Gimp MCP

GIMP MCP

Demo

Full demo (with audio): https://github.com/gimp-mcp/gimp-mcp/raw/main/docs/demo.mp4

AI agent using GIMP MCP to remove a background, edit a character's expression, and verify results — all through natural language via Claude

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Overview

GIMP MCP bridges GIMP's professional image editing capabilities with AI assistants through the Model Context Protocol. It lets you edit images by describing what you want — and gives the AI a live visual feedback channel to verify each change before moving on.

What makes it different from other GIMP integrations:

• The AI can see the image at any point in the workflow without saving to disk (get_state_snapshot)
• Supports fully autonomous multi-step pipelines: open → edit → verify → refine → export
• 79 dedicated tool commands covering every major GIMP operation
• Fully compatible with GIMP 3.2.x (all breaking API changes resolved)

Key Features

👁️ Live Visual Feedback	get_state_snapshot returns a PNG preview mid-workflow so the AI verifies each step
🎨 79 GIMP Tools	Adjustments, transforms, selections, layers, drawing, text, filters — all via MCP
🔧 GIMP 3.2 Compatible	All GIMP 3.2 API breaks fixed and tested (59/59 passing)
🔁 Iterative Workflows	AI loops until a goal is met — e.g. keeps removing BG until no pixels remain
🖼️ Region Snapshots	Zoom into any area for detail verification (face, mouth, corner, etc.)
🔌 Universal MCP	Works with Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Gemini CLI, PydanticAI, and more

What Can It Do?

Background Removal with Iterative Verification

The AI removes the background, takes a snapshot to inspect the result, detects remaining pixels, and loops until the image is clean:

"Remove the background from this image and keep looping until only the character remains"

Expression Editing

"Make the character smile — paint a smile arc with teeth over her mouth"

Complex Multi-Step Pipelines

"Open navi_portrait.png, remove the background, verify it's clean,
 then make her smile and export the final result as a PNG"

Color & Tone Work

"Boost the contrast, shift the hue 15 degrees warmer, then show me a before/after zoom of the face"

Text & Compositing

"Add a bold title at the top in white with a subtle drop shadow, then export for web"

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Prerequisites

• GIMP 3.2+ — tested on GIMP 3.2.2 (Windows, macOS, Linux)
• uv — Python package manager (install uv); uvx downloads the MCP server and a suitable Python (3.11+) on first use
• MCP-compatible AI client — Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Gemini CLI, PydanticAI, etc.

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Quick Start

The MCP server and the GIMP plugin ship together as the gimp-mcp-plugin package on PyPI. No clone needed.

1. Install the GIMP Plugin

Launch GIMP once (so its config folder exists), close it, then run:

uvx gimp-mcp-plugin@latest install-plugin

This copies the plugin into the newest GIMP 3.x config folder it finds (Linux standard, Snap and Flatpak locations, macOS, Windows) and makes it executable. Restart GIMP afterward.

• --dry-run shows where it would install without writing anything.
• --gimp-dir DIR installs into a specific GIMP config folder, e.g. --gimp-dir ~/.config/GIMP/3.2.

If you have more than one GIMP 3 installation (e.g. a system GIMP and a Flatpak), the newest folder found may not be the one your GIMP uses. Check the folder shown in GIMP's Edit → Preferences → Folders → Plug-ins and pass the folder that contains plug-ins with --gimp-dir.

Which folder does GIMP use? GIMP names its per-user folder after its major.minor version (3.0, 3.2, 3.4, …) and creates a fresh one on each minor upgrade, so the plug-ins folder moves when you upgrade GIMP. Re-run install-plugin after upgrading. To check the active path, open Edit → Preferences → Folders → Plug-ins in GIMP.

2. Start the MCP Server in GIMP

1. Open any image in GIMP
2. Go to Tools > MCP > Start MCP Server
3. Server starts on localhost:9877

Start automatically when GIMP launches

To skip step 2 on every launch, open Tools > MCP > MCP Server Settings..., tick Start MCP server when GIMP launches, and restart GIMP. Autostart is off by default.

The same dialog sets the port (default 9877). If you change it, set GIMP_MCP_PORT in your MCP client config so the MCP server connects to the same port:

"gimp": {
  "command": "uvx",
  "args": ["gimp-mcp-plugin@latest"],
  "env": { "GIMP_MCP_PORT": "9988" }
}

Settings are saved to gimp-mcp.json in GIMP's per-user config folder (e.g. ~/.config/GIMP/3.2/gimp-mcp.json). Port changes apply the next time the server starts.

