Illustrator
mcp server to run scripts on adobe illustrator
What is Illustrator?
Illustrator is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to mcp server to run scripts on adobe illustrator
mcp server to run scripts on adobe illustrator
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- mcp server to run scripts on adobe illustrator
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx illustratorConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Illustrator
The Illustrator MCP Server is a Python-based MCP server that bridges AI assistants and Adobe Illustrator on macOS, allowing Claude and other MCP clients to send JavaScript scripts directly to a running Illustrator instance via AppleScript. This enables AI-driven design automation: generating shapes, manipulating layers, applying styles, creating text, and executing any Illustrator JavaScript API operation—all through natural language instructions. It is designed for designers and developers who want to automate repetitive Illustrator tasks or programmatically generate design assets without manually writing ExtendScript.
Prerequisites
- macOS (the server uses AppleScript and is macOS-only)
- Adobe Illustrator installed and running on the same machine
- Python 3.10 or later and the `uv` package manager installed (`pip install uv` or via https://github.com/astral-sh/uv)
- Claude Desktop or another MCP-compatible client installed on macOS
- The illustrator-mcp-server repository cloned locally
Clone the repository
Clone the Illustrator MCP server to a local directory that you will reference in the config.
git clone https://github.com/spencerhhubert/illustrator-mcp-server.git
cd illustrator-mcp-serverInstall dependencies using uv
The server uses uv for dependency management. Run uv sync (or let the run command handle it) to install the required Python packages.
uv syncTest the server runs correctly
Verify the server starts without errors by running it directly. It should start and wait for MCP connections over stdio.
uv --directory /path/to/illustrator-mcp-server run illustratorOpen Adobe Illustrator
The MCP server sends scripts to Illustrator via AppleScript, so Illustrator must be running before any tool calls are made. Open a document in Illustrator to have a context for the scripts.
open -a "Adobe Illustrator"Add the server to your Claude Desktop config
Edit ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json and add the illustrator server entry, replacing the directory path with the actual clone location.
{
"mcpServers": {
"illustrator": {
"command": "uv",
"args": [
"--directory",
"/Users/you/code/illustrator-mcp-server",
"run",
"illustrator"
]
}
}
}Restart Claude Desktop and verify the connection
Quit and reopen Claude Desktop. The Illustrator server should appear as connected. Try a simple test by asking Claude to draw a red circle in Illustrator.
Illustrator Examples
Client configuration
claude_desktop_config.json entry for the Illustrator MCP server using uv to run the Python project.
{
"mcpServers": {
"illustrator": {
"command": "uv",
"args": [
"--directory",
"/Users/you/code/illustrator-mcp-server",
"run",
"illustrator"
]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Ask Claude to automate design tasks in Illustrator. Make sure Illustrator is running with a document open.
- "Draw a red circle with a 100px radius in the center of the current Illustrator artboard"
- "Create a grid of 5x5 blue rectangles each 50px wide with 10px gaps"
- "Add the text 'Hello World' in 48pt Helvetica to the top of the artboard"
- "Export all layers as separate PNG files to my Desktop"
- "Change all red fill colors in the document to hex #FF6B35"Troubleshooting Illustrator
AppleScript error: 'Application Adobe Illustrator got an error: Connection is invalid'
Adobe Illustrator must be running before Claude sends any script. Open Illustrator and ensure at least one document is open. If Illustrator was just launched, wait a few seconds for it to fully initialize before retrying.
Server fails to start with 'uv: command not found'
Install uv using `pip install uv` or follow the official installation at https://github.com/astral-sh/uv. Ensure the uv binary is in the PATH that Claude Desktop uses (typically /usr/local/bin or ~/.local/bin). You may need to use the full absolute path to uv in the MCP config.
macOS shows a permission dialog blocking AppleScript automation
Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Automation and grant Claude Desktop (or Terminal, depending on how you are running the server) permission to control Adobe Illustrator. Without this permission, all AppleScript calls will be blocked by macOS.
Frequently Asked Questions about Illustrator
What is Illustrator?
Illustrator is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that mcp server to run scripts on adobe illustrator It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Illustrator?
Follow the installation instructions on the Illustrator GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Illustrator?
Illustrator works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Illustrator free to use?
Yes, Illustrator is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Quick Config Preview
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