docwriter

docwriter provides a set of MCP tools to create, modify, and compile LaTeX documents on the local filesystem. You can bootstrap new documents from templates such as simple_report, ieee_article, or research_report; update specific content blocks safely; perform simple search-and-replace operations; compile LaTeX into a PDF with bibliographies; and list available documents. For example, you can call docwriter_create_latex_document to generate a new .tex file from a chosen template and populate metadata like title and author. To adjust content, use docwriter_update_document_block to atomically modify multiple sections (e.g., abstract or introduction) while preserving the document structure and sanitizing input. If you need to make quick textual tweaks, docwriter_search_and_replace offers a sanitized global text replacement. When you’re ready to produce a final document, docwriter_compile_latex_to_pdf runs luaLaTeX with multiple passes, automatically runs biber for bibliographies, and returns logs for debugging. Finally, you can retrieve an inventory of documents with docwriter_list_latex_documents which scans the data directory for .tex files. These tools enable AI agents or automated workflows to manage the entire lifecycle of LaTeX documents locally.

Prerequisites:

• Node.js (>= 20.0.0) and npm
• A full TeX Live distribution (or MiKTeX) with luaLaTeX and biber available on PATH

Install from source:

1. Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/cyanheads/docwriter-mcp-server.git cd docwriter-mcp-server

2. Install dependencies: npm install

3. Build the project: npm run build

4. Run the server (example):

   • Ensure environment variables are set (see mcp_config env guidance)
   • Start the server (the exact command may depend on your build output): node dist/server.js

5. Optional: run tests or linters if provided in the repo as part of your workflow.

Environment and configuration tips:

• DOCWRITER_DATA_PATH is required for storing documents and PDFs; ensure the path is accessible and writable by the server process.
• If using HTTP transport, set MCP_HTTP_PORT and ensure your firewall allows access.
• For JWT authentication, MCP_AUTH_MODE should be set to jwt and MCP_AUTH_SECRET_KEY must be defined with a secure secret (min 32 chars).
• For OAuth mode, provide OAUTH_ISSUER_URL and OAUTH_AUDIENCE as part of the correct flow.
• The server compiles LaTeX documents via luaLaTeX and runs biber automatically; ensure these tools are in the system PATH and compatible with your templates.
• Template names supported: simple_report, ieee_article, research_report. Metadata population occurs during document creation.
• If you encounter template or path-related issues, verify file permissions and the data directory structure under DOCWRITER_DATA_PATH.