Best for
- Legal-tech teams that need Word Track Changes and existing formatting preserved
- AI-agent workflows operating on local DOCX files
- Developers integrating document processing through the Python or TypeScript SDKs
A
55FMRS · C
The supplied materials identify Adeu as the official DOCX redlining MCP server maintained by the Adeu team. It uses stdio transport and offers a Node.js npm package plus a Python backend. Its main function is converting validated LLM text edits into native Word Track Changes while preserving document structure; file access, LLM data handling, and human review remain important operational responsibilities.
Adeu is an MCP server that translates DOCX documents to and from LLM-friendly Markdown and CriticMarkup. It validates text edits before applying them as native Word Track Changes while preserving existing formatting, layouts, complex XML, and comments as described in the source material. It provides Python and Node.js implementations and is licensed under MIT.
Tools
read_docx
Reads a DOCX document and returns an LLM-friendly clean-text or CriticMarkup view, with search and page filters.
process_document_batch
Validates and applies a batch of text modifications, or accepts, rejects, and replies to existing tracked changes and comments by ID.
finalize_document
Removes document metadata, author names, and internal tracking IDs; it can also lock the document as read-only for distribution.
Setup
For the Node.js MCP backend, add the supplied configuration to an MCP-capable client and run npx -y @adeu/mcp-server. The Python backend can be run with uvx --from adeu adeu-server; the Python backend is required for live Microsoft Word integration on Windows. Gemini CLI supports gemini extensions install https://github.com/dealfluence/adeu. Claude Desktop can also install the Adeu.mcpb extension from GitHub Releases.
claude_desktop_config.json
{"mcpServers":{"adeu":{"command":"npx","args":["-y","@adeu/mcp-server"]}}}
Fit and risk
Not for
- Simple DOCX generation from scratch
- Plain-text editing where Word redlining and XML preservation are unnecessary
- Users seeking Adeu Cloud email-fetching features without connecting to Adeu Cloud
Required permissions
- Read access to user-selected DOCX files
- Write access to save edited or finalized documents
- Windows, Microsoft Word, and the Python backend for live Word integration
- The selected LLM provider may process document text read by the agent
Risks and side effects
- Broad or ambiguous matches can produce unintended edits; the engine blocks ambiguous matches and invalid structural changes
- AI-generated edits may still conflict with legal or business intent and require human review
- Document contents are processed by the chosen LLM provider, so sensitive files require policy review
- Finalization can change metadata and editing protection, so the target file should be confirmed first
Troubleshooting
- Confirm that the MCP client uses stdio configuration and that npx or uvx is available
- Use @adeu/mcp-server for Node.js; use the Python adeu-server backend for live Word integration on Windows
- If an edit is not applied, check that the target text is unique and the structural change is valid; ambiguous matches are blocked
- Verify that the relevant client extension or plugin is installed and that the DOCX path is correct
- Before distribution, verify finalize_document metadata scrubbing and protection-mode settings
Use cases
AI review and redlining of contracts and legal documents
Extracting DOCX text to Markdown for RAG or prompting
Applying batches of tracked text changes
Generating visual diffs between DOCX versions
Scrubbing metadata before distribution
Supported clients
Claude DesktopFull support
Gemini CLIFull support
Claude CodeFull support
CursorFull support
WindsurfFull support
VS Code CopilotFull support