RhinoMCP
Connects Rhino3D to Claude AI via the Model Context Protocol, enabling AI-assisted 3D modeling and design workflows through direct control of Rhino's functionality.
What is RhinoMCP?
RhinoMCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to connects rhino3d to claude ai via the model context protocol, enabling ai-assisted 3d modeling and design workflows through direct control of rhino's functionality.
Connects Rhino3D to Claude AI via the Model Context Protocol, enabling AI-assisted 3D modeling and design workflows through direct control of Rhino's functionality.
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- Connects Rhino3D to Claude AI via the Model Context Protocol
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx rhinomcpConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use RhinoMCP
RhinoMCP connects Rhinoceros 3D (Rhino 7 or 8) to Claude AI via the Model Context Protocol, enabling natural language control of 3D modeling and design workflows directly within Rhino. The integration uses a WebSocket bridge so Claude can create NURBS curves, execute Python scripts in the Rhino context, and manipulate geometry through conversational prompts. Architects, product designers, and computational designers use RhinoMCP to accelerate parametric modeling without writing Grasshopper or RhinoScript code manually.
Prerequisites
- Rhinoceros 3D version 7 or 8 installed on Windows 10 or 11
- Python 3.10 or higher installed
- uv or pip package manager available
- Claude Desktop or Windsurf MCP client installed
- Git to clone the RhinoMCP repository
Clone the RhinoMCP repository
Clone the repository to your local machine. RhinoMCP is installed from source and requires the repository to be present for both the Python bridge and the Rhino plugin.
git clone https://github.com/a01110946/RhinoMCP.git
cd RhinoMCPCreate a virtual environment and install dependencies
Set up an isolated Python environment for the RhinoMCP bridge server. Using uv is recommended for speed, but pip works equally well.
# Using uv (recommended)
uv venv .venv
.venv\Scripts\activate
uv pip install -e .
# Or using pip
python -m venv .venv
.venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -e .Install the Rhino plugin
Follow the repository instructions to install the corresponding plugin inside Rhinoceros 3D. The plugin opens a WebSocket listener on port 8888 that the Python bridge connects to.
Start the RhinoMCP bridge server
Launch the Python bridge server. It listens for MCP tool calls on port 5000 and relays them to Rhino on port 8888. Use --debug for verbose output during development.
python -m rhinomcp --host 127.0.0.1 --port 5000 --rhino-host 127.0.0.1 --rhino-port 8888Configure Claude Desktop to connect to RhinoMCP
Add the RhinoMCP server to your Claude Desktop configuration file. The server connects via WebSocket at the address the bridge is listening on.
{
"mcpServers": {
"rhinomcp": {
"command": "python",
"args": ["-m", "rhinomcp"],
"env": {}
}
}
}Verify the connection and start modeling
Open Rhino 3D and ensure the plugin is active. Restart Claude Desktop after updating the config. When connected, Claude can translate natural language descriptions into Rhino geometry operations.
RhinoMCP Examples
Client configuration
Configure Claude Desktop to use the locally running RhinoMCP bridge server for 3D modeling control.
{
"mcpServers": {
"rhinomcp": {
"command": "python",
"args": ["-m", "rhinomcp", "--host", "127.0.0.1", "--port", "5000"],
"env": {}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Once Claude Desktop is connected and Rhino is open with the plugin active, try these natural language modeling prompts.
- "Create a NURBS curve in Rhino using control points at (0,0,0), (5,10,0), (10,0,0), and (15,10,0)"
- "Run a Python script in Rhino to create a grid of 5x5 spheres with radius 1 spaced 3 units apart"
- "Create a lofted surface through three curves at Z=0, Z=5, and Z=10"
- "List all objects currently in the Rhino document and their types"Troubleshooting RhinoMCP
Connection refused error when starting the bridge — Rhino plugin not responding on port 8888
Ensure Rhinoceros 3D is open and the RhinoMCP plugin is loaded and active. The plugin must be running before the Python bridge starts. Check that no firewall is blocking localhost port 8888.
Claude Desktop does not show the RhinoMCP tools after updating the config
Fully quit and relaunch Claude Desktop (not just close the window). Check the config file path is correct for your OS. On Windows the config is typically at %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json.
Python script execution in Rhino raises import errors
Scripts run inside Rhino's IronPython or CPython context. Use only modules available within Rhino's scripting environment (rhinoscriptsyntax, Rhino.Geometry). Standard library modules may not be available.
Frequently Asked Questions about RhinoMCP
What is RhinoMCP?
RhinoMCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that connects rhino3d to claude ai via the model context protocol, enabling ai-assisted 3d modeling and design workflows through direct control of rhino's functionality. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install RhinoMCP?
Follow the installation instructions on the RhinoMCP GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with RhinoMCP?
RhinoMCP works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is RhinoMCP free to use?
Yes, RhinoMCP is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Set Up RhinoMCP in Your Editor
Choose your AI client for step-by-step setup instructions.
Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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