GroupDocs.Parser.Mcp

# GroupDocs.Parser MCP Server

MCP server that exposes [GroupDocs.Parser](https://products.groupdocs.com/parser) as AI-callable tools
for Claude, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, and other MCP agents.

[![GHCR](https://img.shields.io/badge/GHCR-parser--net--mcp-2496ED?logo=docker&logoColor=white)](https://github.com/orgs/groupdocs-parser/packages/container/package/parser-net-mcp)
[![MCP Registry](https://img.shields.io/badge/MCP_Registry-listed_(OCI)-6f42c1)](https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/v0/servers?search=io.github.groupdocs-parser/groupdocs-parser-mcp)
[![Integration tests](https://github.com/groupdocs-parser/GroupDocs.Parser.Mcp.Tests/actions/workflows/integration.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/groupdocs-parser/GroupDocs.Parser.Mcp.Tests/actions/workflows/integration.yml)
[![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)](LICENSE)

<!-- TODO(manual): record 30s demo per improvement-plan M1 -->
<!-- ![Demo](assets/demo.gif) -->

## Installation

**This product ships via Docker (GHCR) only.** GroupDocs.Parser's managed DLL embeds ~234 MB of ONNX models, so the packed tool exceeds NuGet.org's 250 MB limit - so `dnx` and
`dotnet tool install` are **not available** for it. When upstream ships a
slimmer engine that packs under the limit, the standard NuGet flow returns
(see the revert notes in `.github/workflows/publish_prod.yml`).

```bash
docker run --rm -i \
  -v $(pwd)/documents:/data \
  ghcr.io/groupdocs-parser/parser-net-mcp:latest
```

Images are multi-arch (`linux/amd64` + `linux/arm64`), tagged `latest` plus an
immutable version tag per release (e.g. `:26.7.2`). To pin, replace `:latest`
with the version tag - recommended for shared configs and CI.

<!-- install-buttons:start - generated by install/generate-install-links.ps1; do not edit by hand -->
[![Install in VS Code](https://img.shields.io/badge/VS_Code-Install-0098FF)](https://vscode.dev/redirect/mcp/install?name=groupdocs-parser&inputs=%5B%7B%22type%22%3A%22promptString%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22storage_path%22%2C%22description%22%3A%22Base%20folder%20for%20input%20and%20output%20files%22%7D%5D&config=%7B%22command%22%3A%22docker%22%2C%22args%22%3A%5B%22run%22%2C%22--rm%22%2C%22-i%22%2C%22-v%22%2C%22%24%7Binput%3Astorage_path%7D%3A%2Fdata%22%2C%22ghcr.io%2Fgroupdocs-parser%2Fparser-net-mcp%3Alatest%22%5D%7D) [![Install in VS Code Insiders](https://img.shields.io/badge/VS_Code_Insiders-Install-24bfa5)](https://insiders.vscode.dev/redirect/mcp/install?name=groupdocs-parser&inputs=%5B%7B%22type%22%3A%22promptString%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22storage_path%22%2C%22description%22%3A%22Base%20folder%20for%20input%20and%20output%20files%22%7D%5D&config=%7B%22command%22%3A%22docker%22%2C%22args%22%3A%5B%22run%22%2C%22--rm%22%2C%22-i%22%2C%22-v%22%2C%22%24%7Binput%3Astorage_path%7D%3A%2Fdata%22%2C%22ghcr.io%2Fgroupdocs-parser%2Fparser-net-mcp%3Alatest%22%5D%7D&quality=insiders) [![Add to Cursor](https://img.shields.io/badge/Cursor-Add_MCP-111111)](https://cursor.com/en/install-mcp?name=groupdocs-parser&config=eyJjb21tYW5kIjoiZG9ja2VyIiwiYXJncyI6WyJydW4iLCItLXJtIiwiLWkiLCItdiIsIi9wYXRoL3RvL2RvY3VtZW50czovZGF0YSIsImdoY3IuaW8vZ3JvdXBkb2NzLXBhcnNlci9wYXJzZXItbmV0LW1jcDpsYXRlc3QiXX0%3D)

> One-click buttons prompt for your documents folder. Cursor's deeplink installs with a
> placeholder storage path - edit it after install.
<!-- install-buttons:end -->

> **More clients** - ready-made configs for Claude Code, Visual Studio 2022 (`.mcp.json`),
> Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and JetBrains Rider live in [`install/generated/`](install/generated/).

