skills in JavaScript and Python align well with your requirements. I look forward to discussing this opportunity further.

Organized Cover Letter with Custom Folder

Generate a cover letter for Jane Doe applying to Google for a Senior Developer position and save it in the "FAANG-applications/google" folder

Advanced Organization

Create a cover letter for the Product Manager role at Netflix. Save it in "streaming-companies/netflix" with filename "pm-application-2024"

Folder Management

Create a folder structure for organizing my job applications: "job-search-2024/tech-companies" and "job-search-2024/startups"

Show me what cover letters I have in my "tech-companies" folder

Smart Organization Features

🗂️ Auto-Folder Creation - Folders are created automatically when generating cover letters
📁 Custom Directory Structure - Organize by company, role type, industry, or any system that works for you
🔍 Directory Browser - List contents of any folder to see your cover letter collection
📊 File Information - View file sizes, creation dates, and organize by metadata
🛡️ Path Security - Built-in sanitization prevents directory traversal and invalid characters

Organization Examples

By Company:

applications/google/
applications/microsoft/
applications/amazon/

By Role Type:

roles/software-engineer/
roles/product-manager/
roles/data-scientist/

By Industry:

industries/fintech/
industries/healthcare/
industries/gaming/

By Status:

drafts/
submitted/2024/
archived/old-versions/

Advanced Options

Custom filename with organization:

Generate a cover letter with filename "tech_innovations_application" for John Smith applying to Tech Innovations Inc and save it in the "applications/tech-startups" folder

Multiple applications organization:

I'm applying to several FAANG companies. Create cover letters for:
1. Google - Software Engineer role (save in "faang/google")
2. Meta - Frontend Developer role (save in "faang/meta")
3. Amazon - Backend Engineer role (save in "faang/amazon")

API Reference

Tools Available

`generate_cover_letter`

Generates a PDF cover letter from structured data with optional folder organization.

Parameters:

name (string): Full name of the applicant
company (string): Company name
position (string): Position being applied for
body (string): Main body text of the cover letter
filename (string, optional): Custom filename (without .pdf extension)
folderPath (string, optional): Custom folder path within downloads directory

Example:

{
  "name": "John Smith",
  "company": "Tech Corp",
  "position": "Software Engineer",
  "body": "I am writing to express my strong interest...",
  "filename": "john-smith-tech-corp-application",
  "folderPath": "job-applications/tech-companies/tech-corp"
}

`create_folder`

Creates a new folder within the downloads directory.

Parameters:

folderPath (string): Folder path to create (supports nested folders)

Example:

{
  "folderPath": "applications/2024/q1"
}

`list_folders`

Lists all folders and files in the downloads directory.

Parameters:

path (string, optional): Specific subdirectory to list

Example:

{
  "path": "applications/tech-companies"
}

File Structure

cover-letter-mcp/
├── server.py              # Main MCP server with folder management
├── Dockerfile             # Docker container configuration
├── requirements.txt       # Python dependencies
├── downloads/             # Generated PDFs organized in folders
│   ├── applications/
│   │   ├── google/
│   │   │   ├── john-smith-swe-2024.pdf
│   │   │   └── jane-doe-pm-2024.pdf
│   │   ├── microsoft/
│   │   └── startups/
│   ├── drafts/
│   └── templates/
└── README.md             # This file

Technical Details

LaTeX Template

The server uses a custom LaTeX template that creates:

Clean, centered header with applicant name
Professional spacing and typography
Automatic date insertion
Proper business letter formatting
High-quality PDF output

Security Features

Input Sanitization: All user input is properly escaped for LaTeX
Filename Safety: Generated filenames are sanitized to prevent path traversal
Path Security: Folder paths are sanitized to prevent directory traversal attacks
Isolated Environment: Docker container provides secure, isolated execution
Character Filtering: Removes or replaces invalid filesystem characters

MCP Protocol

This server implements the Model Context Protocol specification:

Tools: generate_cover_letter, create_folder, list_folders
Resources: Lists and provides access to generated PDFs (including nested folders)
Capabilities: Full read/write access to cover letter generation and folder management

