After Effects Mcp

ae-mcp

English | [简体中文](README.zh-CN.md)

**One-line setup prompt — paste this into Claude Code or another AI agent:**

Install the ae-mcp ZXP and the native plug-in for my platform from the v0.10.3
release, open Window > Extensions
> ae-mcp in After Effects, then connect Claude Code with `claude mcp add
--transport http ae http://127.0.0.1:11488/mcp`; for Claude Desktop, configure
the extension's `host/stdio-shim.js` with the system Node executable and ask me
to start a new client session before testing `ae_status`.

ae-mcp connects an After Effects CEP panel to AI clients through a local MCP endpoint. The panel hosts the service at `http://127.0.0.1:11488/mcp`; the host is a Node process using Express, and After Effects state is reached through ExtendScript and the frozen native AEGP plane.

Install and first run

1. Install the signed ZXP in After Effects.
2. Install the matching native plug-in beside the After Effects plug-ins selected for the host — the .aex on Windows, the AeMcpNative.plugin bundle on macOS. Keep the version pair from the same release. The ZXP carries no platform binaries and installs on both systems; only this native plug-in is built per platform, and ae_nativeExec is the one tool that needs it. Install has the exact per-platform destination, and the macOS bundle additionally needs its download quarantine cleared before After Effects will load it.
3. Start After Effects and open Window > Extensions > ae-mcp. Keep the panel open while an external client uses MCP.
4. Configure one of the two supported external connection forms below.

The panel itself is the MCP service. No separate repository server is needed. External clients must run on the same machine as After Eff