# Auraimage MCP

> Sets up the AuraImage MCP server for the current project. Use when a user asks to "set up AuraImage MCP", "install the AuraImage server", "configure AuraImage tools", or when audit_lcp / migrate_assets / generate_responsive_tag tools are not available and the user wants to use them. Writes the MCP server config to .mcp.json automatically.

- Skill: `auraimage/auraimage-mcp` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add auraimage/auraimage-mcp`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/auraimage/auraimage-mcp/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- License: MIT
- Author: auraimage (https://skillmd.com/u/auraimage)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/auraimage/auraimage-mcp

---


# AuraImage MCP Setup

Configure the `@auraimage/mcp-server` so your AI coding agent has direct access to AuraImage tools: `audit_lcp`, `migrate_assets`, `generate_alt`, `generate_responsive_tag`, `smart_crop_preview`, and `push_og_template`.

## What the MCP Server Provides

| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `audit_lcp` | Scans a project directory for unoptimized images and estimates LCP savings |
| `migrate_assets` | Uploads local images to AuraImage (supports dry-run preview) |
| `generate_alt` | Generates accessible alt text for an image URL using vision AI |
| `generate_responsive_tag` | Generates a `<picture>` element with AVIF/WebP srcsets |
| `smart_crop_preview` | Returns crop variant URLs for an image at specified dimensions |
| `push_og_template` | Pushes an OG template to a project and returns its Render URL (see the `auraimage-og` skill) |

## Setup Instructions (Agent: Follow These Steps)

### Step 1 — Check for an existing `.mcp.json`

Look for `.mcp.json` in the project root. If it exists, read it first so you can merge rather than overwrite.

### Step 2 — Add the AuraImage server entry

Add the following entry under `mcpServers` in `.mcp.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "auraimage": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@auraimage/mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "AURA_SECRET_KEY": "${AURA_SECRET_KEY}"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

If `.mcp.json` does not exist, create it with exactly the content above.

If it already exists, merge the `"auraimage"` key into the existing `mcpServers` object without removing other entries.

### Step 3 — Ensure the secret key is available

The MCP server reads `AURA_SECRET_KEY` from the environment — the `.mcp.json` entry references it as `${AURA_SECRET_KEY}`, which is a reference, never the value itself.

If the project's env store already contains `AURA_SECRET_KEY`, this step is done. Otherwise invoke the `auraimage-api-key` sibling skill — it finds-or-prompts the Secret Key, validates it, and writes it to the project's env store with the user's confirmation. Do not prompt for or write the key from this skill: `auraimage-api-key` is the only skill in this collection permitted to write secret values to disk.

### Step 4 — Confirm the setup

Tell the user: "The AuraImage MCP server is configured. Restart your AI coding agent (or reload the MCP server list) to activate the tools. You can verify by asking your agent to run `audit_lcp` on this project."

## Complete `.mcp.json` Example

If the project has no existing `.mcp.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "auraimage": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@auraimage/mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "AURA_SECRET_KEY": "${AURA_SECRET_KEY}"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## Merging With an Existing `.mcp.json`

If `.mcp.json` already contains other servers (e.g. `shadcn`, `OpenAPI`), preserve them:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "existing-server": { "...": "..." },
    "auraimage": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@auraimage/mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "AURA_SECRET_KEY": "${AURA_SECRET_KEY}"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## Notes

- `npx -y` downloads and runs the latest version automatically — no global install needed.
- The server uses stdio transport, which is compatible with Claude Code, Cursor, Cline, and all other MCP-compatible agents.
- `AURA_SECRET_KEY` is needed for `migrate_assets` and `push_og_template`. The other tools (`audit_lcp`, `generate_responsive_tag`, `smart_crop_preview`, `generate_alt`) work without it.