1Install imagic and start the trial
The MCP server ships with imagic Max, and the free 7-day trial unlocks everything with no card. Download it from the desktop page first, because Continue needs something to talk to.
If you installed with pip rather than the packaged app, MCP is an optional extra: pip install imagic[mcp].
2Add imagic to Continue
Continue is configured in YAML and reloads on save, so no restart is needed.
Configuration
Continue reads ~/.continue/config.yaml.
The top-level key is mcpServers.
mcpServers:
- name: imagic
type: stdio
command: imagic-mcpWhere that file lives
| Windows | %USERPROFILE%\.continue\config.yaml |
|---|---|
| macOS | ~/.continue/config.yaml |
| Linux | ~/.continue/config.yaml |
3Ask for a cull
Restart Continue if it was already running, then point it at a shoot:
Cull the shoot in D:/Shoots/eva_tom, apply my style, and export the keepers.
Continue will call scan_directory, analyze_photos, apply_my_style and export_photos in turn. Every one of those runs on your machine: the agent sends instructions, never your photos.
Things that catch people out
- MCP tools are only available in agent mode. In chat or edit mode the server connects and no tools appear, which is the most likely reason to think setup failed.
- Continue reloads configuration on save, so there is no restart step.
- The same global config serves both the VS Code and JetBrains extensions.
What imagic can do once it is connected
That is 18 tools in total, covering the library, culling, editing and your learned style. See the full tool reference, or the workflows for what to actually ask for.
Setting up a different client?
Try it on a real shoot
The 7-day trial includes imagic Max, the MCP server and every tool on this page. No card required.
Configuration verified against Continue's documentation. If Continue changes its setup and this page falls behind, tell us and we will fix it.