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Custom MCP Server: Give ChatGPT Direct Access to Your Local Files

GitHub: https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/chatgpt-custom-mcp-for-local-files

Stop uploading files to ChatGPT. This MCP server lets ChatGPT read files directly from your machine via Cloudflare Tunnel.

What It Does

  • ChatGPT can list, search, and read files from a folder on your computer
  • Files stay local - fetched on-demand, not uploaded
  • Always current - no stale copies
  • Complete file access for complete context- not RAG chunks

How It's Different

vs Manual Upload:

  • Files fetched on-demand, not stored in ChatGPT Projects
  • Automatic updates when files change (with fswatch from work folder to server folder)
  • No size limits or re-uploads

vs RAG/Vector Search:

  • Complete files, not chunks
  • Direct file system access
  • Slightly longer search times, but, context is still king.
  • Simple tracking of tool calls, can see exactly which files were read.

Why I Built This

Tired of:

  • Re-uploading files every time they change
  • Copy-pasting code snippets constantly
  • ChatGPT working with outdated versions
  • ChatGPT doesn't have full files context.

Now ChatGPT queries my local folder directly. When code updates, ChatGPT sees it immediately.

Tech Stack

  • Python + FastAPI (MCP server)
  • OAuth 2.0 with dynamic client registration
  • Cloudflare Tunnel (free tier)
  • systemd for background services

Setup Time

~30 minutes. You need:

  • Python 3.8+
  • A domain (managed by Cloudflare)
  • ChatGPT Plus/Pro

Full docs in the repo: installation, troubleshooting, security guidelines.

Example Usage

"List all Python files in my project"
"Read auth.py and check for security issues"
"Search for files containing 'database connection'"

ChatGPT explores your codebase like a developer would.

Note on Data

File contents are sent to OpenAI for processing (same as manual upload). Difference: files are fetched on-demand, not pre-uploaded or stored in Projects.


Open source (MIT). No support provided - it's a side project, but docs are comprehensive.

Tags: #chatgpt #mcp #python #ai #devtools

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