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Docker command not found"

Ensure Docker Desktop is installed and running
Verify Docker is in your system PATH

"Permission denied" on Windows

Make sure Docker Desktop has access to your drive
Try running PowerShell as Administrator
Ensure the downloads folder has write permissions

"Container not found"

Rebuild the Docker image: docker build -t cover-letter-mcp .
Check that the image name matches your configuration

"LaTeX compilation failed"

This usually indicates special characters in the input
The server automatically escapes most characters, but some complex formatting may need adjustment

"Folder creation errors"

Verify write permissions in the downloads directory
Check that folder paths don't contain invalid characters
Ensure Docker has access to the mounted volume

"Path-related issues"

Folder paths are automatically sanitized for security
Invalid characters are replaced with underscores
Directory traversal attempts (../) are automatically blocked

Debug Mode

To see detailed logs from the MCP server, check the Claude Desktop developer console or run the Docker container manually:

docker run --rm -i -v "./downloads:/downloads" cover-letter-mcp python server.py

For verbose debugging:

docker run --rm -i -v "./downloads:/downloads" -e DEBUG=1 cover-letter-mcp python server.py

Development

Local Development

For development without Docker:

Install Python dependencies:
```
pip install -r requirements.txt
```

Install LaTeX (varies by system):

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt-get install texlive-latex-base texlive-latex-recommended

# macOS with Homebrew
brew install --cask mactex

# Windows
# Download and install MiKTeX or TeX Live

Run the server:
```
python server.py
```

Security Considerations

Path Validation: All folder paths are validated and sanitized
Input Escaping: LaTeX special characters are properly escaped
Container Isolation: Docker provides process and filesystem isolation
Volume Mounting: Only the downloads directory is accessible to the container

Contributing

Fork the repository
Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature-name
Make your changes
Test thoroughly with various folder structures
Submit a pull request

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Support

If you encounter issues:

Check the troubleshooting section
Review the Claude Desktop MCP documentation
Open an issue on GitHub with:
- Your operating system
- Claude Desktop version
- Docker version
- Complete error messages
- Steps to reproduce

Changelog

v2.0.0 - Folder Management Update

✨ NEW: Custom folder organization within downloads directory
✨ NEW: create_folder tool for creating organized directory structures
✨ NEW: list_folders tool for browsing and managing cover letter collections
✨ NEW: Enhanced generate_cover_letter with folderPath parameter
🛡️ NEW: Path sanitization and security features
📊 NEW: File metadata display (size, date) in directory listings
🗂️ NEW: Auto-creation of folder paths when generating cover letters
📁 NEW: Support for nested folder structures
🔍 NEW: Directory navigation and file organization tools
🔒 NEW: Enhanced security with Docker volume isolation

v1.0.0

Initial release
Professional LaTeX cover letter generation
Docker containerization
Claude Desktop integration
Basic PDF output to downloads folder

Made with ❤️ for the Claude Desktop and MCP community

Cover Letter MCP Server

Features

🎯 Professional Design: Clean, modern layout matching professional resume standards
📄 PDF Generation: High-quality PDF output using LaTeX
🔧 Claude Desktop Integration: Works directly within Claude Desktop interface
📁 Advanced Folder Management: Create custom folders and organize cover letters by job, company, or category
🗂️ Directory Navigation: List and browse your cover letter collection with built-in file explorer
⚡ Fast Generation: Dockerized environment for consistent, quick processing
🛡️ Input Sanitization: Automatic escaping of special characters for LaTeX safety
🔒 Secure Paths: Built-in path sanitization prevents security issues

Prerequisites

Docker: Make sure Docker Desktop is installed and running
Claude Desktop: Latest version with MCP support
Git: For cloning the repository

Quick Start

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/cover-letter-mcp.git
cd cover-letter-mcp

2. Create Downloads Directory

mkdir downloads

3. Build the Docker Image

docker build -t cover-letter-mcp .

