How to add DaVinci Resolve MCP Server to Windsurf

Control DaVinci Resolve Studio from AI assistants via the official Scripting API, with source-safe media tooling. Paste the config into ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json and restart Windsurf.

Last updated June 14, 2026 · 1.3k★ · stdio · no auth

Windsurf config for DaVinci Resolve MCP Server

npx davinci-resolve-mcp setup

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "davinci-resolve-mcp-server": {
      "command": "/path/to/venv/bin/python",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/davinci-resolve-mcp/src/server.py"
      ],
      "env": {
        "RESOLVE_SCRIPT_API": "/path/to/DaVinci Resolve/Developer/Scripting",
        "RESOLVE_SCRIPT_LIB": "/path/to/fusionscript.so-or-dll",
        "PYTHONPATH": "/path/to/DaVinci Resolve/Developer/Scripting/Modules"
      }
    }
  }
}

Setup steps

1Open Windsurf → Cascade → the hammer/MCP icon → Configure (or edit ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json).
2Paste the DaVinci Resolve MCP Server config below.
3Fill in placeholder secrets, then save.
4Click Refresh in the MCP panel.
5DaVinci Resolve MCP Server's tools become available to Cascade.

Before you start

DaVinci Resolve Studio 18.5+ on macOS, Windows, or Linux (the free edition does not support external scripting)
Python 3.10+ (3.10-3.12 is the lowest-risk range)
Resolve external scripting set to Local (Preferences > General > External scripting using > Local)

What DaVinci Resolve MCP Server can do in Windsurf

resolve_control

App and project control: launch/reconnect, page switching, version info (including local MCP version and update-check status), and update-status checks.

media_pool

Media pool and ingest: safe import, image sequences, multicam prep timelines, bin organization, metadata normalization, metadata field inventory, marks/annotations, and relink/proxy/full-resolution guards.

media_analysis / analyze_media

Source-safe file/clip/bin/project analysis: 2-pop and slate-clap sync-event detection, default Resolve metadata and Media Pool marker writeback, persisted analysis artifacts, host_chat_paths visual analysis finalized via commit_vision, and transcription (all opt-out).

timeline / timeline_item

Timeline editing and conform plus per-item actions: track/item probing, title text key scans/writes, copy/move/duplicate helpers, range operations, gap/overlap detection, source ranges, and interchange exports/imports. Includes retime, transform, crop, composite, audio, and keyframe actions.

review markers

Review annotations: timeline/item/clip markers, custom data, flags, clip color, copy/move/sync cleanup, review reports, and marker thumbnail review.

color / grading

Color and grading: node graph probing, CDL validation, grade copy, DRX/LUT helpers, grade versions, Gallery stills, and color groups.

fusion

Fusion: timeline-item comps, safe tool creation, input writes, port inspection, validated connections, and scoped bulk writes.

audio / fairlight

Audio and Fairlight: track/item probes, source mapping, guarded audio property writes, voice isolation, auto-sync planning, and transcription/subtitle probes.

Security

The default server is a local stdio process launched by your MCP client; it does not expose a network listener or built-in multi-user auth surface. Tool metadata includes MCP client-safety hints for read-only, destructive, idempotent, and external-resource operations. Source media is treated as immutable — the server must not modify, transcode, proxy, or create derivatives of source media unless the user explicitly asks. DaVinci Resolve external scripting must be set to 'Local'. See SECURITY.md for operational boundaries and confirmation guidance.

DaVinci Resolve MCP Server + Windsurf FAQ

Where is the Windsurf config file?

Windsurf reads MCP servers from ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json. Paste the DaVinci Resolve MCP Server config there under the "mcpServers" key and restart the client.

Is DaVinci Resolve MCP Server safe to use with Windsurf?

Does this work with the free edition of DaVinci Resolve?

No. Only DaVinci Resolve Studio 18.5+ supports the external Scripting API. The free edition does not support external scripting.

Which Python versions are supported?

Python 3.10+, with 3.10-3.12 being the lowest-risk range. 3.13/3.14 also work on recent Resolve builds (verified on Studio 20.3.2), but older builds may fail to connect on 3.13+, in which case use 3.10-3.12.

What is the difference between compound and full server modes?

Compound mode (src/server.py, ~32-34 tools) groups related Resolve operations behind action parameters to keep context usage low and is recommended for most assistants. Full/granular mode (src/server.py --full or src/resolve_mcp_server.py, 341 tools) exposes one MCP tool per Resolve API method for power users.

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