Adds an optional MCP server (proprietary module) that exposes Stirling's PDF operations and AI capabilities to MCP clients. Off by default, zero footprint when disabled. ### What - New `/mcp` endpoint: streamable-HTTP + JSON-RPC 2.0; 8 tools (describe_operation, pages/convert/misc/security category tools, AI, upload, download). - Runs real operations over an internal loopback; results returned inline as base64 (small) or by fileId (large). ### Auth (two modes) - OAuth2 resource server: RFC 9728 protected-resource metadata, RFC 8707 audience binding, JWKS, `mcp.tools.read/write` scopes; binds each token to a provisioned Stirling account. - API-key mode: reuses Stirling per-user `X-API-KEY` (no IdP needed). ### Security - Per-user file ownership in FileStorage: async/queued writes scoped to the submitting user; legacy/owner-less files stay readable. - Admin allow/block list controls which operations are exposed. - Python engine gated behind a shared secret (`X-Engine-Auth`). - MCP filter chain is isolated and cannot weaken the main app's security. - Hardened: no upstream error-body leakage, log injection sanitized, fileId path/sidecar enumeration blocked. ### Config / footprint - Disabled by default (`mcp.enabled=false`); all beans `@ConditionalOnProperty`. --- ## Checklist ### General - [ ] I have read the [Contribution Guidelines](https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) - [ ] I have read the [Stirling-PDF Developer Guide](https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/blob/main/DeveloperGuide.md) (if applicable) - [ ] I have read the [How to add new languages to Stirling-PDF](https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/blob/main/devGuide/HowToAddNewLanguage.md) (if applicable) - [ ] I have performed a self-review of my own code - [ ] My changes generate no new warnings ### Documentation - [ ] I have updated relevant docs on [Stirling-PDF's doc repo](https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-Tools.github.io/blob/main/docs/) (if functionality has heavily changed) - [ ] I have read the section [Add New Translation Tags](https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/blob/main/devGuide/HowToAddNewLanguage.md#add-new-translation-tags) (for new translation tags only) ### Translations (if applicable) - [ ] I ran [`scripts/counter_translation.py`](https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/blob/main/docs/counter_translation.md) ### UI Changes (if applicable) - [ ] Screenshots or videos demonstrating the UI changes are attached (e.g., as comments or direct attachments in the PR) ### Testing (if applicable) - [ ] I have run `task check` to verify linters, typechecks, and tests pass - [ ] I have tested my changes locally. Refer to the [Testing Guide](https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/blob/main/DeveloperGuide.md#7-testing) for more details.
Frontend
All frontend commands are run from the repository root using Task:
task frontend:dev— start Vite dev server (localhost:5173)task frontend:build— production buildtask frontend:test— run teststask frontend:test:watch— run tests in watch modetask frontend:lint— run ESLint + cycle detectiontask frontend:typecheck— run TypeScript type checkingtask frontend:check— run typecheck + lint + testtask frontend:install— install npm dependencies
For desktop app development, see the Tauri section below.
Layout
frontend/ is a workspace containing one or more apps. Today it holds the
PDF editor under frontend/editor/; new apps (the developer portal, etc.)
will sit alongside it as siblings. Shared tooling — package.json, node_modules,
.storybook/, ESLint, Prettier — lives at frontend/ so every app installs
once and lints with the same config.
Environment Variables
The editor's environment variables live in committed .env files at
frontend/editor/:
.env— used by all builds (core, proprietary, and as the base for desktop/SaaS).env.desktop— additional vars loaded in desktop (Tauri) mode.env.saas— additional vars loaded in SaaS mode
These files contain non-secret defaults and are checked into Git, so most dev work needs no further setup.
To override values locally (API keys, machine-specific settings), create an uncommitted sibling editor/.env.local / editor/.env.desktop.local / editor/.env.saas.local. Vite automatically layers these on top of the committed files.
Docker Setup
For Docker deployments and configuration, see the Docker README.
Tauri
All desktop tasks are available via Task. From the root of the repo:
Dev
task desktop:dev
This ensures the JLink runtime and backend JAR exist (skipping if already built), then starts Tauri in dev mode.
Build
task desktop:build
This does a full clean rebuild of the backend JAR and JLink runtime, then builds the Tauri app for production.
Platform-specific dev builds are also available:
task desktop:build:dev # No bundling
task desktop:build:dev:mac # macOS .app bundle
task desktop:build:dev:windows # Windows NSIS installer
task desktop:build:dev:linux # Linux AppImage
JLink Tasks
You can also run JLink steps individually:
task desktop:jlink # Build JAR + create JLink runtime
task desktop:jlink:jar # Build backend JAR only
task desktop:jlink:runtime # Create JLink custom JRE only
task desktop:jlink:clean # Remove JLink artifacts
Clean
task desktop:clean
Removes all desktop build artifacts including JLink runtime, bundled JARs, Cargo build, and dist/build directories.