4. Configure Claude Desktop

Add the following configuration to your Claude Desktop config file:

Location of config file:

Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cover-letter-generator": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--rm",
        "-i",
        "-v",
        "/path/to/your/cover-letter-mcp/downloads:/downloads",
        "cover-letter-mcp",
        "python",
        "server.py"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Replace /path/to/your/cover-letter-mcp/downloads with your actual path:

Windows: "C:/Users/YourUsername/path/to/cover-letter-mcp/downloads:/downloads"
macOS/Linux: "/Users/YourUsername/path/to/cover-letter-mcp/downloads:/downloads"

5. Restart Claude Desktop

Restart Claude Desktop to load the new MCP server configuration.

Usage

Once configured, you can generate cover letters directly in Claude Desktop with advanced organization features:

Example Usage

Basic Cover Letter Generation

Generate a cover letter for:
- Name: John Smith
- Company: Tech Innovations Inc
- Position: Software Engineer
- Body: I am writing to express my interest in the Software Engineer position at your company. With 5 years of experience in software development, I believe I would be a great fit for your team. My skills in JavaScript and Python align well with your requirements. I look forward to discussing this opportunity further.

Organized Cover Letter with Custom Folder

Generate a cover letter for Jane Doe applying to Google for a Senior Developer position and save it in the "FAANG-applications/google" folder

Advanced Organization

Create a cover letter for the Product Manager role at Netflix. Save it in "streaming-companies/netflix" with filename "pm-application-2024"

Folder Management

Create a folder structure for organizing my job applications: "job-search-2024/tech-companies" and "job-search-2024/startups"

Show me what cover letters I have in my "tech-companies" folder

Smart Organization Features

🗂️ Auto-Folder Creation - Folders are created automatically when generating cover letters
📁 Custom Directory Structure - Organize by company, role type, industry, or any system that works for you
🔍 Directory Browser - List contents of any folder to see your cover letter collection
📊 File Information - View file sizes, creation dates, and organize by metadata
🛡️ Path Security - Built-in sanitization prevents directory traversal and invalid characters

Organization Examples

By Company:

applications/google/
applications/microsoft/
applications/amazon/

By Role Type:

roles/software-engineer/
roles/product-manager/
roles/data-scientist/

By Industry:

industries/fintech/
industries/healthcare/
industries/gaming/

By Status:

drafts/
submitted/2024/
archived/old-versions/

Advanced Options

Custom filename with organization:

Generate a cover letter with filename "tech_innovations_application" for John Smith applying to Tech Innovations Inc and save it in the "applications/tech-startups" folder

Multiple applications organization:

I'm applying to several FAANG companies. Create cover letters for:
1. Google - Software Engineer role (save in "faang/google")
2. Meta - Frontend Developer role (save in "faang/meta")
3. Amazon - Backend Engineer role (save in "faang/amazon")

API Reference

Tools Available

`generate_cover_letter`

Generates a PDF cover letter from structured data with optional folder organization.

Parameters:

name (string): Full name of the applicant
company (string): Company name
position (string): Position being applied for
body (string): Main body text of the cover letter
filename (string, optional): Custom filename (without .pdf extension)
folderPath (string, optional): Custom folder path within downloads directory

Example:

{
  "name": "John Smith",
  "company": "Tech Corp",
  "position": "Software Engineer",
  "body": "I am writing to express my strong interest...",
  "filename": "john-smith-tech-corp-application",
  "folderPath": "job-applications/tech-companies/tech-corp"
}

`create_folder`

Creates a new folder within the downloads directory.

Parameters:

folderPath (string): Folder path to create (supports nested folders)

Example:

{
  "folderPath": "applications/2024/q1"
}

`list_folders`

Lists all folders and files in the downloads directory.

