dt-mcp

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for DEVONthink, enabling AI assistants like Claude to interact with your DEVONthink databases. The most excellent DEVONthink application version 4 does have a 'chat' feature that permits one to interact with an LLM, so why an MCP then? Quick overview:

dt-mcp vs DEVONthink Built-in Chat

| Aspect | dt-mcp | DEVONthink Chat | |--------|--------|-----------------| | Integration | External via MCP protocol | Native in DEVONthink UI | | LLM Provider | Any MCP client (Claude, etc.) | OpenAI API or local LLMs | | Scope | Programmatic access to all DT operations | Conversation about documents | | Actions | Can create, move, tag, search, modify records | Read-only Q&A about content |

dt-mcp Pros

Model flexibility - Use Claude, GPT-4, local models, any MCP-compatible client
Write operations - Create records, set tags, move files, not just read
Automation - Chain operations, batch processing, integrate into workflows
Context sharing - AI assistant can access DT data alongside other tools/files
Extensible - Add custom tools as needed

dt-mcp Cons

Setup complexity - Requires MCP client configuration
No native UI - Operates through external chat interface
Requires running server - Additional process to manage

DEVONthink Chat Pros

Zero setup - Built into the app
Tight UI integration - Select documents, chat in sidebar
Document focus - Optimized for discussing specific documents

DEVONthink Chat Cons

Read-only - Cannot modify database through chat
Limited to OpenAI/local - No Claude or other providers
Siloed - Can't combine with other data sources in one conversation
No automation - Pure conversational, no programmatic control

Examples

Using Tools

You can call tools directly by name:

"Call list_databases"

Or simply use natural language - the AI will determine which tool to use:

"What databases do I have?"

Both achieve the same result. The AI interprets your intent and calls the appropriate dt-mcp tool automatically.

Simple interactions

Find and summarize recent notes

Search your database for notes on a topic and get a quick summary. Assume the database is called 'projects'

"Search projects for notes about 'project planning' and summarize the key points."

Create a meeting note

Quickly capture meeting notes directly into DEVONthink with proper tagging.

"Create a new markdown note in DEVONthink called 'Team Sync 2024-12-24' with tags 'meetings' and 'work'. Include these discussion points: budget review, Q1 goals, hiring timeline."

Analyze selected document

Work with whatever document you currently have selected in DEVONthink.

"Look at my currently selected document in DEVONthink and extract all action items or tasks mentioned."

Cross-Tool Examples

Import project documentation

Scan a codebase and import relevant docs into DEVONthink.

"Find all README and markdown files in ~/Projects/myapp and import them into my 'Development' database in DEVONthink."

Research with web + archive

Combine live web search with your personal knowledge base.

"Search the web for 'Swift concurrency best practices' and also check what I have in DEVONthink on this topic. Compare the findings."

Export for version control

Pull content from DEVONthink into your project.

"Get the API specification document from DEVONthink and save it as docs/api-spec.md in my current project."

Patent prior art search

When an engineer has a new idea, check it against your patent database for potential conflicts.

"I have an idea for a 'wireless charging system that uses resonant inductive coupling with automatic frequency tuning to optimize power transfer based on device distance.' Search my 'patents & ip' database for similar patents and tell me if this concept appears to already be covered."

The AI will search your patent database, use DEVONthink's "see also" to find conceptually similar documents, analyze matching patents, and flag potential prior art.

Features

Database Operations: List databases, search records, navigate groups
Record Management: Create, read, update, and organize records
Content Access: Get record content in plain text, Markdown, or HTML
AI Features: Classify documents, find similar records, summarize, concordance
Web Capture: Create bookmarks, download web pages as archives or Markdown
Metadata: Tags, labels, ratings, custom metadata, reminders
Links: Item links, incoming/outgoing references

Requirements

macOS 14.0 or later
DEVONthink 3 or DEVONthink 4
DEVONthink must be running when using the MCP server

Installation

Option 1: Download Pre-built Binary

I take it most have little appetite to compile the code, certainly if Xcode is not installed. So therefore this binary. It is notarized by Apple so it should run without warnings.

