Unsplash Smart
AI-powered FastMCP server for intelligent stock photo search, download, and attribution management from Unsplash
What is Unsplash Smart?
Unsplash Smart is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to ai-powered fastmcp server for intelligent stock photo search, download, and attribution management from unsplash
AI-powered FastMCP server for intelligent stock photo search, download, and attribution management from Unsplash
This server falls under the Search & Data Extraction category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- AI-powered FastMCP server for intelligent stock photo search
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx unsplash-smartConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Unsplash Smart
Unsplash Smart MCP Server is a TypeScript FastMCP server that gives AI agents like Claude intelligent access to Unsplash's library of professional stock photos. It interprets natural-language image requests, selects the most contextually appropriate subjects, downloads photos with automatic attribution metadata embedding (EXIF/IPTC/XMP), and organizes files according to your project's framework conventions. This removes the manual cycle of searching, downloading, and crediting photos while keeping your project compliant with Unsplash's Terms of Service.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18.x or higher
- An Unsplash API access key (free — register at https://unsplash.com/developers)
- Git (to clone the repository, as the server must run from a local clone)
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop or Cursor
Clone the repository
This server must be run from a local clone because it requires direct process piping that is incompatible with running via npx alone.
git clone https://github.com/drumnation/unsplash-smart-mcp-server.git
cd unsplash-smart-mcp-serverInstall dependencies
Install the Node.js dependencies defined in package.json.
npm installObtain an Unsplash API key
Visit https://unsplash.com/developers, create a developer account, register a new application, and copy the Access Key. This key authenticates all photo search and download requests.
Configure your MCP client
Add the server to your MCP client configuration. Replace the cwd path with the absolute path where you cloned the repository, and replace 'your_api_key_here' with your actual Unsplash Access Key.
{
"mcpServers": {
"unsplash": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["tsx", "src/server.ts"],
"cwd": "/absolute/path/to/unsplash-smart-mcp-server",
"env": {
"UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
}
}
}
}Restart your MCP client
Save the configuration file and restart Claude Desktop or Cursor. The unsplash MCP server will start automatically when the client launches.
Unsplash Smart Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop or Cursor configuration using npx tsx to run the server from a local clone. Adjust the cwd path to where you cloned the repo.
{
"mcpServers": {
"unsplash": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["tsx", "src/server.ts"],
"cwd": "/Users/yourname/unsplash-smart-mcp-server",
"env": {
"UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY": "your_unsplash_access_key_here"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Natural-language prompts that leverage the server's AI-powered contextual search and attribution management.
- "Find a high-quality hero image for a SaaS landing page about project management and download it to public/images/."
- "Search Unsplash for photos of a cozy coffee shop interior and give me three options to choose from."
- "Download a nature photo suitable for a blog post about sustainability and embed the photographer's attribution."
- "Generate an attribution page listing all the Unsplash photos used in this project."Troubleshooting Unsplash Smart
Server fails to start with 'Cannot find module tsx'
Run 'npm install' inside the cloned repository directory to install all dependencies, including tsx, before starting the MCP client.
All photo searches return a 401 Unauthorized error
Double-check that UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY is set to your Unsplash API Access Key (not the Secret Key). The key must belong to a registered application on the Unsplash developer portal.
Photos are downloaded but no attribution metadata is embedded
Ensure the target directory is writable by the server process. Attribution embedding requires write access to the downloaded file. Check that sharp and exiftool dependencies installed correctly via 'npm install'.
Frequently Asked Questions about Unsplash Smart
What is Unsplash Smart?
Unsplash Smart is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that ai-powered fastmcp server for intelligent stock photo search, download, and attribution management from unsplash It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Unsplash Smart?
Follow the installation instructions on the Unsplash Smart GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Unsplash Smart?
Unsplash Smart works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Unsplash Smart free to use?
Yes, Unsplash Smart 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 Unsplash Smart 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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