gws-mcp-server

MCP server that exposes Google Workspace CLI (gws) operations as Model Context Protocol tools.

Why?

The gws CLI had a built-in MCP server that was removed in v0.8.0 because it exposed 200-400 tools — causing context window bloat in MCP clients. This server takes a curated approach: you choose which Google services to expose, and only a focused set of high-value, narrowly scoped operations are registered as tools.

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• gws CLI installed and authenticated (npm install -g @googleworkspace/cli && gws auth login)

Quick start

# Install
npm install -g gws-mcp-server

# Or run from source
git clone https://github.com/conorbronsdon/gws-mcp-server.git
cd gws-mcp-server
npm install && npm run build

Configuration

Claude Code (.mcp.json)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "google-workspace": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "gws-mcp-server",
        "--services", "drive,sheets,calendar,docs,gmail"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop (claude_desktop_config.json)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "google-workspace": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "gws-mcp-server",
        "--services", "drive,sheets,calendar"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Options

Flag	Description	Default
--services, -s	Comma-separated list of services to expose	All services
--gws-path	Path to the gws binary	gws

Available services & tools

drive (8 tools)

• drive_files_list — Search and list files
• drive_files_get — Get file metadata
• drive_files_create — Create files (with optional upload)
• drive_files_copy — Copy files (useful for format conversion)
• drive_files_update — Update file metadata/content
• drive_files_delete — Delete files
• drive_files_export — Export Google Workspace files (Doc, Sheet, Slide) to other formats
• drive_permissions_create — Share files

sheets (4 tools)

• sheets_get — Get spreadsheet metadata
• sheets_values_get — Read cell values
• sheets_values_update — Write cell values
• sheets_values_append — Append rows

calendar (5 tools)

• calendar_events_list — List events
• calendar_events_get — Get event details
• calendar_events_insert — Create events
• calendar_events_update — Update events
• calendar_events_delete — Delete events

docs (3 tools)

• docs_get — Get document content
• docs_create — Create documents
• docs_batchUpdate — Apply document updates

gmail (4 tools)

• gmail_messages_list — Search messages
• gmail_messages_get — Read a message
• gmail_threads_list — Search threads
• gmail_threads_get — Read a full thread

Total: 24 tools (vs 200-400 in the old implementation)

Adding new tools

Edit src/services.ts to add tool definitions. Each tool maps directly to a gws CLI command:

{
  name: "drive_files_list",           // MCP tool name
  description: "List files in Drive", // Shown to AI
  command: ["drive", "files", "list"],// gws CLI args
  params: [                           // Maps to --params JSON
    { name: "q", description: "Search query", type: "string", required: false },
  ],
  bodyParams: [                       // Maps to --json body
    { name: "name", description: "File name", type: "string", required: true },
  ],
}

Architecture

MCP Client (Claude) ←→ stdio ←→ gws-mcp-server ←→ gws CLI ←→ Google APIs

The server is a thin wrapper: it translates MCP tool calls into gws CLI invocations, passes --params and --json as appropriate, and returns the JSON output.

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Disclaimer

All views, opinions, and statements expressed on this account are solely my own and are made in my personal capacity. They do not reflect, and should not be construed as reflecting, the views, positions, or policies of Modular. This account is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by Modular in any way.

License

MIT