Use Foldr with llm (Simon Willison) (MCP)
Simon Willison's `llm` is the beloved Python-based CLI for chatting with any LLM from the terminal, with plugins for every major provider. The `llm-mcp` plugin wires in MCP servers as tools. Combined with Foldr, you can pipe any file into `llm` and have it respond with an uploaded URL - a one-liner replacement for ad-hoc curl scripts.
Installation
Add the Foldr MCP server to llm (Simon Willison) with the snippet below. Replace fs_… with an API key from foldr.space/developers/signup. Each upload costs 5¢ - top up account credits or subscribe to Pro tier to bypass per-call charges.
llm install llm-mcp llm mcp add foldr \ --command "npx -y @foldr/mcp-server" \ --env FOLDR_API_KEY=fs_live_...
Setup tip: Use `llm -T foldr "Upload this file"` to invoke the server from a chat turn.
Official llm (Simon Willison) MCP docsWhat You Can Do
- Upload any file from llm (Simon Willison) to Foldr and get a permanent shareable URL back in the same turn (5¢ per upload, debited from credits)
- Mint short-lived capability tokens to share files with downstream agents without leaking your API key
- Organize uploads into per-API-key folders with hierarchical structure
- Shorten long URLs to foldr.space/s/... links - free with any API key
- Hand off build artifacts, screenshots, and logs to a URL without leaving your editor
llm (Simon Willison) + Foldr FAQ
How do I install the Foldr MCP server in llm (Simon Willison)?
Open llm (Simon Willison)'s MCP configuration (the CLI) and paste the config block shown above. Set FOLDR_API_KEY to a key you create at foldr.space/developers/signup. Restart llm (Simon Willison) if it doesn't hot-reload.
How much does it cost to use Foldr from llm (Simon Willison)?
Each upload costs 5¢. You can pay by topping up account credits via the `top_up_credits` MCP tool (min $5) - every upload then debits from balance. Or subscribe to Pro tier ($25/mo) and per-call charges are bypassed entirely. Tools that don't write data (list_files, mint_capability, get_usage, etc.) are free.
I set the key but llm (Simon Willison) says the Foldr tool isn't available - what's wrong?
Three common causes: (1) llm (Simon Willison) wasn't restarted after editing the config - most MCP hosts need a restart to pick up new servers. (2) The API key is wrong or missing - verify the env var name your client reads (e.g. FOLDR_API_KEY) matches the config snippet above. (3) Your client doesn't support the streamable-http transport - most modern clients do, but check llm (Simon Willison)'s docs for the version that added MCP support.
Can llm (Simon Willison) upload files directly to Foldr, or just generate URLs?
llm (Simon Willison) can do both. The MCP server exposes tools for `upload_file` (base64-encoded file content), `bulk_upload` (up to 20 files in one call), `mint_capability` (short-lived shareable links), and `create_short_url`. Any file llm (Simon Willison) can read from disk can be uploaded.
Is the Foldr MCP integration with llm (Simon Willison) production-ready?
Foldr's MCP server is stable and used in production - streamable-http transport at https://foldr.space/api/mcp with 23 tools. llm (Simon Willison)'s MCP support is currently community-maintained - check the upstream repo for current status. Every write endpoint accepts an Idempotency-Key so retries are safe.
Related MCP Integrations
Connect llm (Simon Willison) to Foldr in under a minute
Grab an API key, paste the snippet above into llm (Simon Willison)'s MCP config, top up credits (or grab a Pro subscription), and your agent can upload files and mint share links immediately.