> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Tools Overview

> Complete reference for all Desktop Commander tools and capabilities

# Desktop Commander Tools

Desktop Commander provides Claude with a comprehensive set of tools to work with your computer. These tools are organized into categories based on their functionality.

## Tool Categories

> **[File Operations](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/file-operations.md)**
>
> Read, write, edit, and manage individual files with precision

> **[Directory Management](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/directory-management.md)**
>
> Create, list, and organize directories and folder structures

> **[Search & Discovery](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/search-tools.md)**
>
> Find files by name or search content across your codebase

> **[Process Management](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/process-management.md)**
>
> Run commands, execute code, and manage terminal sessions

> **[System Tools](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/system-tools.md)**
>
> Configure security, monitor usage, and manage system settings

## File Operations

Work with individual files - read content, make changes, and manage file data:

| Tool | Purpose | Best For |
| - | - | - |
| [read\_file](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/file-operations/read-file.md) | Read file contents with optional range selection | Viewing code, documents, logs |
| [write\_file](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/file-operations/write-file.md) | Create new files or completely rewrite existing ones | Creating new files, replacing content |
| [edit\_block](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/file-operations/edit-block.md) | Make precise changes to specific parts of files | Code fixes, targeted edits |
| [read\_multiple\_files](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/file-operations/read-multiple-files.md) | Read several files at once | Comparing files, batch processing |
| [move\_file](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/file-operations/move-file.md) | Move or rename files and directories | File organization, renaming |
| [get\_file\_info](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/file-operations/get-file-info.md) | Get detailed metadata about files | File analysis, debugging |

## Directory Management

Create and explore directory structures:

| Tool | Purpose | Best For |
| - | - | - |
| [list\_directory](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/directory-management/list-directory.md) | Show all files and folders in a directory | Exploring project structure |
| [create\_directory](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/directory-management/create-directory.md) | Create new directories with nested paths | Setting up project folders |

## Search & Discovery

Find files and content across your system:

| Tool | Purpose | Best For |
| - | - | - |
| [search\_files](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/search/search-files.md) | Find files by name using pattern matching | Locating specific files |
| [search\_code](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/search/search-code.md) | Search for text content within files | Code search, content discovery |

## Process Management

Execute commands and manage terminal sessions:

| Tool | Purpose | Best For |
| - | - | - |
| [start\_process](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/process-management/start-process.md) | Start new terminal sessions or commands | Running scripts, starting REPL |
| [interact\_with\_process](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/process-management/interact-with-process.md) | Send input to running processes | REPL interaction, command input |
| [read\_process\_output](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/process-management/read-process-output.md) | Read output from running processes | Getting command results |
| [force\_terminate](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/process-management/force-terminate.md) | Stop running terminal sessions | Cleaning up processes |
| [list\_sessions](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/process-management/list-sessions.md) | Show all active terminal sessions | Process monitoring |

## System Tools

Configure and monitor Desktop Commander:

| Tool | Purpose | Best For |
| - | - | - |
| [get\_config](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/system/get-config.md) | View current configuration settings | Understanding setup |
| [set\_config\_value](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/system/set-config-value.md) | Modify configuration settings | Customizing security |
| [list\_processes](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/system/list-processes.md) | Show all running system processes | System monitoring |
| [kill\_process](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/system/kill-process.md) | Terminate specific processes by ID | Process cleanup |
| [get\_usage\_stats](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/system/get-usage-stats.md) | View usage statistics and metrics | Usage analysis |

## Security Features

Desktop Commander includes several security mechanisms:

> **Command Blocking**
>
> Dangerous system commands are blocked by default (like `rm -rf`, `format`, `shutdown`)

> **Directory Restrictions**
>
> You can limit file access to specific directories for enhanced security

> **Process Isolation**
>
> Each terminal session runs in isolation to prevent interference

> **Configurable Permissions**
>
> Customize security settings to match your comfort level and requirements

## Tool Usage Patterns

### For Beginners

Start with these safe, simple tools:

1. `list_directory` - Explore your file system
2. `read_file` - View file contents
3. `search_files` - Find files by name
4. `get_config` - Understand your settings

### For Data Analysis

Essential tools for working with data:

1. `read_file` - Load CSV/JSON files
2. `start_process` - Launch Python/R sessions
3. `interact_with_process` - Run analysis code
4. `write_file` - Save results and reports

### For Development

Key tools for coding workflows:

1. `search_code` - Find code patterns
2. `edit_block` - Make precise code changes
3. `read_multiple_files` - Compare implementations
4. `start_process` - Run tests and builds

### For File Management

Organize your files efficiently:

1. `list_directory` - Survey folder contents
2. `move_file` - Reorganize and rename
3. `create_directory` - Set up folder structures
4. `search_files` - Find misplaced files

## Performance Tips

> [!TIP]
>
> Desktop Commander works best with operations broken into smaller chunks. For large files or complex tasks, Claude will automatically handle this for you.

> [!TIP]
>
> Always use absolute paths (like `/Users/username/Documents/file.txt`) rather than relative paths for reliability across different working directories.

> [!TIP]
>
> Keep terminal sessions active for interactive work. You can maintain multiple sessions for different tasks simultaneously.

## Next Steps

> **Detailed Tool Docs**
>
> Explore detailed documentation for each tool category

> **[Use Case Examples](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/use-cases/overview.md)**
>
> See practical examples of combining multiple tools

> **[Security Configuration](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/tools/system/get-config.md)**
>
> Learn how to customize your security settings

> **[Troubleshooting](https://desktopcommander.mintlify.site/support/troubleshooting.md)**
>
> Get help with common issues and questions


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.