indesign

This InDesign MCP Server exposes a rich, AI-friendly API to control Adobe InDesign workflows programmatically. It implements the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and provides a suite of tools for document creation, page and text management, styling, layout, and asset handling, all through natural language commands or scripted tool calls. Clients can inspect tool capabilities, request help for specific tools, and perform end-to-end automation tasks such as generating branded reports, creating multi-page templates, and applying design systems across documents. The server also includes robust error handling and a built-in help system to guide users with examples and tool usage.

To use the server, connect an MCP-compatible client to the running endpoint and begin invoking tools like create_document, add_page, create_text_frame, place_image, and apply_style. You can query help to understand each tool’s parameters, obtain examples, or fetch detailed descriptions. The server supports multi-step workflows, enabling dynamic content population, automated styling, and layout adjustments across pages and documents, all while ensuring brand consistency and layout integrity.

Prerequisites:

• Adobe InDesign (2025 or newer) with scripting support enabled
• Node.js 18+ installed on your system
• macOS (as noted in the README) for AppleScript-based automation when required

Installation steps:

1. Clone the repository:

git clone <repository-url>
cd indesign-mcp-server

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Start the server:

npm start

4. Verify the server is running and listening for MCP clients. Use a client that supports MCP to connect and begin issuing commands such as help, create_document, or place_image.

Recommended environment variables (optional):

• INDESIGN_CLI: Path to InDesign scripting bridge executable if your setup requires explicit wiring
• INCLUDE_DEBUG_LOGS: true to emit verbose logs for troubleshooting

If you encounter issues, check the server logs, ensure InDesign scripting is accessible, and verify that the Node.js version is compatible with the server codebase.

Notes and tips:

• The server exposes 135+ tools covering InDesign functionality; use the built-in help system to discover and learn how to call each tool.
• For image handling, you can place images with precise scale (1% to 1000%) and select fit modes such as PROPORTIONALLY, FILL_FRAME, FIT_CONTENT, or FIT_FRAME.
• Ensure your environment has access to InDesign apps and any required scripting bridges, especially on macOS.
• If you plan to run automated workflows in CI or headless environments, you may need to simulate InDesign scripting or provide a local InDesign instance with accessibility enabled.
• When troubleshooting, enable verbose logs via env var INCLUDE_DEBUG_LOGS to get more context about tool calls, responses, and errors.