XMind Mind Maps MCP server

The MCP XMind Server is a Model Context Protocol server designed to analyze and query XMind mind maps. It provides powerful capabilities for searching, extracting content, managing tasks, and analyzing XMind files through a structured interface, making it easier to work with mind map data programmatically.

Installation

Installing via Smithery

The simplest way to install XMind Server for Claude Desktop is automatically via Smithery:

npx -y @smithery/cli install @41px/mcp-xmind --client claude

Manual Installation

If you prefer to install manually, you'll need to install the necessary dependencies:

npm install @modelcontextprotocol/sdk adm-zip zod
npm install --save-dev typescript @types/node

Usage

Starting the Server

To start the XMind server, you need to specify at least one allowed directory that contains your XMind files:

node dist/index.js <allowed-directory> [additional-directories...]

Available Tools

The server provides several specialized tools for working with XMind files:

1. read_xmind

• Parses and analyzes XMind files
• Extracts complete mind map structure

2. get_todo_tasks

• Extracts and analyzes TODO tasks
• Includes task context and hierarchy

3. list_xmind_directory

• Recursively scans for XMind files
• Filters and organizes results

4. read_multiple_xmind_files

• Processes multiple files simultaneously
• Compares and analyzes across files

5. search_xmind_files

• Searches files by name patterns
• Performs recursive directory scanning

6. extract_node

• Provides smart fuzzy path matching
• Returns ranked search results
• Extracts complete subtrees

7. extract_node_by_id

• Offers direct node access by ID
• Provides fast and precise retrieval

8. search_nodes

• Supports multi-criteria content search
• Features configurable search fields

Examples

Search for Nodes

To search for nodes containing specific content:

{
    "name": "search_nodes",
    "arguments": {
        "path": "/path/to/file.xmind",
        "query": "project",
        "searchIn": ["title", "notes"],
        "caseSensitive": false
    }
}

Extract Node

To extract a node using path-based navigation:

{
    "name": "extract_node",
    "arguments": {
        "path": "/path/to/file.xmind",
        "searchQuery": "Feature > API"
    }
}

List Tasks

To extract all TODO tasks from a mind map:

{
    "name": "get_todo_tasks",
    "arguments": {
        "path": "/path/to/file.xmind"
    }
}

Configuration

Claude Desktop Configuration

For development, create a claude_desktop_config.json file:

{
  "xmind": {
    "command": "node",
    "args": [
      "/Users/alex/Src/mcp-xmind/dist/index.js",
      "/Users/alex/XMind"
    ]
  }
}

For production using npmjs:

{
  "xmind": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": [
      "-y",
      "@41px/mcp-xmind",
      "/Users/alex/XMind"
    ]
  }
}

Security Features

The server implements several security measures:

• Only allows access to explicitly specified directories
• Performs path normalization and validation
• Implements error handling for invalid access attempts

How to add this MCP server to Cursor

There are two ways to add an MCP server to Cursor. The most common way is to add the server globally in the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file so that it is available in all of your projects.

If you only need the server in a single project, you can add it to the project instead by creating or adding it to the .cursor/mcp.json file.

Adding an MCP server to Cursor globally

To add a global MCP server go to Cursor Settings > MCP and click "Add new global MCP server".

When you click that button the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file will be opened and you can add your server like this:

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "cursor-rules-mcp": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "cursor-rules-mcp"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Adding an MCP server to a project

To add an MCP server to a project you can create a new .cursor/mcp.json file or add it to the existing one. This will look exactly the same as the global MCP server example above.

How to use the MCP server

Once the server is installed, you might need to head back to Settings > MCP and click the refresh button.

The Cursor agent will then be able to see the available tools the added MCP server has available and will call them when it needs to.

You can also explictly ask the agent to use the tool by mentioning the tool name and describing what the function does.