Cadlens MCP Server

Model Context Protocol server that wraps the CADLens REST API.

Local serverstdio

What is the Cadlens MCP server?

Connect Cadlens to Claude, Cursor or any other MCP client and it stops being a tab you switch to. Model Context Protocol server that wraps the CADLens REST API. The cadlens mcp server is what makes that connection.

What the server does

Get an API key from the Cadlens dashboard first — keys start with cadl_ and are created in the dashboard for free.

Installation

@cadlens/mcp-server on npm is all you need. Most clients run it directly, so configuration is a few lines and a restart.

Available tools

The toolset is worth reading before you wire it up, because it tells you what the integration is really for:

  • cadlens_parse_file — Upload a local CAD file, poll until parsed (5 min budget), return summary
  • cadlens_parse_url — Download a CAD file from a URL, then parse it like parse_file
  • cadlens_get_job — Cheap status check (PENDING / PROCESSING / COMPLETED / FAILED)
  • cadlens_get_result — Fetch parsed content. mode: summary (default), entities_by_type, entities_on_layer, full
  • cadlens_refresh_image_url — Re-fetch the 1h presigned PNG URL without re-downloading the full result
  • cadlens_list_jobs — The 100 most recent jobs for the configured API key
  • cadlens_delete_job — Delete a job and its S3 artifacts. Irreversible

Credentials and setup notes

Configuration is passed through the environment: CADLENS_API_KEY, WEBHOOK_PORT, WEBHOOK_PUBLIC_URL. Treat anything key-shaped as a real credential — scope it to the minimum the server needs, and rotate it if it ever lands in a shared config.

Worth knowing first

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • Keep per-call confirmation enabled while you learn its behaviour; it is the cheapest safeguard you have.

Where it fits

Among the developer tooling options, the useful question is rarely "what can it do" but "what does it cost you to run" — permissions, credentials, and how much of your context its toolset consumes. Cadlens's toolset — cadlens_parse_file, cadlens_parse_url, cadlens_get_job and 4 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by cadlens-co; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

SyncDev reviews every entry in this directory against the project's own documentation before publishing, and revisits them as servers change.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
cadlens_parse_fileUpload a local CAD file, poll until parsed (5 min budget), return summary.
cadlens_parse_urlDownload a CAD file from a URL, then parse it like parse_file.
cadlens_get_jobCheap status check (PENDING / PROCESSING / COMPLETED / FAILED).
cadlens_get_resultFetch parsed content. mode: summary (default), entities_by_type, entities_on_layer, full.
cadlens_refresh_image_urlRe-fetch the 1h presigned PNG URL without re-downloading the full result.
cadlens_list_jobsThe 100 most recent jobs for the configured API key.
cadlens_delete_jobDelete a job and its S3 artifacts. Irreversible.

How to install the Cadlens MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cadlens": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@cadlens/mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "CADLENS_API_KEY": "cadl_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
CADLENS_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
WEBHOOK_PORTConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
WEBHOOK_PUBLIC_URLEndpoint or connection string the server talks to.Yes

Example prompts to try

  • Use Cadlens to cadlens parse file.
  • Use Cadlens to cadlens parse url.
  • Use Cadlens to cadlens get job.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Cadlens to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 7 tools (cadlens_parse_file, cadlens_parse_url, cadlens_get_job, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Cadlens directly.