Philips Hue MCP Server

A powerful Model Context Protocol (MCP) interface for controlling Philips Hue smart lighting systems.

Table of Contents

• Philips Hue MCP Server
  • Overview
  • Features
  • Quick Start
  • Setup
    • Prerequisites
    • Installation
    • First Run
  • Using with Claude
  • API Reference
    • Resources
    • Tools
    • Prompts
  • Examples
    • Controlling Single Lights
    • Working with Groups
    • Creating Scenes
  • Advanced Options
  • Troubleshooting
  • How It Works
  • Contributing
  • License

Overview

This server leverages the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to provide a seamless integration between AI assistants like Claude and your Philips Hue lighting system. With it, you can control your smart lights using natural language, access detailed lighting information, and create advanced lighting setups through a standardized AI-friendly interface.

Features

• Complete Light Control: Turn on/off, adjust brightness, change colors, set color temperature
• Comprehensive Group Management: Control multiple lights together, create custom groups
• Scene Handling: Apply existing scenes, create quick custom lighting scenes
• Activity-Based Presets: Ready-made settings for reading, relaxation, concentration, and more
• Special Effects: Access dynamic lighting effects like color loops
• Natural Language Control: Specialized prompts for lighting control through conversation
• Secure Local Integration: Connects directly to your Hue bridge on your local network

Quick Start

# Install dependencies
pip install phue mcp

# Run the server
python hue_server.py

# Install in Claude Desktop
mcp install hue_server.py --name "My Hue Lights"

Then in Claude, start with: "I'd like to control my Philips Hue lights. Can you show me which lights I have available?"

Setup

Prerequisites

• Python 3.9+
• A Philips Hue bridge on your local network
• Philips Hue lights paired with your bridge

Installation

1. Clone this repository or download the hue_server.py file
2. Install the required dependencies:

pip install phue mcp

First Run

1. Run the server:

python hue_server.py

2. When prompted, press the link button on your Hue bridge to authorize the connection
3. Your connection details will be saved in ~/.hue-mcp/config.json for future use

Using with Claude

Option 1: Install in Claude Desktop

If you have Claude Desktop installed:

mcp install hue_server.py --name "Philips Hue Controller"

Option 2: Test with the MCP Inspector

For development and testing:

mcp dev hue_server.py

API Reference

Resources

Resource	Description
hue://lights	Information about all lights
hue://lights/{light_id}	Detailed information about a specific light
hue://groups	Information about all light groups
hue://groups/{group_id}	Information about a specific group
hue://scenes	Information about all scenes

Tools

Tool	Description
get_all_lights	Get information about all lights
get_light	Get detailed information about a specific light
get_all_groups	Get information about all light groups
get_group	Get information about a specific group
get_all_scenes	Get information about all scenes
turn_on_light	Turn on a specific light
turn_off_light	Turn off a specific light
set_brightness	Adjust light brightness (0-254)
set_color_rgb	Set light color using RGB values
set_color_temperature	Set light color temperature (2000-6500K)
turn_on_group	Turn on all lights in a group
turn_off_group	Turn off all lights in a group
set_group_brightness	Adjust group brightness (0-254)
set_group_color_rgb	Set color for all lights in a group
set_scene	Apply a scene to a group
find_light_by_name	Search for lights by name
create_group	Create a new light group
quick_scene	Apply custom settings to create a scene
refresh_lights	Update light information cache
set_color_preset	Apply a color preset to a light
set_group_color_preset	Apply a color preset to a group
alert_light	Make a light flash briefly
set_light_effect	Set dynamic effects like color loops

Prompts

Prompt	Description
control_lights	Natural language light control
create_mood	Setup mood lighting for activities
light_schedule	Learn about scheduling options

Examples

Controlling Single Lights

# Turn on a light
turn_on_light(1)

# Set a light to 50% brightness
set_brightness(1, 127)

# Change a light color to purple
set_color_rgb(1, 128, 0, 128)

# Set reading mode
set_color_preset(1, "reading")

Working with Groups

# Turn off all lights in living room (group 2)
turn_off_group(2)

# Create a new group
create_group("Bedroom", [3, 4, 5])

# Set all kitchen lights to energizing mode
set_group_color_preset(3, "energize")

Creating Scenes

# Apply an existing scene
set_scene(2, "abc123")  # Group 2, scene ID abc123

# Create a quick relaxing scene for the living room
quick_scene("Evening Relaxation", group_id=2, rgb=[255, 147, 41], brightness=120)

Advanced Options

Run the server with custom settings:

python hue_server.py --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8888 --log-level debug

Troubleshooting

• Bridge not found: If automatic discovery doesn't work, you have two options:

  1. Manually edit the BRIDGE_IP variable in the script with your bridge's IP address
  2. Manually create a config file:

     # Create the config directory
     mkdir -p ~/.hue-mcp
     
     # Create a config.json file with your bridge IP
     echo '{"bridge_ip": "192.168.1.x"}' > ~/.hue-mcp/config.json
     

     Replace "192.168.1.x" with your actual Hue bridge IP address

• Connection issues: Delete ~/.hue-mcp/config.json and restart the server to re-authenticate

• Light control not working: Use refresh_lights tool to update the light information cache

• Groups or scenes not showing up: Restart the bridge and server to sync all data

How It Works

This server connects to your Philips Hue bridge using the phue Python library and exposes functionality through the Model Context Protocol. When an AI like Claude connects:

1. The server authenticates with your bridge using stored credentials
2. It provides resources that describe your lighting setup
3. It exposes tools that Claude can use to control your lights
4. It offers prompts that help Claude understand how to interact with your lights

All communication with your Hue system happens locally within your network for security and privacy.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Feel free to:

• Report bugs and suggest features in the issue tracker
• Submit pull requests with improvements
• Share examples of how you're using this with your smart home setup

License

This project is available under the MIT license.