CoDesign is a local MCP server that connects an AI assistant to IMG.LY design tools. Through that connection, an assistant can work with design files using tools for editing, previewing, exporting, listing projects, and reviewing history. The package page also describes design inspection and revision features, embedded design guidance, and a browser-based editor for manual adjustments. Core design tools work with local files and do not require an account; AI generation has separate sign-in or gateway-key requirements.
What can CoDesign do?
CoDesign exposes a design workflow over MCP, covering common steps from opening or listing work through review and export. It can import several established design and document formats and export results in image, document, web, audio, video, and editable design formats, according to the package page.
- Edit, preview, export, list, and inspect design history.
- Import PSD/PSB, IDML, PPTX, PDF, images, and SVG.
- Export PDF/PDF-X, PNG, JPEG, WebP, SVG, HTML, MP4, WAV/M4A, and editable .imgly files.
- Use design inspection, revision tools, and embedded design guidance and skills.
- Open a browser-based editor for manual adjustments.
Video and audio support depend on engine mode, as stated on the package page. The repository and package page differ in some client and feature details, so check the vendor’s current documentation when a particular setup or format is essential.
How CoDesign connects and authenticates
CoDesign runs locally as an MCP server over stdio. The repository identifies Claude Code, Codex, Antigravity CLI, Gemini CLI, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, and Zed as supported clients. Core design tools use local files under the user’s CoDesign directory and do not require an account. AI generation requires signing in or providing an IMG.LY gateway key; AI generation and asset search contact IMG.LY services. The package page lists Node.js 22.15 or newer as a requirement and says the engine downloads on first launch.
Who is CoDesign best for?
CoDesign is for people who want to connect an AI assistant to a local design workflow: reviewing files, making edits, previewing work, and exporting in supported formats. Its core design tools are described as requiring no account. Anyone using AI generation needs to sign in or supply an IMG.LY gateway key. The package page says production use needs a license of your own; it does not establish a paid price here, so check applicable terms and current licensing with IMG.LY before production use.
What CoDesign can access and change
With its local setup, CoDesign works with design files under ~/.codesign/ and offers tools to inspect, revise, preview, and export designs. Those editing and export actions can change design work or create output files. The package page says local design-loop files remain on the machine, while AI generation and asset search contact IMG.LY services. Telemetry is documented as enabled by default, with an environment setting listed to turn it off. The README says Windows is unsupported with bare npx and recommends WSL for now. The verified sources do not specify whether edits can be undone, so this proposal makes no claim about reversibility.
Alternatives to CoDesign
For adjacent workflows, GitHub MCP connects an assistant to code repositories, while Google Drive MCP is a related option for working with stored documents and files. Playwright MCP is another option when the task is browser automation rather than editing design files. These alternatives serve different parts of a broader creative or software workflow; this listing does not claim they provide CoDesign’s design tools.
