Independent tutorial — not official ArtCraft docs. Not affiliated with Adobe Inc. or the ArtCraft team. Do not confuse official per-app MCP with community subscription API wrappers.
ArtCraft MCP: Official App MCP vs Community API — Setup Guide
TL;DR: Crafting Apps such as PhotoCraft expose an official MCP/CLI so agents (Claude, Cursor, and similar) can run the same commands as the UI. That is not the same as third-party projects branded “artcraft-mcp” that call subscription APIs. Start from the official app repositories and docs.
ArtCraft Crafting Apps may expose MCP/CLI for agents; that is not the same as third-party subscription APIs branded artcraft-mcp. Use official storytold app repositories and docs for MCP setup; treat community API MCP as separate products.
Official PhotoCraft MCP docstorytold/photocraftInstall apps via Launcher
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Official CLI/MCP vs community subscription API
| Dimension | Official per-app MCP/CLI | Community “artcraft-mcp” / subscription API |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Shipped with Crafting Apps (storytold repos, getartcraft.com) | Third-party projects; check each project’s own README |
| Paid subscription? | Local tools; not a third-party cloud MCP product | Often wraps paid/cloud APIs — separate billing |
| What it controls | Local app actions (example: photocraft-cli mcp headless or bridge). FigCraft documents CLI / JSON / MCP for 400+ commands on its official page. | Remote or subscription API endpoints — not the same as the desktop app MCP |
| Docs entry | PhotoCraft MCP book, getartcraft.com/apps/figcraft, storytold repos | That community project’s README — not getartcraft.com docs |
Community packages that brand themselves “artcraft-mcp” are not storytold official documentation. Useful in some agent setups, but keep the naming straight.
Minimal setup (PhotoCraft example)
- Install PhotoCraft from getartcraft.com/apps/photocraft or via the ArtCraft Launcher.
- Enable the shipped
photocraft-cliMCP (paths differ by OS; see the MCP doc). Example headless start:photocraft-cli mcp --automation-read-root /work/project --automation-write-root /work/project. - Point Claude or Cursor at that MCP server (for example
claude mcp add photocraft -- …as shown in the official doc). - Test one read-only tool (command list / doc inspect) before write operations.
Bridge mode can attach to a running desktop app over loopback with a control token — details in the control protocol and MCP docs. Do not expose these transports through untrusted brokers.
PhotoCraft example notes
Prefer the automation book under the PhotoCraft repo for exact flags. After a successful read-only probe, expand to edits on a disposable project folder. For UI design automation, see FigCraft; for suite install, see craft-launcher.
Related
FAQ
Can I control PhotoCraft from Claude via MCP?
Yes, using the official photocraft-cli MCP server shipped with PhotoCraft releases (headless or bridged to a running desktop app). See the PhotoCraft automation MCP doc on GitHub. This is separate from third-party subscription API projects that also use the “artcraft-mcp” name.
Official MCP vs community “artcraft-mcp”?
Official path: each Crafting App’s own CLI/MCP (for example photocraft-cli mcp, and FigCraft’s agent/CLI/MCP surface on getartcraft.com/apps/figcraft). Community projects branded artcraft-mcp often wrap subscription/cloud APIs — treat them as separate products, not official ArtCraft docs.
Do I need a paid ArtCraft subscription for official MCP?
Official per-app MCP/CLI talks to the local app on your machine. That is not the same as paying a third-party for a cloud “artcraft-mcp” subscription API. Check each app’s own docs for any account requirements.
Can FilmCraft or FigCraft be driven the same way?
FigCraft’s official app page documents CLI, JSON control and MCP for hundreds of commands. FilmCraft sits in the same Crafting Apps family; follow that app’s repo/README for current CLI/MCP coverage. Prefer storytold repos over community wrappers.
Is this the official ArtCraft documentation?
No. This is an independent setup guide on Open Creative Apps. Prefer storytold GitHub repos and getartcraft.com for authoritative steps.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from the pages below, checked on 26 October 2026.