Timeout for long commands

The MCP server waits up to 300 seconds for GIMP to finish each command. For heavier work (large or 16-bit images, slow filters), set GIMP_MCP_TIMEOUT (in seconds) in your MCP client config, the same way as GIMP_MCP_PORT above, e.g. "GIMP_MCP_TIMEOUT": "900". check_server reports the timeout in effect. When a command times out, GIMP may still be running it, so check the image before retrying. Your MCP client may have its own tool timeout (in Claude Code, MCP_TOOL_TIMEOUT, in milliseconds); raise it too if it's shorter.

3. Configure Your MCP Client

gimp-mcp-plugin@latest makes uvx check PyPI for a new release each time your client starts the server.

Claude Desktop

~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (Linux/macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gimp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["gimp-mcp-plugin@latest"]
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

claude mcp add gimp-mcp -- uvx gimp-mcp-plugin@latest

Gemini CLI

~/.config/gemini/.gemini_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gimp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["gimp-mcp-plugin@latest"]
    }
  }
}

PydanticAI

from pydantic_ai import Agent
from pydantic_ai.mcp import MCPServerStdio

server = MCPServerStdio('uvx', args=['gimp-mcp-plugin@latest'])
agent = Agent('openai:gpt-4o', mcp_servers=[server])

Cancelling long commands

GIMP runs one command at a time, in the order they're sent. While it works, the MCP server stays responsive, so your client can cancel a call. The cancel returns at once: a command that's still waiting its turn never runs, but one GIMP has already started is finished in the background. Check the image before retrying a cancelled edit, or it may be applied twice.

Updating

The plugin and the MCP server must be the same version. check_server and get_gimp_info report a mismatch and print the command that fixes it. To update both:

1. Restart your MCP client. With @latest, it picks up the newest server.
2. Run uvx gimp-mcp-plugin@latest install-plugin and restart GIMP.

Running from a Git Checkout (contributors)

To work on the code, run the server and install the plugin from a clone instead:

git clone https://github.com/gimp-mcp/gimp-mcp.git
cd gimp-mcp
uv sync
uv run gimp_mcp_server.py install-plugin    # installs this checkout's plugin

Then point your MCP client at the checkout, e.g. for Claude Desktop:

"gimp": {
  "command": "uv",
  "args": ["run", "--directory", "/full/path/to/gimp-mcp", "gimp_mcp_server.py"]
}

Claude Code picks up the repo's .mcp.json automatically when started in the checkout. After git pull, re-run install-plugin if the plugin changed.

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Available MCP Tools

👁️ Visual Feedback

get_state_snapshot(image_index, max_size, region, label)

Returns a live PNG of the current image state — the AI's primary feedback mechanism. Call this between any edits to verify the result without saving to disk.

# Full image snapshot
snapshot = get_state_snapshot(max_size=512)

# Zoom into a face region for detail inspection
snapshot = get_state_snapshot(
    region={"x": 140, "y": 80, "width": 240, "height": 300},
    max_size=512,
    label="face-check"
)

This enables iterative agentic workflows: edit → snapshot → assess → refine → repeat.

get_image_bitmap(image_index, max_width, max_height, region)

Lower-level bitmap fetch with region extraction and scaling. Returns base64-encoded PNG.

🎨 Adjustments

Tool	Description
adjust_brightness_contrast	Brightness and contrast
adjust_curves	Curves by channel (RGB/R/G/B/A)
adjust_hue_saturation	Hue, saturation, lightness
adjust_color_balance	Shadows/midtones/highlights color balance
auto_levels	Auto-stretch levels
desaturate	Convert to grayscale (keep RGB mode)
invert_colors	Invert all channels
convert_color_mode	Convert between RGB, grayscale, and indexed modes
sharpen	Unsharp mask sharpening
blur	Gaussian blur
denoise	Noise reduction

🔄 Transforms

Tool	Description
scale_image	Scale to exact dimensions
scale_to_fit	Scale within bounding box (aspect-safe)
crop_to_rect	Crop to rectangle
crop_to_selection	Crop canvas to the current selection bounds
rotate_image	Rotate 90/180/270 or arbitrary angle
flip_image	Flip horizontal or vertical
resize_canvas	Resize canvas without scaling content
warp_region	Warp / liquify a region by pushing pixels in a direction

