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AI Assistant#

DockFlow can let AI apps such as Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, and Cursor read and arrange your presets on this Mac. It uses the Model Context Protocol (MCP) through a helper bundled inside DockFlow.

Assistants connect through a private channel on this Mac. They see your preset names, apps, folders, and DockFlow settings. Your license, Accessibility access, and launch at login stay in DockFlow.

Access#

Open Settings → AI Assistant.

  • Allow AI assistants — Opens the connection AI apps use. While it's off, they can't reach DockFlow. Off by default.
  • Allow Changes — Assistants can create, edit, delete, and apply presets and change DockFlow settings. When it's off, they can only read. Off by default.
  • Ask before big changes — DockFlow asks you before an assistant applies a preset (which can quit apps), deletes a preset, removes an item, changes settings, or moves the Dock. On by default.

If you allow changes and turn off Ask before big changes, DockFlow warns that assistants can apply presets and quit apps without asking.

Click Check Connection to test the connection.

Connect an AI app#

Turn on Allow AI assistants first, then set DockFlow up once in each AI app you use. The Connect an AI app section offers:

  • Claude Desktop — Click Install. DockFlow adds itself to Claude Desktop's configuration and keeps your other servers. Quit and reopen Claude Desktop afterwards.
  • Claude Code, Codex, and ChatGPT (Codex) — Click Copy Command and run the command in Terminal. Copy Removal gives you the command to remove it again.
  • Cursor and VS Code — Click Add to Cursor or Add to VS Code, then confirm in that app and start a new chat.
  • Other apps — Click Copy Configuration and add it as a local stdio MCP server.

Use the copy of DockFlow in your Applications folder. Other copies can't set up AI apps.

Assistant skill#

Assistant skill is optional. It teaches Claude Code or Codex how to use DockFlow's tools. It doesn't connect anything by itself. Click Install for Claude Code or Install for Codex, then start a new chat to load it.

What assistants can do#

With Allow Changes on, an assistant can:

  • List, read, create, rename, delete, and apply presets
  • Add, remove, reorder, and relabel items in a preset
  • Create and edit App Folders, and list their themes
  • Read and change which ExtraDock docks a preset shows
  • Read and change DockFlow settings
  • Read the current Dock
  • Move the Dock to its locked display
  • List and restore preset backups

Without Allow Changes, assistants can only read.

If an assistant changes a preset or App Folder while you have it open in DockFlow, the editor reloads to show the change.