GOLEM-3DMCP-Rhino-
Provides comprehensive read/write access to Rhinoceros 3D (Rhino 8), enabling AI agents to create and manipulate geometry, perform Boolean operations, manage layers and objects, control viewports, and automate Grasshopper definitions.
GOLEM-3DMCP implements the Model Context Protocol to give AI agents direct, programmatic control of Rhino 8 — create geometry, run booleans, drive Grasshopper, capture viewports, and execute arbitrary Python scripts, all through natural language.
Works with Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and any MCP-compatible host.
Demo — A City Built Entirely by AI
An entire city generated in Rhino 8 through GOLEM-3DMCP — roads, skyscrapers, houses, trees, people, vehicles, a stadium, bridge, ferris wheel, harbor, wind turbines, and a floating GOLEM hologram. All created by Claude Code using natural language commands.
Related MCP server: rhino-mcp
Install
pip install golem-3dmcpThat's it. Three commands to go from zero to AI-powered Rhino:
# 1. Install
pip install golem-3dmcp
# 2. Deploy the Rhino plugin (one-time)
golem install-rhino
# 3. Verify everything works
golem doctorConnect to Your AI Agent
Add to your MCP configuration (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, etc.):
{
"mcpServers": {
"golem-3dmcp": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["golem-3dmcp"]
}
}
}Start talking to Rhino through AI.
89 Tools Across 9 Categories
Category | Module | Tools | Highlights |
Scene Intelligence |
| 17 | Document info, layers, objects, groups, blocks — full pagination |
Geometry Creation |
| 12 | Points, curves, NURBS, solids, mesh, SubD, text, dimensions, hatches |
Geometry Operations |
| 12 | Boolean union/difference/intersection, trim, split, offset, fillet, chamfer |
Surface Operations |
| 12 | Loft, sweep1/2, revolve, extrude, network surface, patch, edge surface, unroll |
Object Manipulation |
| 10 | Move, copy, rotate, scale, mirror, array, join, explode, group, properties |
Grasshopper |
| 7 | Open definitions, set/get parameters, recompute, bake, inspect components |
Viewport & Visualization |
| 8 | Capture screenshots (base64 PNG), camera control, named views, display modes |
File Operations |
| 7 | Save, open, import, export (STL, OBJ, STEP, IGES, FBX, 3MF, DWG, PDF...) |
Script Execution |
| 4 | Execute arbitrary Python with full RhinoCommon access, run Rhino commands |
How the 89 is counted — two ways that agree:
# 1. Registrations in the shipped package
grep -c '@mcp.tool' src/golem_3dmcp/tools/*.py | awk -F: '{s+=$2} END {print s}' # 89
# 2. What the running server advertises over MCP
python -c "import asyncio, importlib, golem_3dmcp.server as s; \
[importlib.import_module('golem_3dmcp.tools.' + m) for m in \
('scene','creation','operations','surfaces','manipulation','viewport','files','grasshopper','scripting')]; \
print(len(asyncio.run(s.mcp.list_tools())))" # 89docs/TOOL_REFERENCE.md enumerates 105 entries: that is the Rhino plugin's RPC
method surface, which is larger than the MCP tool surface. 89 is the number of
tools an MCP client sees.
See Tool Reference for the complete API with parameters and examples.
Architecture
AI Agent (Claude Code / Cursor / Windsurf)
|
| MCP (stdio, JSON-RPC)
v
+---------------------------+
| GOLEM MCP Server |
| Python 3.10+ |
| FastMCP + 9 tool |
| modules |
+---------------------------+
|
| TCP 127.0.0.1:9876
| Length-prefixed JSON
v
+---------------------------+
| Rhino Plugin |
| Python 3.9 (embedded) |
| TCP Server |
| 9 handler modules |
+---------------------------+
|
| RhinoCommon + rhinoscriptsyntax
v
+---------------------------+ +-------------------------+
| Rhinoceros 3D | <---> | Grasshopper |
| Document, Geometry, | | Sub-server :9877 |
| Layers, Views | | Definitions, Params |
+---------------------------+ +-------------------------+Quick Start Examples
Create and combine geometry:
Create a 100 x 50 x 30 box on a layer called 'Structure',
then boolean-union it with a sphere of radius 20 centred at [50, 25, 30].Query the scene:
List all objects on the 'Walls' layer and tell me their volumes.Drive Grasshopper:
Open parametric_facade.gh, set the 'PanelCount' slider to 24,
recompute, and bake the result to a 'Facade' layer.Capture a viewport:
Set perspective view to shaded mode, zoom to extents, and capture a screenshot.Execute arbitrary Python:
import Rhino.Geometry as rg
pts = [rg.Point3d(i*10, 0, i**2) for i in range(20)]
crv = rg.Curve.CreateInterpolatedCurve(pts, 3)
sc.doc.Objects.AddCurve(crv)
__result__ = {"point_count": len(pts), "length": crv.GetLength()}Loading the Rhino Plugin
Open Rhino 8
Open Script Editor:
Tools > Python Script > EditOpen
startup.py(deployed bygolem install-rhino) and click Run
GOLEM-3DMCP: Starting server on 127.0.0.1:9876...
