# Plist Json Converter — MCP tool `findutils:plist_json_converter`

Convert an Apple property list (Info.plist, preferences, .mobileconfig, entitlements) to JSON, or JSON to an XML plist. Reads XML plists and binary bplist00 files; binary input is passed as base64 with input_encoding "base64". plist-to-json maps dict to object, array to array, integer and real to numbers, true/false to booleans, <date> to an ISO 8601 string and <data> to a base64 string, and lists every date and data path in warnings so the conversion is explainable. Integers beyond JavaScript's safe range are kept as strings. json-to-plist writes an XML plist 1.0 with the Apple DOCTYPE and tab indentation (binary output is not produced): whole numbers become <integer> unless written with a decimal point, ISO 8601 UTC strings become <date> (iso_strings_as_dates), strings starting with data_prefix become <data>, and null is refused because plists have no null. mode is detected when omitted: a leading "{" or "[" is JSON, "<" is an XML plist, and "bplist" bytes are binary. Signed profiles and OpenStep-style plists are refused with a reason.

- Category: data
- MCP server: https://mcp.findutils.com/ (Streamable HTTP, no API keys, 120 req/min per IP)
- REST endpoint: POST https://api.findutils.com/api/tools/plist-json-converter/execute (no API keys, 60 req/min per IP)
- Reference page: https://findutils.com/mcp/plist-json-converter/
- Same tool on the other surface: https://findutils.com/api/plist-json-converter/

## Connect

```bash
claude mcp add findutils --transport http https://mcp.findutils.com/
```

Claude Desktop (`claude_desktop_config.json`):

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "findutils": {
      "url": "https://mcp.findutils.com/"
    }
  }
}
```

## Call the tool (verified example)

```bash
curl -X POST https://mcp.findutils.com/ \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
    "id": 1,
    "method": "tools/call",
    "params": {
      "name": "plist_json_converter",
      "arguments": {
        "input": "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>\n<plist version=\"1.0\">\n<dict>\n\t<key>CFBundleName</key>\n\t<string>Demo</string>\n\t<key>CFBundleVersion</key>\n\t<integer>42</integer>\n</dict>\n</plist>\n"
      }
    }
  }'
```

## Input schema

| Argument | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `input` | string | yes | The XML plist or JSON text, or the base64 of a binary plist when input_encoding is "base64". |
| `mode` | string (plist-to-json \| json-to-plist) | no | Direction: "plist-to-json" or "json-to-plist". Detected from the input when omitted. |
| `input_encoding` | string (text \| base64) | no | How input is encoded: "text" (default) or "base64" for binary plists and any file bytes. Default: `"text"`. |
| `indent` | integer | no | JSON indentation in spaces, 0-8. Default 2; 0 writes compact JSON. Ignored for json-to-plist, which indents with tabs like Apple tools. Default: `2`. |
| `data_output` | string (base64 \| summary) | no | plist-to-json only: "base64" (default) writes <data> as base64 strings; "summary" writes a byte count instead, which cannot be converted back. Default: `"base64"`. |
| `iso_strings_as_dates` | boolean | no | json-to-plist only: write strings shaped like 2024-01-31T12:00:00Z as <date>. Default true. Default: `true`. |
| `data_prefix` | string | no | json-to-plist only: strings starting with this prefix are decoded from base64 and written as <data>. Default "base64:"; an empty string turns it off. Default: `"base64:"`. |

Example arguments (verified):

```json
{
  "input": "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>\n<plist version=\"1.0\">\n<dict>\n\t<key>CFBundleName</key>\n\t<string>Demo</string>\n\t<key>CFBundleVersion</key>\n\t<integer>42</integer>\n</dict>\n</plist>\n"
}
```

## Also a REST endpoint

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.findutils.com/api/tools/plist-json-converter/execute \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "input": "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>\n<plist version=\"1.0\">\n<dict>\n\t<key>CFBundleName</key>\n\t<string>Demo</string>\n\t<key>CFBundleVersion</key>\n\t<integer>42</integer>\n</dict>\n</plist>\n"
  }'

# Parameter schema
curl https://api.findutils.com/api/tools/plist-json-converter
```

Full REST reference: https://findutils.com/api/plist-json-converter/ · OpenAPI 3.1 spec: https://findutils.com/api/openapi.json

---
Full catalog: POST https://mcp.findutils.com/ with method `tools/list` · https://findutils.com/mcp/ · https://findutils.com/llms.txt