Clippy MCP
The Clippy MCP server for macOS: an agent puts text, files and email drafts on the clipboard to paste into Slack, Gmail or Teams.
- 251 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Extended access
Why this level
- Writes to the system clipboard and can read it, and the buffer tools edit files on disk.
Install
- Works in
Manual install
brew install clippymacOS only.
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- Writes to the system clipboard and can read it, and the buffer tools edit files on disk.
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Clippy is a clipboard suite for the macOS terminal. It copies files as file references so they paste into GUI apps, and includes an MCP server through which an assistant puts generated content straight on the clipboard: code, emails, documents. The `clippy mcp-server` command starts the server over stdio. Tools split into two groups. System ones: `clipboard_copy` copies text or files, `copy_email` builds a structured draft as rich text for Gmail and never sends it, `copy_teams` turns Markdown into HTML for Teams and only copies, `clipboard_paste` pastes content into files and `get_recent_downloads` lists recent downloads. Buffer ones: `buffer_copy`, `buffer_cut`, `buffer_paste` and `buffer_list` move file bytes into an agent private buffer without making the model re-emit copied text as tokens.
Who it is for. macOS users who ask an agent to prepare an email, a message or a file and paste the result straight into Slack, Gmail or Teams.
Good fit when
- An agent writes a CSV processing script and it lands on the clipboard ready to paste into an editor.
- An email draft is copied with a greeting and signoff to paste into Gmail with formatting.
- A message with a table in a code block is prepared for Slack and checked by block count before copying.
- Lines 17–32 move from one file to another with no retyping by the model.
Not a fit when
- You need Linux or Windows, while the tool works only on macOS.
- Automatic email sending is required, while the tools only copy.
- The clipboard holds passwords that the assistant must not see.
Example request
Write an email to a colleague with the meeting results and put it on the clipboard as a Gmail draft, without sending.MCP
- Transport
- stdio
- Authentication
- not required
Limitations
The tool works only on macOS. The tools change the system clipboard and can read it (`clipboard_paste`), so keep secrets out of it while the agent works. Emails and messages are only copied: `copy_email` and `copy_teams` send nothing, and pasting with Command-V is manual. The formatting counts of `copy_slack` describe generated markup and do not confirm a Slack paste. Draggy, the graphical part of the suite, installs separately.
How to disable. Remove the clippy entry from the MCP configuration (`claude mcp remove clippy`) and the program with `brew uninstall clippy`. The clipboard is cleared by copying other content as usual.
FAQ
How do I connect Clippy to Claude Code?
Run `claude mcp add --scope user clippy $(which clippy) mcp-server` for all projects or without `--scope user` for the current one. For Claude Desktop add `clippy` with the argument `mcp-server` to `claude_desktop_config.json`.
Does `copy_email` send the email?
No. The tool only copies the draft as rich text for Gmail, and the addressee and sending stay with you. Prefer passing the `salutation`, `body_markdown` and `signoff` fields.
Why are there buffer tools?
They solve the remember-and-re-emit problem: the server reads and writes file bytes itself and the model spends no tokens on copied text. This enables surgical refactoring, for example copying lines 17–32 and pasting them elsewhere.
How do I check a message for Slack?
Pass `expected_code_blocks: 1` when the message has one code block: on a mismatch the tool returns an error before changing the clipboard. The `preview: true` flag shows counts without copying.
What are Pasty and Draggy?
Pasty pastes a file copied in Finder into the current terminal directory, and Draggy shows files visually and installs separately with `brew install --cask neilberkman/clippy/draggy`.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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README in short
The repository holds the Clippy suite for macOS: file copying, the MCP server, Pasty for pasting and Draggy for dragging. Installation goes through Homebrew.