# Image Gen [Health: Active]

**Category:** 💻 Developer Tools  
**Repository:** https://github.com/nuver-labs/image-gen-mcp  
**GitHub Stars:** 1  
**npm Downloads (last month):** 356  
**Views:** 0  
**Installs:** 0  
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**Directory Page:** https://allmcps.com/mcp/image-gen

## Description
Generate and edit images from your coding agent with Gemini and OpenAI, using your own API keys.

## Tools
Capabilities this server exposes over MCP:

- **generate_image** — Text prompt to one or more image files. Returns the absolute saved paths.
- **edit_image** — Edit or combine existing images with a text instruction. Never overwrites the sources.
- **list_capabilities** — Which providers are configured, default models, and the output directory rules.

## Claude Desktop Quick Installation
Install path detected from listing signals. Uses `npx` (confidence: high):

```json
"mcpServers": {
  "image-gen": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y","@nuver-labs/image-gen-mcp"],
    "env": {
      "GEMINI_API_KEY": "",
      "OPENAI_API_KEY": ""
    }
  }
}
```

**Requires environment variables:** `GEMINI_API_KEY`, `OPENAI_API_KEY` — the values above are empty placeholders; fill in real credentials before running (see the repository for what each one is for).

## Documentation

## What the Image Gen MCP server does

Image Gen MCP server connects an MCP-compatible coding agent to Google Gemini image models and OpenAI GPT image models. It accepts natural-language prompts for new images, saves the results as PNG, JPEG, or WebP files, and returns absolute paths to those files. It can also modify an existing image or combine multiple source images without overwriting the originals.

The package supports one configured provider or both. A capability query reports which providers are available, the configured defaults, known model choices, output-directory behavior, and any active directory restriction. Provider API calls are billable and use the keys supplied through the environment.

## How it works

The agent calls `generate_image` with a prompt and optional output path, provider, model, aspect ratio, number of results, quality, background, image size, or inline-return settings. An output path may identify a file or directory. When a directory is supplied, the filename is derived from the prompt. If no path is provided, the server checks its configured output directory, the Claude Code project directory, and then its working directory.

`edit_image` accepts one to 16 absolute source paths. The first image is the edit target and the remaining files act as references. It supports the generation options plus provider-specific fidelity controls. If no output path is given, the result is placed beside the first source image. Generated files remain available for the agent to inspect and refine.

The Image Gen MCP server runs as an MCP process started with `npx -y @nuver-labs/image-gen-mcp`. Its tools perform file reads and writes and send prompts or selected source images to the chosen provider. It does not provide shell execution or arbitrary URL fetching.

## Setup and configuration

At least one provider key is required: `GEMINI_API_KEY` enables Gemini and `OPENAI_API_KEY` enables OpenAI. The default provider is Gemini when its key is present; otherwise OpenAI is selected. You can override provider defaults with `IMAGE_GEN_MCP_DEFAULT_PROVIDER`, `IMAGE_GEN_MCP_GEMINI_MODEL`, and `IMAGE_GEN_MCP_OPENAI_MODEL`.

Additional settings include `IMAGE_GEN_MCP_OUTPUT_DIR` for fallback files, `IMAGE_GEN_MCP_ALLOWED_DIRS` for restricting reads and writes, `IMAGE_GEN_MCP_TIMEOUT_MS` for provider request limits, and `IMAGE_GEN_MCP_LOG_FILE` for the JSONL activity ledger. Set the ledger variable to `none` to disable that file. API keys are read from the environment and are not returned by `list_capabilities`.

Claude Code can add the server with `claude mcp add`; Claude Desktop and Cursor use an MCP JSON configuration with `npx` as the command. On Windows, GUI hosts may need `cmd /c npx -y @nuver-labs/image-gen-mcp` instead.

## Tools and capabilities

- `generate_image`: Create one to four images from a text prompt.
- `edit_image`: Edit or combine existing PNG, JPEG, or WebP files without replacing source files.
- `list_capabilities`: Inspect configured providers, model defaults, model options, output fallback rules, and directory restrictions.

Gemini supports the listed Gemini image models and 1K, 2K, or 4K output on Gemini 3.x. OpenAI supports quality and background controls, with transparent backgrounds available through supported models. Aspect ratios include square, portrait, landscape, and wider formats; exact behavior varies by provider and model.

## Limitations and notes

The server operates locally with the user’s privileges and is not sandboxed by the MCP client. Unless `IMAGE_GEN_MCP_ALLOWED_DIRS` is configured, paths selected for output and editing are unrestricted. With that setting, every path must resolve inside an allowed directory; invalid or nonexistent roots cause file access to be refused.

Gemini generates multiple requested images sequentially, so larger `n` values take longer. The `return_image` option places the first result in the model context and consumes context tokens. OpenAI-only and Gemini-only options are ignored or adjusted when an incompatible model is selected. The Image Gen MCP server sends prompts and edit source images to the selected provider, so avoid supplying material that should not leave the local environment.

_Full upstream README: https://allmcps.com/mcp/image-gen/readme_