## Available MCP Tools

| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| `ExtractText` | Extracts plain text from a document (whole document or a single page). Truncates very large outputs. |
| `ExtractImages` | Extracts all embedded images and saves them to storage as `<basename>_image<N>.<ext>` files |
| `ExtractMetadata` | Extracts metadata (author, title, dates, custom properties, EXIF, XMP, IPTC) and returns it as JSON |
| `ExtractTables` | Extracts tables from a document as Markdown (default — renders in chat) or structured JSON |
| `ExtractBarcodes` | Detects all barcodes / QR codes and returns their decoded values, types, and positions as JSON |
| `GetDocumentInfo` | Returns the file type, page count, and size of a document as JSON (without modifying it) |

All tools support PDF, DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, HTML, EPUB, MSG, EML, JPG, PNG, TIFF, and 50+ more document and image formats.

## Example prompts for AI agents

Copy any of these into Claude Desktop, Cursor, or GitHub Copilot Chat after the
server is connected.

1. **Get a document's structure**: *"How many pages does invoice.pdf have, and what format is it?"*
2. **Pull a text snippet**: *"Extract the text from page 2 of contract.docx."*
3. **Mine the metadata**: *"What's the author and creation date of report.xlsx?"*
4. **Read a structured table**: *"Pull the line items table out of invoice.pdf as Markdown."*
5. **Scan for barcodes**: *"Are there any QR codes in shipping-label.png? If so, what do they decode to?"*

## Licensing

**The MCP server itself is MIT; the underlying GroupDocs engines require a license
for production use.** Without one the server runs in **evaluation mode**:

- Text output may include an evaluation watermark, and other outputs may be size-limited.

To lift the limits, mount your `GroupDocs.Total.lic` into the container and point
`GROUPDOCS_LICENSE_PATH` at it (see the Claude Desktop example above):

- [Get a free 30-day temporary license](https://purchase.groupdocs.com/temporary-license/)
- [Purchase a license](https://purchase.groupdocs.com/pricing/parser/net) | [Product page](https://products.groupdocs.com/parser/net/)

## Configuration

| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| `GROUPDOCS_MCP_STORAGE_PATH` | Base folder for input and output files | current directory |
| `GROUPDOCS_MCP_OUTPUT_PATH` | *(Optional)* separate folder for output files (used by `ExtractImages`) | `GROUPDOCS_MCP_STORAGE_PATH` |
| `GROUPDOCS_LICENSE_PATH` | Path to GroupDocs license file. In evaluation mode, text outputs may include a watermark and other outputs may be size-limited | (evaluation mode) |

## Usage with Claude Desktop

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "groupdocs-parser": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": ["run", "--rm", "-i", "-v", "/path/to/documents:/data", "ghcr.io/groupdocs-parser/parser-net-mcp:latest"]
    }
  }
}
```

> To use a license, add `"-v", "/path/to/license-folder:/license", "-e",
> "GROUPDOCS_LICENSE_PATH=/license/GroupDocs.Total.lic"` before the image name.
> To pin a version, replace `:latest` with the release tag.

## Usage with VS Code / GitHub Copilot

Use the **Install in VS Code** button above, or add to `.vscode/mcp.json`
(also in [`install/generated/vscode-mcp.json`](install/generated/vscode-mcp.json)):

```json
{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "storage_path",
      "description": "Base folder for input and output files.",
      "password": false
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "groupdocs-parser": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": ["run", "--rm", "-i", "-v", "${input:storage_path}:/data", "ghcr.io/groupdocs-parser/parser-net-mcp:latest"]
    }
  }
}
```

## Usage with Docker Compose

```bash
cd docker
docker compose up
```

Edit `docker/docker-compose.yml` to point volumes at your local documents folder.

## Documentation & guides

Step-by-step deployment guides and a published-package integration test suite
live in the companion repo
[**GroupDocs.Parser.Mcp.Tests**](https://github.com/groupdocs-parser/GroupDocs.Parser.Mcp.Tests):

- [Install from NuGet](https://github.com/groupdocs-parser/GroupDocs.Parser.Mcp.Tests/blob/master/how-to/01-install-from-nuget.md)
- [Run via Docker](https://github.com/groupdocs-parser/GroupDocs.Parser.Mcp.Tests/blob/master/how-to/02-run-via-docker.md)
- [Verify on the MCP registry](https://github.com/groupdocs-parser/GroupDocs.Parser.Mcp.Tests/blob/master/how-to/03-verify-mcp-registry.md)
- [Use with Claude Desktop](https://github.com/groupdocs-parser/GroupDocs.Parser.Mcp.Tests/blob/master/how-to/04-use-with-claude-desktop.md)
- [Use with VS Code / GitHub Copilot](https://github.com/groupdocs-parser/GroupDocs.Parser.Mcp.Tests/blob/master/how-to/05-use-with-vscode-copilot.md)
- [Run the integration tests](https://github.com/groupdocs-parser/GroupDocs.Parser.Mcp.Tests/blob/master/how-to/06-run-integration-tests.md)

## License

MIT — see [LICENSE](LICENSE)

<!-- mcp-name: io.github.groupdocs-parser/groupdocs-parser-mcp -->