Adobe Creative MCP

🌐 Live Website / 在线演示页面: https://GikoMax13.github.io/adobe-creative-mcp/

中文部署入口 / Chinese deployment guide: docs/DEPLOYMENT.md

The deployment guide is bilingual and is written for both human operators and AI Agents. / 部署文档为中英双语，同时面向人类使用者和 AI Agent。

Adobe Creative MCP is a local MCP bridge for AI agents that connects After Effects, Photoshop, and one shared MCP server.

It supports three modes:

1. Drive After Effects only.

2. Drive Photoshop only.

3. Run a coordinated Photoshop -> After Effects workflow, such as editing text in a PSD and refreshing the PSD used by an AE composition.

The bridge is local-first. Project files and PSD content stay on the workstation unless an agent explicitly exports or uploads them.

Architecture

Agent (Codex / Claude / ZCode / Antigravity)
                    |
          MCP stdio: server/mcp-server.js
             /                         \
  HTTP 127.0.0.1:47391          HTTP 127.0.0.1:47392
       AE CEP panel                   PS CEP panel
      ExtendScript                    ExtendScript
           |                              |
    AE project + comps             PSD documents + layers

The internal CEP extension ID remains com.leyo.ae.codexbridge so an upgrade does not invalidate existing Adobe panel registration. The user-facing product name is Adobe Creative MCP.

Related MCP server: after-effects-mcp

Requirements

• Windows 10/11.

• After Effects 2022 or newer.

• Photoshop 2021 or newer for native PSD editing.

• Node.js 18 or newer for the MCP server.

• Python 3.10+ and psd-tools for read-only PSD probing without Photoshop:

python -m pip install psd-tools Pillow

Install

From this repository:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\install_windows.ps1

The installer:

• backs up the previous CEP extension;

• installs the panel for both AE (AEFT) and Photoshop (PHXS);

• enables CEP debug mode for common Adobe versions;

• creates separate runtime folders and ports for AE and Photoshop.

Restart both Adobe applications after installation. In each application open:

Window > Extensions > Adobe Creative MCP

The panel auto-starts its host service by default when opened. AE uses port 47391; Photoshop uses port 47392. The 启动 MCP button remains available for a manual restart.

Start the MCP server

The MCP server uses stdio, so each Agent can start its own process:

node .\server\mcp-server.js

Optional host check:

node .\server\mcp-server.js --check

Example MCP configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "adobe-creative-mcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["H:/AE工程/adobe-creative-mcp/server/mcp-server.js"]
    }
  }
}

Agent-specific deployment notes are in docs/DEPLOYMENT.md. The neutral operating rules for any Agent are in docs/AGENTS.md.

MCP tools

• adobe_hosts: check AE and Photoshop connection status.

• creative_context: read both hosts before planning a cross-application edit.

• ae_command: send a command to AE only.

• ps_command: send a command to Photoshop only.

• adobe_command: send a command to one or both hosts.

• psd_probe: read PSD/PSB layer names, text, bounds, and canvas without Photoshop.

• creative_edit_psd_text: edit PSD text in Photoshop and optionally reload the PSD in AE.

The low-level host commands include get_host_info, get_capabilities, scan_psd_sources, scan_comp_layers, apply_text_updates, apply_psd_text_updates, replace_footage_source, and reload_psd_sources.

Typical PSD workflow

1. Call creative_context.

2. Call psd_probe if Photoshop is not needed yet.

3. Call ae_command with scan_psd_sources to see which AE layers use the PSD.

4. Call creative_edit_psd_text with an absolute PSD path and explicit layerPath values.

5. Confirm the Photoshop result and AE reload result.

6. Render a QA frame from AE before final export.

Example tool arguments:

{
  "path": "H:/project/assets/dialog.psd",
  "edits": [
    {
      "layerPath": ["Life Coaching"],
      "text": "ライフコーチング",
      "font": "YuGothic-Bold"
    }
  ],
  "refreshAe": true,
  "save": true
}

See docs/PSD_WORKFLOW.md for copy-first and rollback rules.

Compatibility model

The CEP manifest supports both AE and Photoshop hosts. The panel detects the host at runtime and chooses the correct adapter. It also reports the Adobe version through get_host_info and exposes a capability list instead of assuming every version has the same scripting surface.

See docs/COMPATIBILITY.md.

Development checks

npm test

No Adobe application is modified by npm test; it checks manifest hosts, MCP commands, required docs, and Node syntax.

Security

• HTTP binds only to 127.0.0.1.

• Set token in %APPDATA%\Adobe Creative MCP\config.json before allowing other local processes to call the bridge.

• Set autoStart to false when the panel should wait for a manual start.

• run_jsx is powerful and can modify or save projects. Set allowJsx to false when an Agent should use only typed commands.

• PSD edits are explicit and should use a copy or an outputPath workflow when the source must remain untouched.