Install the Avid Media Composer MCP server.

Requirements

• Node.js 20 or newer.
• Python 3.9 or newer for AVB and AAF analysis, with the pinned packages from python/requirements.txt.
• ffprobe on PATH for clip analysis.
• A compatible Avid Extension bridge only if you need guarded live editing. See the bridge contract.

Step-by-step

1. 1Install the prerequisitesInstall Node.js 20 or newer. For AVB and AAF analysis install Python 3.9 or newer with the pinned pyavb and pyaaf2 packages from python/requirements.txt. Put ffprobe on PATH for clip analysis.
2. 2Set allowed project rootsSet AVID_MCP_ALLOWED_ROOTS to the Avid project folders the server may read and AVID_MCP_CAPABILITIES to inspect. The server refuses paths outside allowed roots.
3. 3Run the serverRun npx -y avid-media-composer-mcp@latest for the local stdio transport, or npm run start:http with MCP_AUTH_TOKEN for the authenticated Streamable HTTP transport.
4. 4Connect your MCP clientAdd the server to your client configuration. The CLI prints ready-made JSON for claude, cursor, vscode, lmstudio and generic clients and an argument array for codex.
5. 5Verify with a read-only callAsk the client to call avid_ping and avid_get_capabilities, then avid_analyze_project on one allowed root. Reports separate parsed evidence, opaque files, lock risks and unavailable dependencies.

Run the published package

# PowerShell
$env:AVID_MCP_ALLOWED_ROOTS = "C:\Users\you\Documents\Avid Projects"
$env:AVID_MCP_CAPABILITIES = "inspect"
npx -y avid-media-composer-mcp@latest

# macOS / Linux shell
export AVID_MCP_ALLOWED_ROOTS="$HOME/Documents/Avid Projects"
export AVID_MCP_CAPABILITIES=inspect
npx -y avid-media-composer-mcp@latest

Client configuration

Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code and LM Studio accept the JSON shape below. Run avid-mcp --client claude --root "ABSOLUTE_PROJECT_PATH" to print configuration for a specific client, or --client codex for a Codex argument array.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "avid-media-composer": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "avid-media-composer-mcp@latest"],
      "env": {
        "AVID_MCP_ALLOWED_ROOTS": "C:\\Users\\you\\Documents\\Avid Projects",
        "AVID_MCP_CAPABILITIES": "inspect"
      }
    }
  }
}

Authenticated HTTP transport

For a remote or containerized client, set MCP_AUTH_TOKEN to a strong random value and run npm run start:http. The MCP endpoint is /mcp. Every request requires Authorization: Bearer <token>. /health is unauthenticated for provider health checks.

Enable guarded editing later

Start with inspect. After installing and testing a compatible Extension bridge, set AVID_MCP_CAPABILITIES to inspect,edit, point AVID_MCP_BRIDGE_DIR at the bridge mailbox, and configure a shared AVID_MCP_BRIDGE_AUTH_SECRET of at least 32 characters. Keep that secret out of project files, logs and source control.

Next steps

• Browse the tool reference.
• Read the development-branch local setup for native Windows operations and managed Python environments.
• Install the bundled workflow skills for ingest QC, selects, review markers, turnover and export.
• Check the npm package and changelog for the current release.