
Huoshui File Search
io.github.huoshuiai42Published by GitHub account huoshuiai42v1.0.0Updated Nov 3, 2026
An MCP server that provides fast Spotlight file search capabilities for macOS
Overview
A macOS-only MCP server that lets an assistant search local files quickly through the Spotlight index using the native mdfind command.
- What you can do
- Search local files by query text, file kind, filename pattern or date using Spotlight's mdfind syntax
- Narrow searches to a specific directory and apply case-sensitive or regular-expression filters
- Sort results by name, size or date and cap the number of returned files
- Return results as structured JSON
- When to use it
- Useful when an assistant on a Mac needs to locate documents, images, code files or other indexed files on the user's machine, especially with filters such as file type, folder, date or size.
- Requirements
- Runs locally as a Python package (Python 3.10 or later, uv package manager) on macOS 10.15 or later with Spotlight indexing enabled; Windows and Linux are not supported. No accounts, API keys or environment variables are declared.
Installation
In SourceWeft
- Open Huoshui File Search in the dashboard and add it to a workspace.
- Enable the server for the chats that should use its tools.
Desktop only via STDIO. STDIO servers start a local process, so they need the SourceWeft desktop host.
Other MCP clients
Follow the launch instructions in the repository.
README
Huoshui File Search
A Desktop Extension (DXT) that provides fast file search capabilities for macOS using the native mdfind command (Spotlight search).
⚠️ IMPORTANT: This extension only works on macOS systems. Windows and Linux are not supported.
Features
- Fast file search using macOS Spotlight index
- Multiple filtering options:
- Path-based search restrictions
- Case-sensitive/insensitive search
- Regular expression matching
- Sort results by name, size, or date
- Configurable search limits
- Clean JSON-structured responses
- Built with FastMCP framework for optimal performance
Installation
From MCP Registry (Recommended)
This server is available in the Model Context Protocol Registry. Install it using your MCP client.
mcp-name: io.github.huoshuiai42/huoshui-file-search
Via PyPI (Recommended)
From Source
Usage
As a Desktop Extension (DXT)
- Install the extension via your DXT-compatible application (e.g., Claude Desktop)
- The extension will be automatically configured and ready to use
- Use the
search_filestool with various parameters
Direct Usage
Tool Parameters
query(required): Search query stringpath(optional): Directory to limit search scopecase_sensitive(optional): Enable case-sensitive search (default: false)regex(optional): Regex pattern to filter results by filenamesort_by(optional): Sort results by 'name', 'size', or 'date'limit(optional): Maximum number of results (default: 100, max: 1000)
mdfind Query Syntax
The query parameter uses macOS Spotlight's mdfind syntax:
- Simple text search:
report- finds files containing "report" - File kind:
kind:pdf,kind:image,kind:movie - Filename search:
kMDItemFSName == "*.py"- finds Python files - Combined queries:
invoice AND kind:pdf- finds PDF files containing "invoice" - Date queries:
date:today,modified:this week
Note: If your query like '寻找工程车' kind:movie returns no results, it might mean:
- No files match both criteria
- The syntax needs adjustment (try
寻找工程车 AND kind:movie) - Spotlight hasn't indexed the files yet
Examples
Basic File Search
Search in Specific Directory
Case-Sensitive Search
Search with Regex Filter
Sorted and Limited Results
Configuration
The extension supports user configuration through the DXT manifest:
allowed_directories: List of directories to limit search scopedefault_limit: Default maximum number of search resultsenable_logging: Enable debug logging
Development
Project Structure
Testing Locally
-
Install dependencies:
-
Run the server:
Or after publishing to PyPI:
-
The server will communicate via stdio according to the MCP protocol
Publishing to PyPI
-
Build the package:
-
Upload to PyPI:
System Requirements
- macOS 10.15 or later
- Python 3.10 or later
- uv package manager (install with:
curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh) - Spotlight indexing enabled
Troubleshooting
"Platform not supported" Error
This extension only works on macOS. Ensure you're running it on a Mac.
"mdfind command not found" Error
Ensure Spotlight is enabled on your Mac. You can check this in System Preferences > Spotlight.
No Search Results
- Spotlight may still be indexing new files
- Check if the file path is included in Spotlight's search scope
- Verify the search query syntax
Search Timeout
Large searches may timeout after 30 seconds. Try:
- Limiting the search path
- Using more specific queries
- Reducing the result limit
License
MIT License - see LICENSE file for details
Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please:
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch
- Add tests for new functionality
- Submit a pull request
Support
For issues and feature requests, please visit: https://github.com/huoshui/huoshui-file-search/issues
Source: README.md at commit 1c838bd
Tools
0Version history
1- v1.0.0LatestSep 16, 2026
Score
50% of the applicable checks met
How complete this listing is, computed from the registry entry, the endpoint and public sources. Not a rating of the server and not a statement that it is safe or working today: reachability is a dated check, and no installs or reviews go into the score.
- Reached in the last 30 days25 pts
Keep the endpoint answering the MCP handshake; SourceWeft probes it every 30 days.
- Auth declared10 pts
Declare the credential headers in the registry entry, or keep the endpoint answering the probe so its auth can be classified.
- Tools listed15 pts
Answer tools/list without a credential, or ship a package that starts in a sandbox without one.
- DescriptionRequired15 pts
- Logo10 pts
- Documentation15 pts
- License10 pts