Download the latest release from the Releases page

If you want, verify the download:

shasum -a 256 -c dt-mcp-vX.Y.Z-macos.zip.sha256

Unzip and move dt-mcp to a permanent location, e.g., /usr/local/bin/ or ~/.local/bin/

Option 2: Build from Source

Requires Xcode Command Line Tools or Xcode with Swift 5.9+.

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/Intellecy-Inc/dt-mcp.git
cd dt-mcp

# Build release binary
swift build -c release

# Binary location: .build/release/dt-mcp

Configuration

Claude Code

Add to your project's .mcp.json or global ~/.claude/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dt-mcp": {
      "command": "/path/to/dt-mcp"
    }
  }
}

Then restart Claude Code or run /mcp to reload servers.

Claude Desktop

Add to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dt-mcp": {
      "command": "/path/to/dt-mcp"
    }
  }
}

Available Tools in dt-mcp

Database & Navigation

| Tool | Description | |------|-------------| | list_databases | List all open DEVONthink databases | | search | Search records with optional database filter | | get_record | Get record metadata by UUID | | get_record_content | Get record content (plain/markdown/html) | | get_record_children | Get children of a group | | get_selection | Get currently selected records |

Record Management

| Tool | Description | |------|-------------| | create_record | Create a new record | | create_group | Create a new group | | update_record | Update record properties | | move_record | Move record to another group | | delete_record | Move record to trash | | duplicate_record | Duplicate a record | | replicate_record | Create a replicant |

Tags & Metadata

| Tool | Description | |------|-------------| | get_tags | Get all tags in a database | | set_record_tags | Set tags (replaces existing) | | add_record_tags | Add tags to a record | | remove_record_tags | Remove tags from a record | | get_custom_metadata | Get custom metadata | | set_custom_metadata | Set custom metadata |

AI Features

| Tool | Description | |------|-------------| | classify | Get classification suggestions | | see_also | Find similar records | | summarize | Get document summary | | get_concordance | Get word concordance |

Web Operations

| Tool | Description | |------|-------------| | create_bookmark | Create a bookmark | | download_url | Download URL as web archive | | download_markdown | Download URL as Markdown |

Links & References

| Tool | Description | |------|-------------| | get_item_url | Get x-devonthink-item:// URL | | get_incoming_links | Get incoming references | | get_outgoing_links | Get outgoing references |

Database Operations

| Tool | Description | |------|-------------| | get_database | Get database details | | open_database | Open a database file | | close_database | Close a database | | verify_database | Verify database integrity | | optimize_database | Optimize database |

Import/Export & OCR

| Tool | Description | |------|-------------| | import_file | Import a file into DEVONthink | | export_record | Export record to filesystem | | ocr_file | OCR a file and import | | convert_to_searchable_pdf | Convert to searchable PDF |

Windows & UI

| Tool | Description | |------|-------------| | get_windows | List open windows | | open_record | Open record in new tab | | open_window | Open new window | | get_current_record | Get currently viewed record |

Other

| Tool | Description | |------|-------------| | get_reminders | Get record reminders | | set_reminder | Set a reminder | | clear_reminder | Remove a reminder | | get_smart_groups | List smart groups | | get_smart_group_contents | Get smart group results | | get_trash | Get trash contents | | empty_trash | Empty database trash | | get_annotations | Get record annotations | | get_replicants | Get record parent locations | | get_duplicates | Find duplicate records |

Usage Examples

Once configured, you can ask Claude questions like:

"List my DEVONthink databases"
"Search for documents about machine learning"
"Show me the contents of [record name]"
"Create a new markdown note called 'Meeting Notes' in the Inbox"
"What tags are in my research database?"
"Find documents similar to this one"

Troubleshooting

Server not connecting

Ensure DEVONthink is running
Check the path in your MCP configuration is correct
Run /mcp in Claude Code to reload servers

Permission errors

DEVONthink may prompt for automation permission on first use
Grant permission in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Automation

macOS blocking the binary

Right-click the binary and select "Open"
Or: xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /path/to/dt-mcp

License

Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See LICENSE for details.

Disclaimer

This project is not affiliated with or endorsed by DEVONtechnologies, LLC. DEVONthink is a registered trademark of DEVONtechnologies.

MCP Servers