Free, editor-less MCP server for Rive: create, edit, inspect, render and preview .riv animations
Free, editor-less MCP server for Rive: create, edit, inspect, render and preview .riv animations. That is what the rive mcp server brings to an AI assistant: the same capability, reachable through the Model Context Protocol rather than a separate app or dashboard.
rive-mcp is a free MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that gives Claude (or any MCP client) full control over .riv files. Unlike the official Rive MCP (which requires the editor running) or paid third-party servers, it works with nothing but a .riv file — and it can even build .riv files from scratch by serializing the binary format directly.
The server publishes 14 tools. What each one is for:
riv_list — Recursively find .riv files (size, format version)riv_inspect — Full metadata: artboards, animations (duration/fps/loop), state machines and inputs, plus data-binding structure (ViewModel definitions, instancesriv_lint — Static diagnostic: broken references, oversized embedded assets, unreachable state-machine states, unconditional self-transitions (infinite-loopriv_render_frame — Render any moment to PNG (inline image + file)riv_render_gif — Turn an animation into a preview GIFriv_render_apng — Animated PNG export — 24-bit color + alpha transparency (plays on GitHub)riv_render_video — Record an animation or state machine to WebM videoriv_render_sprites — Sprite-sheet PNG + JSON metadata (for game engines)riv_batch_render — Render a list of jobs — single files or globs — to png/gif/apng/webm/sprites in one call; per-job error isolation and a timing report, built for CIriv_play_state_machine — Set/fire inputs → advance → state-transition report (+ optional frame captures)riv_generate_code — Integration code with real artboard/SM/input names (React / JS / Vue / Svelte / Flutter)riv_create — Build a .riv from a JSON scene spec — validated with the official runtime, returns a preview. Supports bezier-handled vertices, elastic easingThe server ships on npm as rive-mcp-server, so your MCP client can launch it on demand — there is no separate build step. Add the server block to your client's configuration, restart it, and the tools register themselves.
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. Rive's toolset — riv_list, riv_inspect, riv_lint and 11 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by ODU33104; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.
This entry was verified against Rive's own documentation before publication; SyncDev keeps the directory reviewed rather than auto-generated.
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| riv_list | Recursively find .riv files (size, format version) |
| riv_inspect | Full metadata: artboards, animations (duration/fps/loop), state machines and inputs, plus data-binding structure (ViewModel definitions, instances with resolved values, enums, converters, bind wiring) when the file uses |
| riv_lint | Static diagnostic: broken references, oversized embedded assets, unreachable state-machine states, unconditional self-transitions (infinite-loop risk), unused inputs, easing silently discarded on a track's last keyframe, |
| riv_render_frame | Render any moment to PNG (inline image + file) |
| riv_render_gif | Turn an animation into a preview GIF |
| riv_render_apng | Animated PNG export — 24-bit color + alpha transparency (plays on GitHub) |
| riv_render_video | Record an animation or state machine to WebM video |
| riv_render_sprites | Sprite-sheet PNG + JSON metadata (for game engines) |
| riv_batch_render | Render a list of jobs — single files or globs — to png/gif/apng/webm/sprites in one call; per-job error isolation and a timing report, built for CI |
| riv_play_state_machine | Set/fire inputs → advance → state-transition report (+ optional frame captures) |
| riv_generate_code | Integration code with real artboard/SM/input names (React / JS / Vue / Svelte / Flutter) |
| riv_create | **Build a .riv from a JSON scene spec** — validated with the official runtime, returns a preview. Supports bezier-handled vertices, elastic easing, gradients, physics baking, particles, and **semantic motion presets** ({ |
| riv_design_tokens | **Generate design tokens before designing**: OKLCH-harmonized palette (+WCAG contrast), gradient pairs, Material-Motion durations & easing roles, spacing/radius/type scales — deterministic from seed color + mood |
| riv_import_svg | **SVG → Rive bezier shapes** (Figma/Illustrator exports, icons, illustrations): full cubic vertices, multi-contour paths, gradients, strokes, nested transforms — so the AI composes pro artwork instead of drawing with pri |
{
"mcpServers": {
"rive": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "rive-mcp-server"]
}
}
}Add to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.
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