✂️ Selections

Tool	Description
select_rectangle	Rectangular marquee
select_ellipse	Elliptical marquee
select_by_color	Select by color (global)
select_all / select_none	Select all / deselect
invert_selection	Invert selection
modify_selection	Grow, shrink, feather, or border

🗂️ Layers

Tool	Description
create_layer	New empty layer
duplicate_layer	Duplicate active layer
delete_layer	Delete named layer
rename_layer	Rename layer
set_layer_properties	Opacity, blend mode, visibility
reorder_layer	Move layer in stack
merge_visible_layers	Flatten visible to one layer
flatten_image	Flatten all layers
list_layers	List all layers with properties

🖌️ Drawing & Fill

Tool	Description
fill_layer	Fill entire layer with color
fill_selection	Fill selection (foreground/background/transparent)
fill_rectangle	Fill a rectangle region
fill_ellipse	Fill an ellipse region
draw_line	Draw a line (pencil or paintbrush)
draw_rectangle	Draw a rectangle outline
draw_ellipse	Draw an ellipse outline
gradient_fill	Apply linear or radial gradient
set_colors	Set foreground/background colors

🔤 Text

Tool	Description
add_text	Add a text layer
edit_text	Edit existing text layer
list_fonts	List available fonts

✨ Filters & Effects

Tool	Description
apply_gaussian_blur	Gaussian blur filter
apply_pixelate	Pixelate/mosaic effect
apply_emboss	Emboss effect
apply_vignette	Vignette darkening
apply_noise	Add noise/grain
apply_drop_shadow	Drop shadow effect

📁 File Operations

Tool	Description
open_image	Open image file
export_image	Export to PNG, JPEG, WebP, TIFF, BMP
save_xcf	Save as GIMP XCF (preserves layers and metadata)
new_canvas	Create blank canvas
close_image	Close image
list_images	List open images
set_active_image	Bring a specific open image to the front

📦 Batch & Multi-Format Export

Tool	Description
batch_export	Export all open images (or one) to a directory
batch_resize	Resize all open images to a common size
export_web_optimized	Export as JPEG and PNG, keeping the smaller
export_icon_sizes	Export a full Android or iOS icon set
export_social_media_kit	Export resized versions for social media platforms
export_sprite_sheet	Combine frames into a sprite sheet PNG

↩️ History

Tool	Description
undo	Undo one or more operations on an image
redo	Redo previously undone operations

🔍 Info & Context

Tool	Description
get_image_metadata	Image size, mode, layers, filename
get_gimp_info	GIMP version, platform, capabilities
get_context_state	Current colors, brush, opacity, mode
get_pixel_color	Color value at a specific pixel
get_histogram	Histogram data for a channel
get_selection_bounds	Current selection bounds

🔌 Connection & Raw API

Tool	Description
check_server	Check the GIMP plugin socket is reachable and that the plugin version matches the server
restart_server	Drop and re-establish the connection to the plugin
call_api	Run arbitrary Python-Fu code inside GIMP (escape hatch for anything not covered above)

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AI Agent Feedback Loop

The get_state_snapshot tool enables a pattern where the AI loops until a goal is visually confirmed:

┌─────────────┐
│  Apply edit │
└──────┬──────┘
       │
       ▼
┌─────────────────┐
│ get_state_      │  ← AI sees live PNG, no disk save needed
│ snapshot()      │
└──────┬──────────┘
       │
       ▼
┌─────────────────┐     ┌──────────────────┐
│ Goal achieved?  │─ No─▶ Adjust & retry   │
└──────┬──────────┘     └──────────────────┘
       │ Yes
       ▼
┌─────────────┐
│   Export    │
└─────────────┘

Example: Iterative Background Removal

See bg_remove_iterative.py for a complete example. The AI:

1. Removes the background using edge-seeded contiguous select
2. Takes a snapshot to check the result
3. Scans for remaining background-colored pixels
4. Runs targeted removal passes with progressively finer grids (25px → 1px)
5. Runs a final despeckle pass for isolated pixels
6. Loops until no background pixels remain

