MCP Server

QuikGIF includes a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables AI tools to automate GIF demo creation. Any MCP-compatible client — Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf — can use QuikGIF's recording, input simulation, and rendering capabilities directly.

Two Interaction Paths

Script Path

The AI writes a .qgif script, validates it, and executes it in one shot. Best for repeatable, self-contained demos.

1. Read quikgif://docs/scripting-reference  →  learn the DSL
2. validate_script(script: "...")            →  { valid: true, instruction_count: 8 }
3. execute_script(script: "...")             →  { path: "demo.gif", size_mb: 1.2 }

Interactive Path

The AI calls individual tools step-by-step, controlling each action. Best for exploratory or dynamic workflows.

1. check_permissions       →  { screen_recording: true }
2. open_app("Terminal")    →  { window_id: 12345 }
3. start_recording(...)    →  { session_id: "rec-a1b2c3d4" }
4. type_text("echo Hello")
5. stop_recording(...)     →  { frames: 150, elapsed: 5.0 }
6. render_gif(...)         →  { path: "demo.gif", size_mb: 1.2 }

Prerequisites

• macOS 14.0+
• QuikGIF CLI installed (brew install ringo380/tap/quikgif)
• Screen Recording permission (required for all recording)
• Accessibility permission (optional — enables cursor smoothing, click indicators, keystroke badges)

Quick Start

# Install the CLI
brew install ringo380/tap/quikgif

# Register with your AI tools
quikgif mcp-install

# Verify registration
quikgif mcp-status

Manual Configuration

If you prefer not to use quikgif mcp-install, add this to your AI tool's MCP config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "quikgif": {
      "command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/quikgif",
      "args": ["mcp-server"]
    }
  }
}

tip

Run which quikgif to find the correct binary path if yours differs from the default Homebrew location.

Available Tools

The MCP server exposes 19 tools across six categories:

Category	Tools	Description
Script	execute_script, validate_script	Run or validate .qgif scripts
Window	list_windows, open_app, focus_app	Discover and manage application windows
Recording	start_recording, record_region, stop_recording, pause_recording, resume_recording	Capture screen content
Input	type_text, click, move_cursor, key_press, scroll	Simulate keyboard and mouse input
Rendering	render_gif, process_gif	Encode recordings to GIF and post-process
Utility	list_settings, list_commands, check_permissions	Query configuration and status

Available Resources

The server also exposes 5 resources for documentation, examples, and live status:

URI	Description
quikgif://docs/scripting-reference	Complete .qgif DSL reference
quikgif://examples/{name}	Example scripts (hello, git-workflow, multi-window, spotlight-demo, polish-demo)
quikgif://schema/settings	Settings schema with types, defaults, valid values
quikgif://status/permissions	Live permission check
quikgif://recordings	GIFs generated in the current session