Parameters:

path (string, optional): Specific subdirectory to list

Example:

{
  "path": "applications/tech-companies"
}

File Structure

cover-letter-mcp/
├── server.py              # Main MCP server with folder management
├── Dockerfile             # Docker container configuration
├── requirements.txt       # Python dependencies
├── downloads/             # Generated PDFs organized in folders
│   ├── applications/
│   │   ├── google/
│   │   │   ├── john-smith-swe-2024.pdf
│   │   │   └── jane-doe-pm-2024.pdf
│   │   ├── microsoft/
│   │   └── startups/
│   ├── drafts/
│   └── templates/
└── README.md             # This file

Technical Details

LaTeX Template

The server uses a custom LaTeX template that creates:

Clean, centered header with applicant name
Professional spacing and typography
Automatic date insertion
Proper business letter formatting
High-quality PDF output

Security Features

Input Sanitization: All user input is properly escaped for LaTeX
Filename Safety: Generated filenames are sanitized to prevent path traversal
Path Security: Folder paths are sanitized to prevent directory traversal attacks
Isolated Environment: Docker container provides secure, isolated execution
Character Filtering: Removes or replaces invalid filesystem characters

MCP Protocol

This server implements the Model Context Protocol specification:

Tools: generate_cover_letter, create_folder, list_folders
Resources: Lists and provides access to generated PDFs (including nested folders)
Capabilities: Full read/write access to cover letter generation and folder management

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Docker command not found"

Ensure Docker Desktop is installed and running
Verify Docker is in your system PATH

"Permission denied" on Windows

Make sure Docker Desktop has access to your drive
Try running PowerShell as Administrator
Ensure the downloads folder has write permissions

"Container not found"

Rebuild the Docker image: docker build -t cover-letter-mcp .
Check that the image name matches your configuration

"LaTeX compilation failed"

This usually indicates special characters in the input
The server automatically escapes most characters, but some complex formatting may need adjustment

"Folder creation errors"

Verify write permissions in the downloads directory
Check that folder paths don't contain invalid characters
Ensure Docker has access to the mounted volume

"Path-related issues"

Folder paths are automatically sanitized for security
Invalid characters are replaced with underscores
Directory traversal attempts (../) are automatically blocked

Debug Mode

To see detailed logs from the MCP server, check the Claude Desktop developer console or run the Docker container manually:

docker run --rm -i -v "./downloads:/downloads" cover-letter-mcp python server.py

For verbose debugging:

docker run --rm -i -v "./downloads:/downloads" -e DEBUG=1 cover-letter-mcp python server.py

Development

Local Development

For development without Docker:

Install Python dependencies:
```
pip install -r requirements.txt
```

Install LaTeX (varies by system):

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt-get install texlive-latex-base texlive-latex-recommended

# macOS with Homebrew
brew install --cask mactex

# Windows
# Download and install MiKTeX or TeX Live

Run the server:
```
python server.py
```

Security Considerations

Path Validation: All folder paths are validated and sanitized
Input Escaping: LaTeX special characters are properly escaped
Container Isolation: Docker provides process and filesystem isolation
Volume Mounting: Only the downloads directory is accessible to the container

Contributing

Fork the repository
Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature-name
Make your changes
Test thoroughly with various folder structures
Submit a pull request

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Support

If you encounter issues:

Check the troubleshooting section
Review the Claude Desktop MCP documentation
Open an issue on GitHub with:
- Your operating system
- Claude Desktop version
- Docker version
- Complete error messages
- Steps to reproduce

Changelog

v2.0.0 - Folder Management Update

✨ NEW: Custom folder organization within downloads directory
✨ NEW: create_folder tool for creating organized directory structures
✨ NEW: list_folders tool for browsing and managing cover letter collections
✨ NEW: Enhanced generate_cover_letter with folderPath parameter
🛡️ NEW: Path sanitization and security features
📊 NEW: File metadata display (size, date) in directory listings
🗂️ NEW: Auto-creation of folder paths when generating cover letters
📁 NEW: Support for nested folder structures
🔍 NEW: Directory navigation and file organization tools
🔒 NEW: Enhanced security with Docker volume isolation

v1.0.0

Initial release
Professional LaTeX cover letter generation
Docker containerization
Claude Desktop integration
Basic PDF output to downloads folder

Made with ❤️ for the Claude Desktop and MCP community