ae-mcp-server
Server Configuration
Describes the environment variables required to run the server.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| AE_PATH | No | (Windows) Full path to AfterFX.exe. If unspecified, it is auto-detected from C:\Program Files\Adobe. | |
| AE_APP_NAME | No | (macOS) Target application name, e.g. "Adobe After Effects 2026". If unspecified, the latest version is auto-detected from /Applications. | |
| AE_TIMEOUT_MS | No | Wait limit for a single script execution in milliseconds. Default is 60000. | 60000 |
Instructions
Guidance the server publishes about itself, which clients place ahead of the tool catalog so the model reads it before choosing anything.
This server publishes no instructions, or was last inspected before Glama recorded them.
Capabilities
Features and capabilities supported by this server
Protocol revision2025-11-25
| Capability | Details |
|---|---|
| tools | {
"listChanged": true
} |
Tools
Functions exposed to the LLM to take actions
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| ae_get_project_infoA | Return the current After Effects version, project file path, and a list of all project items. |
| ae_list_compositionsA | List all compositions in the project with size, duration and frame rate. |
| ae_create_compositionB | Create a new composition and make it the active item in the viewer. |
| ae_list_layersC | List the layers of a composition. |
| ae_add_text_layerC | Add a text layer to a composition. |
| ae_add_solid_layerC | Add a solid layer to a composition. Defaults to the full composition size. |
| ae_add_shape_layerC | Add a shape layer containing a filled rectangle or ellipse. |
| ae_set_layer_transformB | Set transform properties of a layer. If 'time' is given, keyframes are set at that time (seconds) instead of static values. |
| ae_add_effectB | Add an effect to a layer by match name (e.g. 'ADBE Gaussian Blur 2') and optionally set its properties by name or index. |
| ae_import_fileB | Import a footage/image/audio file into the project, optionally adding it to a composition as a layer. |
| ae_renderA | Add a composition to the render queue and optionally render it. Blocks until rendering finishes. |
| ae_save_projectA | Save the current project. Provide 'path' to Save As (.aep). |
| ae_run_jsxA | Run arbitrary ExtendScript (ES3) inside After Effects. The code is the BODY of a function: use |
Prompts
Interactive templates invoked by user choice
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
No prompts | |
Resources
Contextual data attached and managed by the client
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
No resources | |
TDQS
Scored across 13 tools
Most tools target distinct resources and actions (comps, layers, effects, render, import), and the three add_*_layer variants are differentiated by layer type. The main overlap is ae_run_jsx, a catch-all escape hatch that can technically duplicate any other tool's job, though it is clearly framed as a last resort.
Every tool uses a consistent ae_ prefix followed by a snake_case verb_noun pattern (ae_get_project_info, ae_add_text_layer, ae_set_layer_transform). No mixing of conventions or verb styles.
13 tools is well within the ideal range and each maps to a meaningful After Effects operation (project inspection, comp/layer creation, transforms, effects, import, render, save). No filler or redundant tools.
Core lifecycle is covered: inspect, create comps/layers, transform, add effects, import, render, and save. Gaps exist for destructive operations (delete/remove layer or composition) and per-layer property edits, but ae_run_jsx provides a general-purpose escape hatch that lets an agent work around them.