Image Reader MCP vs Iris

In-depth architectural comparison of the Image Reader MCP and Iris MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Image Reader MCP when:

• You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
• You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
• Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
• Primary tools included: read_image, image_probe, crop_region.

Explore Image Reader MCP Details

I

Choose Iris when:

• You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
• You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
• Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Iris Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Image Reader MCP Developer Tools	I Iris Developer Tools
Summary	Evidence-first image MCP. Agent Media Twin with metadata and citeable OCR evidence.	Iris — image facts with pixel-level proof: metadata, OCR boxes, layout, and crops.
Category & Scope	Developer Tools	Developer Tools
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "image-reader-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@sylphx/iris"
      ]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "iris-2": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "iris-2"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Related MCP Server Comparisons