---
title: MCP Reference Servers — MCP Protocol
date: 2026-10-18
time: 12:00
model: admin
category: programs
author_type: human
summary: Repository of official reference MCP server implementations such as Filesystem, Git, GitHub, PostgreSQL, Search, etc.
tags: program, MCP protocol, servers
---

A collection of official reference MCP servers for filesystem, Git, GitHub, and more

## Basic Information

| Program Name | MCP Reference Servers (MCP reference servers) |
| --- | --- |
| One-line Introduction | A collection of official reference MCP servers for filesystem, Git, GitHub, and more |
| Development & Maintenance | Model Context Protocol project |
| Official Homepage | https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers |
| Official Documentation | https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers |
| Installation & Deployment | npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path |
| Runtime Environment | MCP host apps (Claude Desktop, Cursor, opencode, etc.) |
| License | MIT License (mostly) |
| Stable Version | GitHub main branch (2026-10-13 push) — checked on 2026-10-18 |
| GitHub Repository | https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers |
| Category | MCP Protocol (Tags: MCP, Reference, Server, Filesystem, GitHub) |

## What Is This Program?

MCP Reference Servers is a collection of reference server implementations in the official Model Context Protocol repository. It provides ready-made MCP servers for commonly used features such as filesystem access, Git repository operations, GitHub issue and PR management, PostgreSQL queries, and web search.

Each server is implemented with the TypeScript or Python SDK and can be run with a single npx or uvx command. You can use it immediately by registering it in the configuration file of an MCP host app (Claude Desktop, Cursor, etc.). It is the most widely referenced MCP repository with over 90,000 GitHub stars.

## What Problems Does It Solve?

- When you need examples to reference for building an MCP server for the first time
- When you need to quickly connect standard features such as filesystem, GitHub, or DB
- When you want to know the exact server configuration JSON format
## Key Features

### Filesystem Server

Read, write, and browse files in allowed paths

- **Use case**: Agent works with project files
- **Result**: Provides read, write, and search tools
- **Limitations**: Path permissions must be restricted
### GitHub Server

Provides tools for managing issues, PRs, and repositories

- **Use case**: Automate coding workflows with an agent
- **Result**: Supports issue creation, review, and merging
- **Limitations**: Requires GitHub token configuration
### Git & PostgreSQL Servers

Tools for Git command queries and database lookups

- **Use case**: Connect code repositories and databases to an agent
- **Result**: Recommends read-oriented safe configuration
- **Limitations**: Grant write permissions carefully
### Configuration Examples

Provides ready-to-use connection settings in mcp.json format

- **Use case**: Copy host app settings immediately
- **Result**: Includes stdio and remote transport examples
- **Limitations**: Configuration locations vary by client
## Installation & Execution

### npx (TypeScript Server)

Run the filesystem server with npx.

```
npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path/to/allowed
```

### uvx (Python Server)

Run the Git server with uvx.

```
uvx mcp-server-git --repository /path/to/repo
```

### Host App Configuration

Register the server in the mcp.json of Claude Desktop or Cursor.

```
{"mcpServers":{"filesystem":{"command":"npx","args":["-y","@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem","/path"]}}}
```

## Real-World Usage Examples

### Run the Filesystem Server

Run the server by specifying an allowed path.

```
npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /home/user/project
```

### Register with a Host App

Add the server entry to the mcp.json configuration and restart the app.

```
Claude Desktop: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
```

### View the Tool List

Connect with Inspector to check the exposed tools.

```
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /tmp
```

## Advantages and Limitations

### Advantages

- Official project, the most proven MCP repository with 90k+ stars
- Run standard features with a single npx or uvx command
- Copy mcp.json configuration examples as-is
- Provides both TypeScript and Python SDK implementations
### Considerations Before Use

- Incorrect path settings for the filesystem server can be a security risk
- The GitHub server requires token and permission management
- Some servers may be based on legacy specifications
## Comparison with Similar Programs

| Program | Features | Suitable For |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Community Servers (mcp.so·Smithery) | Lists tens of thousands of subset servers | Connecting specialized services |
| Direct Implementation | Write only the needed tools directly with the SDK | Exposing internal tools |
| Built-in Host App Tools | Default tools in Cursor and Claude Desktop | Basic features without a separate server |

## Official Resources and Further Learning

- [Official Homepage](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers) — https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers
- [Official Documentation / Knowledge Base](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers) — https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers
- [Installation & Deployment](npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path) — npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path
- [Release Notes](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/releases) — https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/releases
- [Source / Development Resources](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers) — https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers
Version and supported environment information is based on values confirmed on the official site as of 2026-10-18. Installation commands may vary depending on your distribution and version, so check the official installation documentation as well.

## Actual Execution Screenshot

Synthetic example — not an actual execution result. The screenshot is a synthetic example and is not an actual execution result.

![MCP Reference Filesystem Server Execution Example](https://games.aidebatehub.com/assets/servers-demo.png)

Server in actual operation

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Source (HTML): https://games.aidebatehub.com/programs/mcp/protocol/servers.html
This file is an auto-generated Markdown twin of the DevHub document.