GOLEM-3DMCP: Server started successfully!
GOLEM-3DMCP: 135 handler methods registered.Auto-start on every Rhino launch: Tools > Options > RhinoScript > Startup Scripts > Add startup.py
Configuration
Variable | Default | Description |
|
| Rhino plugin host |
|
| Rhino plugin TCP port |
|
| Grasshopper sub-server port |
|
| Command timeout (seconds) |
|
| Heavy operation timeout (seconds) |
Requirements
Requirement | Version |
Rhinoceros 3D | 8.x (macOS) |
Python | 3.10+ |
macOS | 12 Monterey or newer |
The Rhino plugin runs inside Rhino's embedded Python 3.9 with zero external dependencies.
Troubleshooting
Problem | Quick Fix |
Connection refused | Start Rhino + run |
Port already in use |
|
MCP server not in Claude | Check your MCP config JSON |
Grasshopper tools fail | Open Grasshopper in Rhino first |
Python version error | Need Python 3.10+ for MCP server |
Run golem doctor to diagnose issues automatically.
See Troubleshooting Guide for detailed solutions.
Documentation
Architecture — System design, threading model, data flow
Tool Reference — Plugin RPC methods with parameters and examples (105 entries; the MCP server exposes 89 of them as tools)
Protocol Specification — TCP wire format, message framing, error codes
Troubleshooting — Common issues and solutions
Testing
# Unit tests (no Rhino needed)
pytest tests/ -v --ignore=tests/test_integration.py
# Full suite (integration tests auto-skip if Rhino not running)
pytest tests/ -v
# Integration tests only (requires Rhino + plugin running)
pytest tests/test_integration.py -v -m integrationBranch Strategy
This repository uses two branches:
Branch | Purpose |
| GOLEM-3DMCP source development — features, bug fixes, docs |
| PyPI packaging & releases — build config, versioning, publish scripts |
Develop on
main— all tool modules, Rhino plugin, tests, and documentation live here.Release from the PyPI branch — packaging structure (
pyproject.toml,src/layout, publish scripts) is managed separately so releases don't pollute the development history.
main ← development
└── main ← PyPI releases (pip install golem-3dmcp)Project Structure
golem-3dmcp/
├── src/golem_3dmcp/ # MCP Server (pip install golem-3dmcp)
│ ├── cli.py # CLI entry point (golem command)
│ ├── server.py # FastMCP server
│ ├── connection.py # TCP client (singleton, thread-safe)
│ ├── protocol.py # Wire format: 4-byte length prefix + JSON
│ ├── config.py # Environment variable configuration
│ ├── models/ # Pydantic data models
│ ├── tools/ # 9 MCP tool modules
│ └── _rhino_plugin/ # Bundled Rhino plugin (deployed via CLI)
├── tests/ # 245 tests (pytest --collect-only)
├── docs/ # Architecture, protocol spec, tool reference
└── pyproject.toml # Package definitionContributing
We welcome contributions! Here's how to get started:
Development Setup
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/TheKingHippopotamus/GOLEM-3DMCP-Rhino-.git
cd GOLEM-3DMCP-Rhino-
# Create virtual environment (Python 3.10+ required)
python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate # or .venv\Scripts\activate on Windows
pip install -e ".[dev]"
# Install pre-commit hooks
pre-commit installCode Quality
All CI checks must pass before merging:
# Lint
ruff check src/ tests/
# Type check (strict mode)
mypy src/golem_3dmcp/ --ignore-missing-imports
# Unit tests (no Rhino needed)
pytest tests/ -v --ignore=tests/test_integration.py
# Integration tests (requires Rhino 8 + plugin running)
pytest tests/test_integration.py -v -m integrationKey Things to Know
Two Python runtimes — The MCP server runs on Python 3.10+, but
_rhino_plugin/runs inside Rhino's embedded Python 3.9. They communicate over TCP. Don't add 3.10+ syntax to the plugin._rhino_plugin/is excluded from mypy — It uses Rhino-specific imports (Rhino.*,Grasshopper.*,clr) that don't exist in a standard environment.Tool registration — Tools use
@mcp.tool()decorators. Each tool module importsmcpfromserver.py. Add new tools insrc/golem_3dmcp/tools/and register the module inserver.py:main().Thread safety —
RhinoConnectionis a thread-safe singleton with a lock around socket I/O. Don't bypasssend_command().Protocol — TCP messages use 4-byte length-prefixed JSON. See
protocol.pyfor the wire format.
Pull Request Process
Create a feature branch from
mainMake your changes
Ensure all checks pass (
ruff,mypy,pytest)Submit a PR with a clear description
See CONTRIBUTING.md for the full guide.
License
MIT License. See LICENSE for details.
MCP Server on Glama
Credits
Built with: FastMCP · RhinoCommon · rhinoscriptsyntax · Grasshopper SDK
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