Concat MCP
An MCP server for video editing built into the free Concat editor: the agent cuts clips, adds titles and captions, sets keyframes and exports video
- 12,524 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- AGPL-3.0
Broad access
Why this level
- Runs the whole application and writes projects, frames and exports to the home folder; every `edit_apply` call changes the project
- Reads your video and audio through `media_probe` and `media_import` but does not upload them to a cloud
Install
- Works in
Manual install
claude mcp add concat -- /Applications/Concat.app/Contents/MacOS/concat --mcpThe macOS path. Install the editor from the releases page first; the server has no separate package.
Access and checks
How we reviewBroad accessThe tool can change data, run commands or handle secrets.
- Runs the whole application and writes projects, frames and exports to the home folder; every `edit_apply` call changes the project
- Reads your video and audio through `media_probe` and `media_import` but does not upload them to a cloud
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Concat is a free open-source video editor for macOS, Windows, Linux and Android with an MCP server for video editing built in. The client starts the program as `concat --mcp`, and the agent gets the same edit commands as the editor window: it creates projects, imports files, cuts and moves clips, adds titles and captions, sets keyframes, applies effects, looks at a composed frame and starts an export. The server runs in one of two modes, and the `concat_version` tool says which. In window mode it finds a running Concat through the `automation.json` file and goes through its server, so the agent cannot overwrite the project on your screen. In headless mode the server starts the editing engine itself with no window. You choose with the `--mcp window` and `--mcp headless` flags, and `--mcp auto` is the default. Edits stay in memory until `project_save`, as in the window. Times are in seconds, a keyframe position is a fraction of the clip from 0 to 1, and sizes and offsets are fractions of the frame. For everything else there is `edit_apply`: it takes any edit command or a batch of them as one undo step. After an edit the agent fetches the frame with `preview_frame` and sees the result without exporting.
Who it is for. For people who edit short videos, YouTube clips and tutorials and want to hand cutting, titles and export to an AI agent without uploading footage to a cloud.
Good fit when
- You need a rough cut: the agent imports recordings, trims pauses, joins clips and adds titles on request
- A series of videos needs a template: `template_list` and `template_instantiate` create a project from a preset, and `clips_add_sequence` lays clips one after another
- You want to check progress as you go: `preview_frame` returns the composed frame as an image and `timeline_read` lists lanes and clips
- The footage must not leave your machine and editing should be handed to an agent locally: everything runs on your computer
Not a fit when
- You need to edit the project that is open in the window while you watch: that live mode is planned in issue 337, and for now the agent works with separate projects
- You need plain cutting without an editor: the ffmpeg-skill skill is simpler for command-line trimming
- You need to edit CapCut or JianYing projects: Concat keeps its own projects, and capcut-cli covers the other formats
- You want to build video from React components in code: Remotion Agent Skills exist for that
- You need a code-signed build: according to the author, some builds still ship unsigned
Example request
Create a Concat project, import the recordings from ~/Movies/lesson, cut the pauses, add a title with the lesson name and captions, then show the frame at minute three and export to H.264MCP
- Transport
- stdio
- Authentication
- not required
Environment variables
CONCAT_MCP_ROOTS- List of folders the headless server may write to besides the home folder
CONCAT_API_ADDRESS- Address of a Concat server that lives somewhere the client does not look by default
CONCAT_API_TOKENsecret- Access token for the Concat server, used together with the address
Limitations
- The project is in beta version 0.2.7 and, according to its author, is not finished yet. SmartScreen may stop the Windows installer, and macOS refuses to open an unsigned build without `xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Concat.app`.
- The agent writes projects, frames and exports only under your home folder. `CONCAT_MCP_ROOTS` allows other folders in headless mode, a path list separated by `:` (`;` on Windows).
- Every Concat process locks the project folders it has open with a `concat.lock` file. A project open in the window is refused by the headless server, which advises turning on automation.
- The window opens its server for scripts and apps only when `Settings > Automation > Scripts and apps` is on. The window writes the address and token to `automation.json`, and a server on another machine is reached with `CONCAT_API_ADDRESS` and `CONCAT_API_TOKEN`.
- Models for captions, voices and background removal download once in the app settings and work offline afterwards. The license is AGPL-3.0-or-later.
How to disable. Run `claude mcp remove concat` for Claude Code, or delete the `concat` block from `mcpServers` in `claude_desktop_config.json` and restart the client. The server runs only while the client holds the connection. To close the window's access for scripts, turn off `Automation` in the Concat settings. The editor itself is removed like any other application.
FAQ
How do I connect Concat to Claude Code as an MCP server?
Install the editor and run `claude mcp add concat -- /Applications/Concat.app/Contents/MacOS/concat --mcp`. On Windows the path is `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Concat\concat.exe` for a per-user install and `C:\Program Files\Concat\concat.exe` for an all-users install. On Linux it is `/usr/bin/concat` or the AppImage file itself.
How does window mode differ from headless mode in Concat MCP?
In window mode the server goes through the running editor, which writes its address and token to `automation.json`, and the agent's exports take turns with yours. Headless mode starts the engine with no window. It refuses a project open on screen, because every process locks project folders with a `concat.lock` file.
Can the agent edit video while I watch the Concat window?
Not yet: the agent edits projects of its own and does not touch the project open in the window. The author tracks live editing as issue 337 in the Concat repository.
Which export formats can the agent use in Concat?
The agent calls `export_start` and follows `export_wait` with progress, and can stop it with `export_cancel`. The editor itself exports H.264, HEVC and AV1 up to 4K at 60 frames per second with 10-bit color.
Does Concat need an account or a subscription?
No. The author says the editor has no watermark, no account and no subscription, and footage is not uploaded. Builds for every platform are on the GitHub releases page.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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Comparison with similar tools
Entries that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Entry | Official | Authentication | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concat (this entry) | yes | not required | 12,524 | |
| capcut-cli | no | 1,058 | unofficial CLI for CapCut and JianYing projects: captions, timing, speed, cutting into shorts | |
| ffmpeg-skill | no | 3,975 | a skill and MCP server on local FFmpeg: cutting, audio, captions and export for TikTok, Reels and YouTube | |
| Remotion Agent Skills | no | 5,891 | official Remotion skills: video is built in code from React compositions |
README in short
The repository front page presents Concat as a free CapCut replacement: auto-captions, text-to-speech, background removal, keyframes, about 100 effects and transitions, and export up to 4K. Next come download links for five platforms, a build from source in Rust with FFmpeg 7 and contribution rules. A separate `docs/MCP.md` describes the server: client setup, the two modes, a table of tools and the protocol. The front page is translated into 24 languages.