ext-apps/examples/pdf-server/plugin/README.md
Bryan Thompson 3de035dc8d
Add MCPB packaging and Claude Code plugin for pdf-server (#491)
* Add MCPB packaging and Claude Code plugin for pdf-server

Two distribution paths for the pdf-server:

1. **MCPB bundle** (Claude Desktop MCP Directory):
   - manifest.json: v0.3 manifest with tools, compatibility, privacy
   - .mcpbignore: excludes source/tests from bundle
   - icon.png: 64x64 PDF document icon

2. **Claude Code plugin** (plugin/):
   - .mcp.json: declares local stdio server via npx
   - commands: /pdf-research:read, /pdf-research:summarize
   - skills: pdf-reading skill for document navigation
   - Tested end-to-end: MCP server connects, all tools available

The plugin uses a local stdio MCP server pattern — the first known
instance in a knowledge-work plugin (all existing plugins use remote
HTTP connectors).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

* Run prettier:fix to satisfy CI formatting checks

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

---------

Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-02-24 00:51:43 +00:00

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1.4 KiB
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# PDF Research Plugin
Read and analyze PDF documents using a local MCP server. Designed for
academic paper review, document analysis, and research workflows.
## What It Does
- **Open PDFs** from local files, arXiv, bioRxiv, and other academic sources
- **Interactive viewer** with search, navigation, and zoom
- **AI-powered analysis** -- summarize, extract key points, compare papers
## Commands
| Command | What it does |
| ------------------------- | ---------------------- |
| `/pdf-research:read` | Open a PDF for reading |
| `/pdf-research:summarize` | Summarize a document |
## How It Works
This plugin uses a **local MCP server** (`@modelcontextprotocol/server-pdf`)
that runs on your machine via `npx`. No API keys or remote services needed --
the PDF server starts automatically when the plugin loads.
This is different from other knowledge-work plugins which use remote HTTP
connectors. The local server pattern enables offline PDF access and avoids
the need for a remote deployment.
## Requirements
- Node.js >= 18
- Internet for remote PDFs (arXiv, etc.)
## Supported PDF Sources
- Local files (file paths in your working directory)
- [arXiv](https://arxiv.org) papers
- [bioRxiv](https://biorxiv.org) / [medRxiv](https://medrxiv.org) preprints
- [chemRxiv](https://chemrxiv.org), [Zenodo](https://zenodo.org), [OSF](https://osf.io)
- [HAL Science](https://hal.science), [SSRN](https://ssrn.com)