Bash Script Installation (macOS)

One-command installation for macOS users with automatic setup

Bash Script Installation (macOS)

For macOS users, we provide a convenient bash script that handles the entire installation process automatically, including Node.js installation if needed.

One-Command Installation

The easiest way to install Desktop Commander on macOS:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP/refs/heads/main/install.sh | bash

Only run scripts from trusted sources. You can review the installation script at the GitHub repository before running it.

What the Script Does

The bash installer automatically handles:

Prerequisites Check

Verifies system requirements and installs missing components

Node.js Installation

Installs Node.js using Homebrew if not already present

Desktop Commander Setup

Downloads and configures Desktop Commander with optimal settings

Claude Integration

Automatically updates your Claude Desktop configuration

Prerequisites

The script will check for and install if needed:

• Claude Desktop (you should install this manually first)
• Claude Pro or Max subscription (required for Desktop Commander)
• Homebrew (installed automatically if missing)
• Node.js (installed via Homebrew if missing)

Installation Process

1. Open Terminal

   Press Cmd + Space, type “Terminal”, and press Enter

2. Run Installation Command

   Copy and paste the installation command:

   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP/refs/heads/main/install.sh | bash
   
3. Follow Interactive Prompts

   The script will guide you through:

   • System requirements check
   • Component installation confirmations
   • Security settings selection
   • Configuration verification
4. Restart Claude Desktop

   Close Claude Desktop completely and reopen it

Script Output Example

Here’s what you’ll see during installation:

🍎 Desktop Commander macOS Installer
=====================================

🔍 Checking system requirements...
✓ macOS detected (version 14.0)
✓ Claude Desktop found
⚠ Node.js not found - will install via Homebrew

🍺 Installing Homebrew (this may take a few minutes)...
✓ Homebrew installed successfully

📦 Installing Node.js...
✓ Node.js v20.10.0 installed

🚀 Installing Desktop Commander...
✓ Downloaded Desktop Commander MCP
✓ Updated Claude Desktop configuration
✓ Security settings configured

🎉 Installation completed successfully!

Next steps:
1. Restart Claude Desktop
2. Test with: "Can you list files in my Documents folder?"

Configuration saved to: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

What Gets Installed

The bash script installs and configures:

System Components

• Homebrew (if not already installed)
• Node.js (via Homebrew if not present)
• Desktop Commander (latest stable version)

Configuration Files

• Claude Desktop config updated with Desktop Commander settings
• Security defaults configured for safe usage
• Auto-update enabled for future versions

Default Security Settings

• Directory access: Limited to home directory and common work folders
• Command blocking: Dangerous system commands blocked by default
• Process isolation: Each terminal session runs separately

Customizing the Installation

Security Levels

The script offers different security configurations:

🔒 Choose security level:
1. Strict (home directory only) - Recommended for beginners
2. Moderate (common work directories) - Good for most users  
3. Relaxed (full system access) - Advanced users only

Select option (1-3): 1

Installation Location

Default locations work for most users, but you can customize:

📁 Configuration locations:
Claude config: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Desktop Commander: Managed by npm

Use default locations? (Y/n): Y

Intel vs Apple Silicon Macs

The script works on both architectures:

Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3)

Homebrew Location: /opt/homebrew

Node.js: Native ARM64 binaries for optimal performance

Compatibility: Full native support, no Rosetta required

Performance: Excellent performance with native ARM64 compilation

Intel Macs

Homebrew Location: /usr/local

Node.js: x86_64 binaries with full compatibility

Compatibility: Complete support for all features

Performance: Good performance with mature x86_64 optimization

Manual Review of Script (Recommended)

Before running the script, you can review it:

# Download and review the script first
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP/refs/heads/main/install.sh > install.sh

# Review the contents
cat install.sh

# Run after review
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

Script Safety Features

The installation script includes several safety measures:

Permission Checks

• Never requests or uses sudo unnecessarily
• Validates file permissions before making changes
• Creates backups of existing configurations
• Provides rollback options if installation fails

Error Handling

• Comprehensive error checking at each step
• Automatic cleanup on installation failure
• Clear error messages with suggested solutions
• Graceful handling of network interruptions

System Integrity

• No modification of system files
• User-space installation only
• Preserves existing configurations when possible
• Easy uninstallation process

Troubleshooting Bash Installation

Homebrew installation fails

This can happen on systems with restrictions:

1. Check your internet connection
2. Ensure you have admin privileges (for Homebrew)
3. Try installing Homebrew manually first
4. Check for corporate firewall restrictions

Node.js installation fails

If Node.js installation via Homebrew fails:

1. Update Homebrew: brew update
2. Try manual Node.js installation from nodejs.org
3. Check available disk space
4. Restart terminal after installation

Claude configuration not found

The script expects Claude Desktop to be installed:

1. Install Claude Desktop from claude.ai/download
2. Run Claude Desktop at least once to create config
3. Verify config location: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/
4. Check for non-standard Claude installation paths

Permission denied errors

Usually related to file permissions:

1. Ensure you own your home directory files
2. Don’t run the script with sudo
3. Check Claude Desktop app permissions
4. Verify disk permissions with Disk Utility

Post-Installation Verification

After running the bash installer:

1. Verify Node.js

   node --version
   npm --version
   

   Should show version numbers for both

2. Check Claude Configuration

   cat ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
   

   Should contain Desktop Commander configuration

3. Test Desktop Commander

   Open Claude Desktop and try:

   Can you show me what's in my Documents folder?
   

Updating via Bash Script

The bash script can also be used for updates:

# Run with update flag
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP/refs/heads/main/install.sh | bash -s -- --update

This will:

• Update Desktop Commander to the latest version
• Preserve your existing configuration
• Update system dependencies if needed
• Verify the update was successful

Comparison with Other Methods

Feature	Bash Script	Smithery	NPX
macOS Optimization	Excellent	Good	Good
Homebrew Integration	Yes	No	No
Node.js Auto-Install	Yes	No	No
One Command Setup	Yes	Yes	No
System Integration	Excellent	Good	Basic

Next Steps

Quick Start

Learn how to use Desktop Commander with practical examples

Security Settings

Review and customize your security configuration

macOS Tips

Discover macOS-specific use cases and workflows

Community

Join other macOS users in our Discord community