IMG.LY CoDesign MCP Server: Setup for Claude, Cursor and Other Apps

• Changes the design by running design-engine code

  Runs a short piece of JavaScript against the design engine to add, move, style or remove things on the canvas. The result becomes the current design.

  Try: “Make the headline bigger and move the logo to the top right.”

  Runs code · edit

• Shows you what the design looks like now

  Renders the current design, or a page or frame of it, as an image so the assistant can check its own work.

  Try: “Show me a preview of the poster.”

  Read · preview

• Saves the design as a PDF, image, video or design file

  Writes the design out as PDF, print-ready PDF/X, PNG, JPEG, WebP, SVG, HTML, MP4 video, audio or an editable design file. It can save to a path you give it on your computer.

  Try: “Export this flyer as a print-ready PDF.”

  Write · export

• Opens an existing file as an editable design

  Opens a Photoshop, InDesign, PowerPoint, PDF, image or SVG file as a new design that can be edited.

  Try: “Import datasheet.pdf and restyle it with our brand colors.”

  Files · import

• Lists your saved designs

  Lists the designs saved on your computer, newest first, and marks the one you are working on.

  Try: “What designs have I saved?”

  Read · designs

• Continues work on a saved design

  Switches to a saved design so that later edits are saved into it.

  Try: “Open last year's flyer and keep working on it.”

  Write · open

• Gives a design a new title

  Changes the title of the current design or of a saved one.

  Try: “Rename this design to "Spring Launch Poster".”

  Write · rename

• Keeps track of what the design still needs

  Stores a list of the files and copy the brief requires. Each export reports what is still missing.

  Try: “Add the logo and the venue address to the checklist.”

  Write · checklist

• Brings your own image, font, video or audio into the design

  Reads a media file from your computer and makes it available to use in the design.

  Try: “Add logo.png from my Downloads folder to the design.”

  Files · asset_add

• Finds images, fonts and other assets to use

  Searches the asset libraries available to the design, such as images, shapes and typefaces, and returns what it finds.

  Try: “Find a sans-serif font that looks modern.”

  Network · asset_search

• Creates images, video, music or speech with AI

  Generates images, video clips, music, sound effects, speech or transcripts through IMG.LY's AI service. It needs a free IMG.LY sign-in and may use credits.

  Try: “Generate a background image of a bakery counter.”

  Write · asset_generate

• Opens the design in a visual editor

  Opens the saved design in a browser-based editor on your computer, so you can tweak it by hand. Changes you save there are picked up by the assistant.

  Try: “Open this design in the editor so I can adjust it.”

  Write · view

• Signs you in to your IMG.LY account

  Opens your browser to sign in to IMG.LY. This is only needed for AI generation.

  Try: “Sign me in to IMG.LY.”

  Network · login

• Signs you out of IMG.LY

  Ends the IMG.LY session and clears the saved sign-in from your computer.

  Try: “Sign me out of IMG.LY.”

  Network · logout

• Records the result of a design review

  Saves a pass or fail verdict after the assistant has scored the design against its own quality checks. Any later edit clears the verdict.

  Try: “Record that the poster passed the review.”

  Write · scorecard

• Reads the built-in design handbook

  Loads the design guides and API reference that come with the server, so the assistant knows how to design well.

  Try: “Read the design handbook before you start.”

  Read · skill

• Reads a guide file for apps that cannot load resources

  Returns one of the built-in guide files by its address, for apps that cannot read server resources directly.

  Try: “Load the resize guide.”

  Read · read_skill_resource

• Shows the server's health and privacy settings

  Reports whether error reports and usage data are on and what decided it, and helps collect logs for support.

  Try: “Is CoDesign sending usage data?”

  Read · diagnostics

Watch out for

• It writes and reads files on your computer

  Designs are saved under ~/.codesign, and export can write to an absolute path you give it. Import and asset add read files you point at. npmjs.com

• Sends usage data and error reports by default

  Published builds send one event per tool call and reports on failures, without your prompts or files. Set IMGLY_TELEMETRY=off or DO_NOT_TRACK to turn them off. npmjs.com

• Not open source

  The npm package is proprietary and free to use locally, and the MIT license covers only the plugin repo. Production use needs a license from IMG.LY. unpkg.com

• Runs a local editor page on your computer

  The visual editor is served from a port on 127.0.0.1, which only your computer can reach. npmjs.com

Security advisories