Dropbox MCP Server

This is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that integrates with Dropbox. It exposes a set of Dropbox operations as MCP tools, allowing MCP-compatible clients to interact with Dropbox.

Tools

The following tools are available:

list_files

Lists files and folders in a Dropbox directory.

• Input:
  • path (string, optional): Path to the folder (defaults to root "")
• Output: JSON array of file and folder entries with metadata

upload_file

Upload a file to Dropbox.

• Input:
  • path (string, required): Path where the file should be uploaded (e.g., "/folder/file.txt")
  • content (string, required): Base64-encoded file content
• Output: Confirmation message with the file path

download_file

Download a file from Dropbox.

• Input:
  • path (string, required): Path to the file to download
• Output: Base64-encoded file content

delete_item

Delete a file or folder from Dropbox.

• Input:
  • path (string, required): Path to the file or folder to delete
• Output: Confirmation message with the deleted path

update_access_token

Update the Dropbox access token at runtime.

• Input:
  • token (string, required): New Dropbox access token
• Output: Confirmation message

Authentication

The server supports two methods of authentication:

1. Environment Variable: Set DROPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN in your environment
2. Runtime Update: Use the update_access_token tool to set or update the token

The server will automatically handle token validation and provide clear error messages if authentication fails.

Configuration

Environment Variables

• DROPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN (optional): A valid Dropbox access token
  • If not provided via environment, use the update_access_token tool

MCP Settings Configuration

Add the following to your MCP settings file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dropbox": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/dropbox-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "DROPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN": "your-token-here" // Optional
      }
    }
  }
}

Usage

1. Install the server by adding the MCP server configuration to your settings file

2. Provide authentication either through:

   • Setting the DROPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN environment variable, or
   • Using the update_access_token tool after starting the server

3. Start using the tools:

   // Example: List files in root directory
   await mcp.useTool("dropbox-mcp-server", "list_files", { path: "" });
   
   // Example: Upload a file
   await mcp.useTool("dropbox-mcp-server", "upload_file", {
     path: "/test.txt",
     content: Buffer.from("Hello World").toString("base64"),
   });

Error Handling

The server provides detailed error messages for common issues:

• Authentication failures (401 errors)
• Invalid paths or parameters (400 errors)
• Missing or expired tokens
• API rate limits or quotas
• Network connectivity issues

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues:

1. Check authentication:
   • Verify the access token is valid and not expired
   • Use update_access_token to set a new token if needed
2. Verify paths:
   • Paths should be properly formatted (e.g., "/folder/file.txt")
   • Root directory is represented by an empty string ""
3. Check file operations:
   • Ensure you have the necessary permissions
   • Verify base64 encoding/decoding for file content
4. Monitor server logs:
   • The server provides detailed error messages
   • Check response data for API-specific error details

Development

Built with:

• TypeScript
• Model Context Protocol SDK
• Axios for HTTP requests
• Dropbox API v2

License

MIT