TouchDesigner MCP
A Model Context Protocol server that enables AI agents to control and operate TouchDesigner projects through creation, modification, and querying of nodes and project structures.
What is TouchDesigner MCP?
TouchDesigner MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to model context protocol server that enables ai agents to control and operate touchdesigner projects through creation, modification, and querying of nodes and project structures.
A Model Context Protocol server that enables AI agents to control and operate TouchDesigner projects through creation, modification, and querying of nodes and project structures.
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- A Model Context Protocol server that enables AI agents to co
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
NPM
npx -y touchdesigner-mcp-serverManual Installation
npx -y touchdesigner-mcp-serverConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use TouchDesigner MCP
TouchDesigner MCP is a Model Context Protocol server that gives AI assistants direct programmatic control over TouchDesigner projects, the node-based visual programming environment used for real-time interactive media. Through twelve exposed tools, AI agents can create and delete nodes, read and update node parameters, execute Python scripts within the TouchDesigner environment, browse the full node hierarchy, retrieve class documentation, and diagnose node errors — enabling generative, AI-driven visual programming workflows. Artists and developers use it to automate repetitive node wiring, rapidly prototype effects by describing them in natural language, and let AI debug parameter issues in complex TouchDesigner networks.
Prerequisites
- TouchDesigner (latest version recommended) installed on the same machine
- Node.js 18 or higher (for the npx/npm installation method)
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop
- The mcp_webserver_base.tox component imported into your TouchDesigner project (downloaded from the GitHub releases page)
Set up the WebServer component in TouchDesigner
Download touchdesigner-mcp-td.zip from the latest GitHub release. Extract it and import mcp_webserver_base.tox into your TouchDesigner project at /project1/mcp_webserver_base. Do not move files within the folder — the component uses relative paths. Verify setup via the TouchDesigner Textport (Alt+T).
Install the MCP server for Claude Desktop (easiest method)
Download touchdesigner-mcp.mcpb from the latest release and double-click it to install directly into Claude Desktop. Restart Claude Desktop if prompted. This is the recommended zero-config approach.
Alternative: configure via claude_desktop_config.json
If you prefer manual configuration or use a different MCP client, add the npx-based entry. The server connects to TouchDesigner's WebServer DAT on localhost:9981 by default.
{
"mcpServers": {
"touchdesigner": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "touchdesigner-mcp-server@latest", "--stdio"]
}
}
}Use custom host/port if TouchDesigner runs on a non-default address
If your TouchDesigner WebServer DAT uses a port other than 9981, pass --host and --port flags to the server. The default is http://127.0.0.1:9981.
{
"mcpServers": {
"touchdesigner": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "touchdesigner-mcp-server@latest", "--stdio", "--port", "9981"]
}
}
}Restart Claude Desktop and verify the connection
Open Claude Desktop and confirm touchdesigner appears in the MCP server panel. Use the get_td_info tool to retrieve environment details from the running TouchDesigner instance as a connectivity test.
TouchDesigner MCP Examples
Client configuration
Standard claude_desktop_config.json entry using npx to run touchdesigner-mcp-server in stdio mode.
{
"mcpServers": {
"touchdesigner": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "touchdesigner-mcp-server@latest", "--stdio"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example prompts using the twelve TouchDesigner MCP tools for node management and scripting.
- "Show me all nodes currently in the /project1 network."
- "Create a new Movie File In TOP node at /project1 and set its file parameter to 'sample.mp4'."
- "Check /project1/geo1 for errors and report any issues found."
- "Execute this Python script in TouchDesigner: print(op('/project1').name)"
- "Get the documentation for the Movie File In TOP class in TouchDesigner."Troubleshooting TouchDesigner MCP
Connection refused error — server cannot reach TouchDesigner
Confirm the mcp_webserver_base.tox component is active in your TouchDesigner project and the WebServer DAT is cooking (green). The default port is 9981 — check the WebServer DAT's port parameter matches what the MCP server expects.
npx fails with 'touchdesigner-mcp-server not found'
Ensure Node.js 18+ is installed and npx is in PATH. Run npx -y touchdesigner-mcp-server@latest --help in a terminal to force the download and verify the package is available.
create_td_node tool creates a node but parameters are not applied
After creating a node, use update_td_node_parameters as a separate tool call. Some parameter changes require the node to exist first before they can be set, so create and update are intentionally separate operations.
Frequently Asked Questions about TouchDesigner MCP
What is TouchDesigner MCP?
TouchDesigner MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that model context protocol server that enables ai agents to control and operate touchdesigner projects through creation, modification, and querying of nodes and project structures. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install TouchDesigner MCP?
Install via npm with the command: npx -y touchdesigner-mcp-server. Then add the server configuration to your AI client's JSON config file (e.g., claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json).
Which AI clients work with TouchDesigner MCP?
TouchDesigner MCP works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is TouchDesigner MCP free to use?
Yes, TouchDesigner MCP is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Set Up TouchDesigner MCP in Your Editor
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Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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