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Example Scripts

Script	Description
run_tests.py	59-test suite — run against your GIMP to verify all tools work
bg_remove_iterative.py	Iterative BG removal with snapshot checkpoints
bg_remove.py	Simple single-pass background removal
agent_edit_demo.py	Full pipeline: open → remove BG → edit expression → export
tests/test_add_text_metadata.py	Regression test: add_text returns real layer metadata
tests/continuous_edit_test/continuous_edit_test.py	End-to-end agent editing loop: BG removal, selective recolor, composite

Run the test suite to verify your setup:

python run_tests.py
# Expected: 59/59 PASSED

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Technical Architecture

Plugin ↔ Server Communication

AI Client (Claude, etc.)
      │  MCP (stdio)
      ▼
gimp_mcp_server.py          ← MCP tool definitions
      │  TCP JSON  :9877
      ▼
gimp-mcp-plugin.py          ← Runs inside GIMP process
      │  PyGObject
      ▼
GIMP 3.2 (gi.repository.Gimp)

• MCP server translates tool calls into JSON commands sent to the plugin over TCP
• Plugin executes operations directly in the GIMP process via PyGObject
• Two message formats: {"type": "...", "params": {...}} for named tools, {"cmds": ["python..."]} for arbitrary exec

GIMP 3.2 Compatibility Notes

GIMP 3.x introduced breaking API changes from GIMP 2.x. Key fixes included in this release:

Issue	Fix
layer.copy(False) → error	layer.copy() takes no args in GIMP 3.2
Gimp.text_fontname() removed	Use PDB gimp-text-fontname
gimp-blend removed	Use GEGL gegl:linear-gradient / gegl:radial-gradient
GimpDoubleArray TypeError in curves	Use drawable.curves_spline() directly
Gimp.fonts_get_list() returns Font objects	Convert via .get_name() before JSON serialization
image.select_none() removed	Use PDB gimp-selection-none
layer.get_pixel() returns Gegl.Color	Use .get_rgba() to extract float components

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Troubleshooting

"Could not connect to GIMP"

• GIMP must be running with an image open
• Start the MCP server: Tools > MCP > Start MCP Server, or enable autostart in Tools > MCP > MCP Server Settings...
• If you changed the port in GIMP, set GIMP_MCP_PORT to the same value in your MCP client config
• Check port 9877 (or your custom port) is not blocked by firewall

"GIMP did not reply within 300 s"

• The command took longer than the MCP server waits. Raise GIMP_MCP_TIMEOUT (seconds) in your MCP client config; see Timeout for long commands
• GIMP may still be running the command: check the image before retrying

Plugin Not Visible in GIMP

• Look under Tools > MCP (the plugin adds an MCP submenu, not a top-level Tools entry)
• Confirm the plugin file is in the correct directory: uvx gimp-mcp-plugin@latest install-plugin --dry-run shows where it goes
• Upgraded GIMP recently? A minor upgrade (e.g. 3.0 → 3.2) moves the per-user config folder to a new version directory; re-run uvx gimp-mcp-plugin@latest install-plugin (use --dry-run to see which folder it picks). Verify the active path via Edit > Preferences > Folders > Plug-ins.
• On Linux/macOS: ensure the file has execute permission (chmod +x)
• Restart GIMP after installation
• Check Filters > Script-Fu > Console for error messages

Tests Failing

Run the test suite and check the failure list:

python run_tests.py

Each failure includes the tool name and error — most issues on GIMP 3.2 are covered by the fixes above.

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Example Output

<img src="gimp-screenshot1.png" alt="GIMP MCP Example" width="400">

"Draw me a face and a sheep" — generated entirely through natural language via GIMP MCP

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Future Enhancements

• 📚 Recipe Collection: Reusable workflow templates (portrait cleanup, product photo, etc.)
• 🚀 Dynamic Discovery: Auto-generate MCP tools from GIMP's full PDB procedure database
• 🔒 Security: Sandboxed execution for untrusted command inputs
• ⚡ Performance: Optimized bitmap transfer for large images
• 🌐 Remote Access: Network-accessible GIMP instances

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Contributing

Contributions are welcome — bug fixes, new tools, documentation, or example scripts. Open a PR or issue on GitHub.

Development Setup

Install dev dependencies and activate the pre-commit hook so ruff runs on every commit:

uv sync
uv run pre-commit install

After this, ruff checks staged files on each git commit (with --fix applied automatically). The same check runs in CI, so the hook is just a fast local safety net.

To bump the pinned hook versions later:

uv run pre-commit autoupdate

License

GPL-3.0-or-later. See LICENSE.