# manim-mcp

MCP server that generates 3Blue1Brown-style math videos with [Manim](https://www.manim.community/) directly inside Claude Desktop. Videos render with AI-narrated voiceover via [ElevenLabs](https://elevenlabs.io/) and play inline in the chat.

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/placeholder

## Quick Start

### 1. Get an ElevenLabs API key

Sign up at [elevenlabs.io](https://elevenlabs.io/) and copy your API key from the [API Keys page](https://elevenlabs.io/app/settings/api-keys).

### 2. Add to Claude Desktop

Open **Settings > Developer > Edit Config** and add:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "manim": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "manim-mcp", "--stdio"],
      "env": {
        "ELEVEN_API_KEY": "sk_your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### 3. Restart Claude Desktop

That's it. Ask Claude to "create a video on the Pythagorean theorem" and watch it render.

## Requirements

- **Node.js 18+** — for running the MCP server
- **Python 3.9+** — for Manim rendering (auto-installed into `~/.manim-mcp/.venv` on first run)
- **ffmpeg** — for video concatenation (`brew install ffmpeg` on macOS)
- **ElevenLabs API key** — for AI voiceover

Python dependencies (`manim`, `manim-voiceover`, `elevenlabs`) are automatically installed on first run. This takes ~20 seconds and only happens once.

## How it Works

```
You: "create a video on eigenvalues"

Claude plans 2-4 scenes with narration scripts
  -> writes Manim Python code for each scene
  -> calls render_video with all scenes
  -> server auto-fixes common issues (wrong TTS service, LaTeX, colors)
  -> scenes render in parallel with ElevenLabs voiceover
  -> concatenated into one video
  -> inline video player appears in chat
```

The server provides comprehensive Manim reference and 3Blue1Brown style guidelines in its instructions, so Claude generates good animation code. A `fixGeneratedCode` step silently corrects common mistakes before rendering:

- Wrong TTS service (GTTSService, etc.) -> ElevenLabsService with correct config
- LaTeX classes (MathTex, Tex) -> Text() with Unicode
- Invalid colors (CYAN) -> TEAL
- Invented APIs (set_speech_synthesizer) -> correct set_speech_service

## Development

```bash
git clone https://github.com/zcsabbagh/manim-mcp.git
cd manim-mcp
npm install
npm run build

# Point Claude Desktop at local build:
# "command": "node",
# "args": ["/path/to/manim-mcp/dist/index.js", "--stdio"]
```

## License

MIT