Adobe Express Add-on Developer MCP Server (Beta)

Get Adobe Express Add-on documentation and TypeScript definitions directly in your AI-assisted IDE through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Build faster with grounded answers and accurate code suggestions.

Status: Beta - We're actively improving based on developer feedback. API and tool surfaces may change.

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ (check with node --version)
• MCP-compatible IDE (Cursor, Claude Desktop, etc.)
• Internet connection

Quick Setup (No Installation Required)

You don't need to clone or build anything. Just configure your MCP client to launch the server via npx.

For Cursor Users

Add this to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "adobe-express-add-on": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@adobe/express-add-on-dev-mcp@latest",
        "--yes"
      ]
    }
  }
}

For Claude Desktop Users

Add this to claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "adobe-express-add-on": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@adobe/express-add-on-dev-mcp@latest",
        "--yes"
      ]
    }
  }
}

If there's a toggle to enable the new MCP server in your IDE, make sure it's enabled.

Verification

Many IDEs show a green indicator when the MCP server connects successfully, for example in Cursor:

The LLM will automatically invoke tools based on your prompts:

Usage

Example Prompts:

• "What are the steps for implementing drag-and-drop functionality?"
• "How do I create a rendition of a document"
• "Show me examples of using the color picker component."
• "How do I create and style text in Adobe Express?"
• "How does the Document API work for manipulating elements?"

Pro Tips for Better Results:

• Be Specific: "Add a stroke to a rectangle" vs "Style shapes"
• Include Context: "I'm building a text editor add-on" helps narrow results
• Use Technical Terms: "text styling" vs "make it look good"
• Ask for Examples: "Show me code examples for text manipulation"
• Specify Surfaces: "Show me iframe-ui types" vs generic requests

Important Notes

• IDE Requirement: Requires MCP-compatible IDE for full functionality
• Network Dependency: Required for intial download and for tool calls
• Update Frequency: Documentation index updates periodically, not real-time

Compatibility

• Adobe Express SDK: Latest stable versions
• Node.js: 18.0.0 or higher required
• MCP Protocol: v1.0 supported
• Tested IDEs: Cursor 0.40+, Claude Desktop 1.0+, Visual Studio Code 1.80+

Getting Started Workflow

1. Configure your IDE (see setup instructions above)
2. Try it out - ask a simple question like "How do I create text?"
3. Explore the APIs - try "Show me the Editor interface"
4. Build something - use the tools while developing your add-on

Troubleshooting

Server Won't Start

• ✅ Check Node.js version: node --version (needs 18+)
• ✅ Verify MCP config JSON syntax
• ✅ Ensure firewall allows npx downloads
• ✅ Ensure you are connected to the internet

No Documentation Results

• ✅ Use specific technical terms ("text styling" vs "make it pretty")
• ✅ Try adding "Adobe Express Add-ons" for an additional context cue
• ✅ Try broader queries first, then narrow down
• ✅ Double-check API names and concepts

Missing Type Definitions

• ✅ Specify the correct API surface (iframe-ui, express-document-sdk, add-on-sdk-document-sandbox)
• ✅ Ensure your IDE supports MCP protocol
• ✅ Ask for specific types rather than general requests

Resources & Support

• 📚 Documentation: Adobe Express Add-on Guides
• 💡 Examples: Samples Repository
• 📋 Updates: Changelog
• 💬 Community: Adobe Express Add-on Developers Discord
• 🔍 Forum: Adobe Express Developers Community