Graphistry MCP Server

Graphistry MCP server - GPU-accelerated graph visualization for MCP clients

Local serverstdioPython

What is the Graphistry MCP server?

Graphistry MCP server exists for a simple reason — assistants are far more useful when they can act on Graphistry directly instead of describing what you should do. Graphistry MCP server - GPU-accelerated graph visualization for MCP clients.

What you get

GPU-accelerated graph visualization and analytics for Large Language Models using Graphistry and MCP.

This project integrates Graphistry's powerful GPU-accelerated graph visualization platform with the Model Control Protocol (MCP), enabling advanced graph analytics capabilities for AI assistants and LLMs. It allows LLMs to visualize and analyze complex network data through a standardized, LLM-friendly interface.

Setting it up

Installation goes through your MCP client rather than a global install: point it at @silkspace/graphistry-mcp on npm and it is fetched when the client starts. The copy-paste blocks for Claude Desktop, Claude Code and Cursor are further down this page.

What the assistant can call

Once Graphistry is connected, these are the calls the assistant has available:

  • visualize_graph — Visualize a graph or hypergraph using Graphistry's GPU-accelerated renderer
  • get_graph_ids — List all stored graph IDs in the current session
  • get_graph_info — Get metadata (node/edge counts, title, description) for a stored graph
  • apply_layout — Apply a standard layout (force_directed, radial, circle, grid) to a graph
  • detect_patterns — Run network analysis (centrality, community detection, path finding, anomaly detection)
  • encode_point_color — Set node color encoding by column (categorical or continuous)
  • encode_point_size — Set node size encoding by column (categorical or continuous)
  • encode_point_icon — Set node icon encoding by column (categorical, with icon mapping or binning)
  • encode_point_badge — Set node badge encoding by column (categorical, with icon mapping or binning)
  • apply_ring_categorical_layout — Arrange nodes in rings by a categorical column (e.g., group/type)
  • apply_group_in_a_box_layout — Arrange nodes in group-in-a-box layout (requires igraph)
  • apply_modularity_weighted_layout — Arrange nodes by modularity-weighted layout (requires igraph)

Configuration and credentials

You will need 2 environment variables: GRAPHISTRY_USERNAME, GRAPHISTRY_PASSWORD. Keep credentials in your client's env block or a secrets manager rather than in a file you might commit.

Before you rely on it

  • 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.
  • With 14 tools registered it takes up a noticeable share of the context window; turn it off in projects that never touch Graphistry.
  • MCP clients confirm each tool call by default. Leave that on until you have watched what the graphistry mcp server does with a few real requests.

Choosing this one

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. Graphistry's toolset — visualize_graph, get_graph_ids, get_graph_info and 11 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by silkspace; 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
visualize_graphVisualize a graph or hypergraph using Graphistry's GPU-accelerated renderer.
get_graph_idsList all stored graph IDs in the current session.
get_graph_infoGet metadata (node/edge counts, title, description) for a stored graph.
apply_layoutApply a standard layout (force_directed, radial, circle, grid) to a graph.
detect_patternsRun network analysis (centrality, community detection, path finding, anomaly detection).
encode_point_colorSet node color encoding by column (categorical or continuous).
encode_point_sizeSet node size encoding by column (categorical or continuous).
encode_point_iconSet node icon encoding by column (categorical, with icon mapping or binning).
encode_point_badgeSet node badge encoding by column (categorical, with icon mapping or binning).
apply_ring_categorical_layoutArrange nodes in rings by a categorical column (e.g., group/type).
apply_group_in_a_box_layoutArrange nodes in group-in-a-box layout (requires igraph).
apply_modularity_weighted_layoutArrange nodes by modularity-weighted layout (requires igraph).
apply_ring_continuous_layoutArrange nodes in rings by a continuous column (e.g., score).
apply_time_ring_layoutArrange nodes in rings by a datetime column (e.g., created_at).

How to install the Graphistry MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "graphistry": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@silkspace/graphistry-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "GRAPHISTRY_USERNAME": "your-value",
        "GRAPHISTRY_PASSWORD": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
GRAPHISTRY_USERNAMEConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
GRAPHISTRY_PASSWORDConfiguration value read at startup.Optional

Example prompts to try

  • Use Graphistry to visualize graph.
  • Use Graphistry to get graph ids.
  • Use Graphistry to get graph info.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Graphistry to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 14 tools (visualize_graph, get_graph_ids, get_graph_info, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Graphistry directly.