About Houdini MCP
Houdini MCP connects SideFX Houdini scene inspection, editing, execution, and documentation to agents such as Claude, Codex, and Gemini. It supports viewport screenshots and offline documentation, and can start a headless session when Houdini is not already open.
Key features
- 01Inspect and edit scene nodes
- 02Run cooks, renders, and PDG
- 03Capture viewports and flipbooks
- 04Execute Python, HScript, and VEX checks
- 05Read local Houdini documentation
- 06Build node networks in batches
Use cases
- 01Inspect or modify a scene through an agent
- 02Run a scene and review render results
- 03Create feedback loops from viewport captures
- 04Look up documentation for the installed Houdini build
MCP support
The MCP server exposes tools for Houdini scenes, editing, execution, capture, code, and documentation. It communicates with Houdini locally and can also start headless hython.
Configuration
Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.
Tools
20Saved tool list · updated 4d ago
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| operations | array | Yes | The steps, in order. Each is {"tool": "<tool name>", "params": {...}}, with the arguments that the tool takes on its own. Any tool of this server except batch. |
Details
From the project READMEHoudini MCP
Connect SideFX Houdini to Claude, Codex, Gemini, Cursor, opencode or pi.
This MCP provides Full Markdown Documentation and Viewport Screenshots support to your agents of choice, enabling strong feedback loops and autonomous workflows.
Install
Windows
powershell -c "irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JTCHE/houdini-mcp/main/bootstrap.bat -OutFile bootstrap.bat; .\bootstrap.bat"
macOS / Linux
curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JTCHE/houdini-mcp/main/bootstrap.sh | bash
uv
uv tool install houdini-mcp-server && houdinimcp-install
The installer adds the plugin to Houdini and the server to your AI clients of choice. Restart both.
pi also needs pi install npm:pi-mcp-adapter.
Claude plugin
This repository is also a Claude plugin, for Claude Code and for Cowork on your computer. It needs uv.
The plugin starts a headless Houdini without setup. To connect the Houdini that you have open, ask Claude to run the houdini-setup skill.
What the plugin runs
uv run --frozenbuilds an environment fromuv.lockin the plugin folder, then starts the MCP server from this repository.- The server talks to Houdini on
localhostonly. It startshython, orhoudinion request, from your Houdini install, andffmpegto encode a flipbook movie. docsreads the documentation out of your Houdini install with houdinimd-docs. It sends nothing over the network.houdini-setupwrites the HoudiniMCP package into your Houdini preferences folder, after you approve it.- No tool sends data to a remote service.
executeruns any Python that Claude writes in your Houdini session.
Tools
| Read | scene_overview node_inspect geometry_inspect stage_inspect select console |
| Edit | node_edit parm_set connect hda batch |
| Run | cook render pdg playbar scene_file |
| See | capture: the viewport, a camera, four views or a flipbook |
| Code | execute: Python, HScript, expressions, VEX check |
| Docs | docs: the Houdini documentation of your build, offline, from houdinimd-docs |
| Session | session: status; starts Houdini headless or with its window |
No Houdini open? The server starts a headless hython.
batch builds a whole network in one call, and it is all or nothing: a failed
step undoes the steps before it. A build that works comes back with the cooked
point and primitive counts, and the nodes with errors.
Warning:
executeruns any Python in Houdini. Save your work.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| No Houdini listens for the bridge | Start Houdini, or click Toggle MCP Server on the HoudiniMCP shelf. |
| No HoudiniMCP shelf | Restart Houdini. houdinimcp-install --list shows where the plugin went. |
| Houdini started from Git Bash has no plugin | Git Bash sets HOME. Set the user variable HOUDINI_USER_PREF_DIR to %USERPROFILE%\Documents\houdini__HVER__. |
capture says there is no viewport | The session is headless. Call session with action="start_gui". |
| You must have a fixed port | Set HOUDINIMCP_PORT for Houdini and for the bridge. Without it, the plugin takes a free port from the operating system and tells the bridge which one. |
For agents and scripts
Without a terminal, the installer asks nothing and takes the defaults.
houdinimcp-install --list # Houdini installs and clients found, as JSON
houdinimcp-install --yes --json # newest Houdini, every client found; JSON report
houdinimcp-install --houdini-version 22.0 --harness claude-code --yes
houdinimcp-install --dry-run --yes # change nothing
houdinimcp-install --uninstall # remove the plugin and every client entry
Flags: --houdini-version none skips the plugin, --prefs-dir PATH names the
prefs folder, --harness none|all|KEY (repeatable), --quiet-start stops the
first-launch dialogs. The bootstrap scripts pass every flag through.
Manual client setup: run houdinimcp-bridge with no arguments.
claude mcp add --transport stdio houdini -- houdinimcp-bridge for Claude Code.
From a clone: uv run python -m bridge.onboarding.install.
Layout: src/houdinimcp/ is the plugin, a TCP server inside Houdini on
localhost:9877. src/bridge/ is the MCP server and the installer. Messages
are JSON with a 4-byte length prefix. HOUDINIMCP_NO_HEADLESS=1 stops the
headless start. Read AGENTS.md before you change code.
Credits
Built on blender-mcp, capoomgit/houdini-mcp, eetumartola/houdini-mcp, Houdini21MCP and fxhoudinimcp. MIT licensed.
Not affiliated with SideFX. Houdini and SideFX are trademarks of SideFX Software Inc.
Comments
New to MCP?
From what the protocol is to installing your first server, these answers cover most first questions.
An open protocol that defines how AI applications connect to external tools and data in a uniform way. Clients talk to the model; MCP servers provide tools, resources and prompt templates. They exchange standard messages, so one server can be reused by many clients.