Astrax MCP Gives AI Agents Screen and System Controls

Summary

Astrax is an open-source Python server based on the Model Context Protocol that gives compatible AI clients access to screen viewing, mouse and keyboard control, clipboard operations, and shell commands. It supports Claude Desktop, Roo Code, Cline, Cursor, Windsurf, Gemini CLI, OpenCode, and other MCP clients using stdio, and can work with local Ollama models or commercial APIs such as Claude and Gemini. Its installer detects supported clients and registers the server while preserving other MCP entries, creating a dated backup and writing changes atomically. For complex requests, Astrax stores an ordered plan in a local state file and exposes only the current step, the next step, and saved data instead of repeatedly sending the full conversation and old screenshots to the model. Each task declares its required permissions before execution, asks for one user authorization, and can revoke access when the task finishes or becomes blocked. The system limits saved data, removes temporary captures at completion, and blocks a task after three failures on one step. Safety controls include screen-bound checks, a mouse-corner fail-safe, destructive-command pattern blocking, and restricted local storage, although the project states that terminal access is not a sandbox. Windows works without extra configuration; macOS requires Screen Recording and Accessibility permissions, while Linux support targets X11. The repository includes tests and an installer, and describes the project as open source.