arcpy-mcp-server -- AI + GIS Smart Spatial Analysis

Let LLMs (GPT-4o, Claude, DeepSeek) directly operate ArcGIS Pro -- drive 1300+ spatial analysis tools with natural language.

What is this?

arcpy-mcp-server exposes all ArcGIS Pro toolboxes as MCP (Model Context Protocol) tools, enabling:

You: "Buffer analysis 500m around the university"
AI: Auto-calls arcpy -> ArcGIS Pro -> generates result

No tool names to memorize. No Python to write. No menus to click.

Features

• 1300+ tools across 15 modules: management(392), sa(355), ddd(144), stats(44), ga(39), analysis(38) + 9 more
• MCP standard: works with AutoClaw, Claude Code, Codex, any MCP client
• Zero dependencies: uses ArcGIS Pro's built-in Python 3.9
• Security whitelist: configurable path and tool restrictions
• One-click install: 30 seconds from clone to running

Supported Modules

Module	Tools	Highlights
management	392	Data management, projection, fields, topology
sa (Spatial Analyst)	355	Slope, aspect, reclassify, viewshed, hydrology
ddd (3D Analyst)	144	DEM, contours, viewshed2, skyline, point cloud
nax (Network Analyst)	61	Route, service area, OD matrix
conversion	57	JSON/KML/CAD/Excel/raster conversion
na	55	Legacy network analysis
stats (Spatial Statistics)	44	Moran's I, Gi*, KDE, Ripley's K, GWR
cartography	44	Contour labels, aggregation, simplification
ga (Geostatistical)	39	Kriging, IDW, EBK, cross-validation
analysis	38	Buffer, Clip, Intersect, Erase, Union, Thiessen
edit	18	Align, extend, trim, split, merge
server	18	Publish services, cache, tiles
stpm (SpaceTime)	16	Space-time cube, emerging hotspots
geocoding	13	Address matching, reverse geocoding
sharing	6	Web layers, web maps, scene sharing

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Windows 10/11
• ArcGIS Pro 3.x (with valid license)
• Python 3.9+

Install

git clone https://github.com/zhaojj662/arcpy-mcp-server.git
cd arcpy-mcp-server
install.bat

Start Server

Double-click start_server.bat or run:

start_server.bat

Server runs on http://127.0.0.1:8765.

Verify:

Invoke-RestMethod http://127.0.0.1:8765/health
# {"status":"ok","server":"arcpy-mcp-server","version":"2.0","tools":1300}

Configure AI Client

AutoClaw MCP Settings:

Field	Value
Name	arcpy
Mode	Local process (stdio)
Command	python
Args	path/to/mcp_bridge.py

Claude Code (claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "arcpy": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["C:/Users/%USERNAME%/arcpy-mcp-server/mcp_bridge.py"]
    }
  }
}

Try It

"Buffer roads.shp by 500 meters"
"Calculate slope and aspect from this DEM"
"Hotspot analysis on crime points"
"Kriging interpolation on PM2.5 monitoring data"
"Batch viewshed for 100 observer points"

Architecture

AI Client <-- stdio --> mcp_bridge.py <-- HTTP --> server.py (arcpy) --> ArcGIS Pro 3.x

Security

Edit server.py to restrict access:

ALLOWED_PATHS = ["C:/GIS-AI-Course/"]  # Only allow these directories
INCLUDE_MODULES = ["analysis", "sa"]   # Only expose these modules

API

Endpoint	Method	Description
/health	GET	Server status, tool count
/tools	GET	List available tools (first 200)
/modules	GET	List all modules with tool counts
/call	POST	Execute a tool

FAQ

Q: Is ArcGIS Pro required? A: Yes. arcpy runs only inside the ArcGIS Pro Python environment.

Q: Supported ArcGIS Pro versions? A: 3.x series (tested on 3.0).

Q: Can I limit which tools AI can access? A: Yes. Edit INCLUDE_MODULES in server.py.

License

MIT -- see LICENSE