Manim MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables Claude Desktop to create mathematical animations using Manim (Mathematical Animation Engine).

This server allows Claude to generate video artifacts of mathematical explanations, making it easy to visualize complex mathematical concepts through animations.

Features

• Create Math Animations: Generate mathematical animations by providing Manim scene code
• Multiple Quality Options: Render videos in low (480p), medium (720p), or high (1080p) quality
• Example Templates: Get example code for common animation types (equations, graphs, geometry, etc.)
• Easy Integration: Works seamlessly with Claude Desktop through MCP

Installation

Option 1: MCPB Bundle (Easiest - One-Click Install)

For end users - Recommended!

1. Download the latest .mcpb file from Releases
2. Double-click the .mcpb file (or drag-and-drop into Claude Desktop)
3. Follow the installation prompts in Claude Desktop
4. Install system dependencies (see below)

MCPB bundles provide:

• ✅ One-click installation in Claude Desktop
• ✅ No manual configuration required
• ✅ Automatic updates
• ✅ Easy uninstall

Building MCPB yourself: See MCPB_BUILD.md for instructions on creating your own .mcpb bundle.

Option 2: Direct Install (For Developers)

Install from GitHub

pip install git+https://github.com/Stelath/manim-mcp.git

Install from Local Clone

git clone https://github.com/Stelath/manim-mcp.git
cd manim-mcp
./install.sh  # On macOS/Linux
# OR
install.bat   # On Windows

Using uvx (Isolated environments)

uvx --from git+https://github.com/Stelath/manim-mcp.git manim-mcp

This will install:

• manim-mcp - The MCP server command
• manim - The Manim Community Edition library
• mcp - The Model Context Protocol SDK

Prerequisites

• Python 3.10 or higher
• Claude Desktop

Additional System Dependencies

Manim requires some system dependencies. Install them based on your OS:

macOS:

brew install py3cairo ffmpeg
brew install --cask mactex-no-gui

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install build-essential python3-dev libcairo2-dev libpango1.0-dev ffmpeg
sudo apt-get install texlive texlive-latex-extra

Windows:

• Install Chocolatey
• Run: choco install manimce

For detailed installation instructions, see the Manim installation guide.

Configuration

MCPB Users (Option 1)

No manual configuration needed! The .mcpb bundle handles configuration automatically.

Manual Configuration (Option 2 - For Direct Install Only)

If you installed via pip/uvx, add this server to your Claude Desktop configuration file:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Add the following to your configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "manim": {
      "command": "manim-mcp"
    }
  }
}

That's it! Just one line. No paths, no environment variables needed.

Alternative: Using uvx (for direct GitHub installation without pip)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "manim": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "--from",
        "git+https://github.com/Stelath/manim-mcp.git",
        "manim-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop

After updating the configuration, restart Claude Desktop for the changes to take effect.

Usage

Once configured, you can ask Claude to create mathematical animations. Here are some examples:

Example 1: Simple Text Animation

Create a Manim animation that displays "Hello, Mathematics!" and then fades out.

Example 2: Mathematical Equation

Create a Manim animation showing Euler's identity: e^(iπ) + 1 = 0
Animate the equation being written, then highlight it.

Example 3: Graph Visualization

Create a Manim animation of a sine wave being drawn on a coordinate system,
with the equation y = sin(x) labeled.

Example 4: Geometric Transformation

Create a Manim animation showing a circle transforming into a square,
then into a triangle, demonstrating geometric morphing.

Example 5: Calculus Visualization

Create a Manim animation showing the area under the curve y = x^2 from 0 to 2,
illustrating the concept of integration.

Available Tools

The server exposes the following MCP tools:

create_math_animation

Create and render a mathematical animation.

Parameters:

• scene_code (required): Python code defining a Manim Scene class
• scene_name (required): Name of the Scene class to render
• quality (optional): Render quality - "low", "medium" (default), or "high"
• output_filename (optional): Custom filename for the output video

Returns: Path to the generated video file

get_manim_example

Get example Manim code for common animation types.

Parameters:

• example_type (required): One of:
  • basic_text - Simple text animation
  • equation - Mathematical equation
  • graph - Function graph
  • geometry - Geometric shapes
  • transformation - Shape transformations
  • calculus - Calculus visualization

Returns: Example code and usage instructions

Output Location

Generated videos are saved to: {system_temp_dir}/manim_mcp_output/

• macOS/Linux: /tmp/manim_mcp_output/
• Windows: C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Temp\manim_mcp_output\

Troubleshooting

Server Not Appearing in Claude Desktop

1. Check that the configuration file path is correct
2. Verify the Python path in the configuration
3. Restart Claude Desktop completely
4. Check Claude Desktop logs for errors

Manim Rendering Errors

1. Ensure all system dependencies are installed (ffmpeg, LaTeX, Cairo)
2. Test Manim independently: manim --version
3. Check the error messages returned by the tool

Import Errors

1. Verify the package is installed: pip show manim mcp
2. Check that PYTHONPATH includes the src directory
3. Try reinstalling: pip install -e . --force-reinstall

Development

Building MCPB Bundles

To create a .mcpb bundle for distribution:

1. Install MCPB CLI:

   npm install -g @anthropic-ai/mcpb
   

2. Ensure icon.png exists (512x512 PNG file)

3. Build the bundle:

   ./build_mcpb.sh  # macOS/Linux
   # OR
   build_mcpb.bat   # Windows
   # OR
   mcpb pack        # Direct CLI
   

4. Test the bundle:

   • Double-click the generated .mcpb file
   • Or drag-and-drop into Claude Desktop
   • Verify both tools work correctly

For complete build instructions, see MCPB_BUILD.md.

Project Structure

manim-mcp/
├── manifest.json         # MCPB manifest
├── icon.png             # Extension icon
├── src/
│   └── manim_mcp/
│       ├── __init__.py
│       ├── __main__.py
│       └── server.py    # Main MCP server implementation
├── pyproject.toml       # Package configuration
├── README.md
├── MCPB_BUILD.md       # MCPB build guide
└── LICENSE

Running Tests

pytest

Code Formatting

black src/
ruff check src/

Learn More

• Manim Community Documentation
• MCP Documentation
• Claude Desktop

License

See LICENSE file for details.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit issues or pull requests.

Credits

• Manim Community - Mathematical Animation Engine
• Anthropic - Model Context Protocol and Claude
• 3Blue1Brown - Original Manim creator