# xAI MCP Server
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that brings xAI's Grok APIs to Claude Code. Generate images, chat with Grok, analyze images, search the web, and create videos—all from natural language prompts in your Claude Code session.
## Features
| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `generate_image` | Generate images using Grok Imagine |
| `chat` | Chat with Grok models (grok-3, grok-4, grok-3-mini) |
| `analyze_image` | Analyze and describe images with Grok Vision |
| `live_search` | Real-time web, news, and X/Twitter search |
| `generate_video` | Generate videos from text prompts |
## Prerequisites
- **Node.js** 18.0.0 or higher
- **xAI API Key** from [x.ai/api](https://x.ai/api)
- **Claude Code** installed
## Installation
### Option 1: Clone and Build
```bash
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/joemccann/xai-mcp-server.git
cd xai-mcp-server
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Build
npm run build
```
### Option 2: Install from npm (coming soon)
```bash
npm install -g xai-mcp-server
```
## Configuration for Claude Code
### Step 1: Get Your xAI API Key
1. Go to [x.ai/api](https://x.ai/api)
2. Sign up or log in
3. Create an API key
4. Copy the key (starts with `xai-`)
### Step 2: Configure Claude Code
Add the MCP server to your Claude Code settings file:
**Location:** `~/.claude/settings.json`
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"xai": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/absolute/path/to/xai-mcp-server/dist/index.js"],
"env": {
"XAI_API_KEY": "xai-your-api-key-here"
}
}
}
}
```
> **Important:** Replace `/absolute/path/to/xai-mcp-server` with the actual path where you cloned the repository.
### Step 3: Restart Claude Code
Restart Claude Code to load the new MCP server. You should see the xAI tools available.
## Usage
Once configured, you can use natural language to invoke xAI capabilities:
### Image Generation
```
Generate an image of a cyberpunk cityscape at night with neon lights.
```
```
Using grok imagine, create a watercolor painting of a mountain landscape.
```
```
Generate 3 variations of a logo for a coffee shop called "Bean There".
```
### Chat with Grok
```
Ask Grok to explain the theory of relativity in simple terms.
```
```
Have Grok write a haiku about programming.
```
### Image Analysis
```
Analyze this image and describe what you see: https://example.com/photo.jpg
```
```
What text is visible in this screenshot: [image URL]
```
### Live Search
```
Search for the latest news about SpaceX launches.
```
```
Find recent tweets about the new iPhone release.
```
```
Search the web for Python best practices 2024.
```
### Video Generation
```
Generate a 5-second video of clouds moving across a blue sky.
```
```
Create a video animation of a bouncing ball.
```
## Tool Reference
### generate_image
Generate images from text descriptions using Grok Imagine.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|-----------|------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `prompt` | string | Yes | - | Text description of the image |
| `n` | number | No | 1 | Number of images (1-10) |
| `model` | string | No | `grok-2-image` | Image generation model |
| `aspect_ratio` | string | No | - | Aspect ratio (e.g., "16:9", "1:1", "4:3") |
| `response_format` | string | No | `url` | Output format: "url" or "b64_json" |
**Example Response:**
```json
{
"success": true,
"images": [
{
"index": 1,
"url": "https://api.x.ai/images/generated/abc123.png",
"revised_prompt": "A detailed cyberpunk cityscape..."
}
]
}
```
### chat
Chat with Grok language models.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|-----------|------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `message` | string | Yes | - | Message to send to Grok |
| `model` | string | No | `grok-3` | Model: grok-3, grok-4, grok-3-mini |
| `system_prompt` | string | No | - | System context/instructions |
| `temperature` | number | No | 0.7 | Sampling temperature (0-2) |
| `max_tokens` | number | No | - | Maximum response tokens |
### analyze_image
Analyze images using Grok's vision capabilities.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|-----------|------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `image_url` | string | Yes | - | Image URL or base64 data URL |
| `prompt` | string | No | "Describe this image" | Question or instruction |
| `detail` | string | No | `auto` | Detail level: "low", "high", "auto" |
| `model` | string | No | `grok-2-vision-1212` | Vision model |
### live_search
Perform real-time web searches using Grok.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|-----------|------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `query` | string | Yes | - | Search query |
| `sources` | array | No | `["web"]` | Sources: "web", "news", "x" |
| `date_range` | object | No | - | Date filter: `{ start, end }` (YYYY-MM-DD) |
| `max_results` | number | No | 10 | Maximum results (1-20) |
### generate_video
Generate videos from text descriptions.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|-----------|------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `prompt` | string | Yes | - | Video description |
| `model` | string | No | `grok-2-video` | Video generation model |
| `duration` | number | No | 5 | Duration in seconds (1-15) |
| `image` | string | No | - | Input image URL to animate |
| `video` | string | No | - | Input video URL to edit |
| `aspect_ratio` | string | No | - | Aspect ratio (e.g., "16:9") |
| `wait_for_completion` | boolean | No | true | Wait for video to finish |
## Development
```bash
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Build TypeScript
npm run build
# Watch mode (rebuild on changes)
npm run dev
# Run the server directly
npm start
```
### Project Structure
```
xai-mcp-server/
├── src/
│ ├── index.ts # MCP server entry point
│ ├── xai-client.ts # xAI API client with types
│ └── tools/
│ ├── generate-image.ts
│ ├── chat.ts
│ ├── vision.ts
│ ├── live-search.ts
│ └── generate-video.ts
├── dist/ # Compiled JavaScript
├── package.json
├── tsconfig.json
└── README.md
```
## Troubleshooting
### "XAI_API_KEY environment variable is required"
Ensure your `~/.claude/settings.json` includes the `env` block with your API key:
```json
"env": {
"XAI_API_KEY": "xai-your-key-here"
}
```
### Tools not appearing in Claude Code
1. Verify the path in `args` is absolute and correct
2. Ensure the project is built (`npm run build`)
3. Restart Claude Code completely
4. Check Claude Code logs for MCP connection errors
### API errors
- Verify your API key is valid at [x.ai](https://x.ai)
- Check you have sufficient API credits
- Some features may require specific API tier access
## API Reference
This server uses the xAI API. For full API documentation, see:
- [xAI API Reference](https://docs.x.ai/docs/api-reference)
- [Image Generation Guide](https://docs.x.ai/docs/guides/image-generation)
## License
MIT
## Contributing
Contributions welcome! Please open an issue or submit a pull request.
## Acknowledgments
- [xAI](https://x.ai) for the Grok API
- [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) for the MCP specification
- [Anthropic](https://anthropic.com) for Claude Code
