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Prerequisites

Before installing the ModelsLab MCP Server, ensure you have:
  • Python 3.7+ installed on your system
  • Claude Desktop application installed
  • ModelsLab account with API access
  • Git for cloning the repository

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Step 1: Clone the Repository

First, clone the ModelsLab MCP Server repository to your local machine:
bash
git clone https://github.com/ModelsLab/modelslab-mcp.git
Navigate to the cloned directory:
bash
cd modelslab-mcp

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Step 2: Get Your API Key

  1. Visit the ModelsLab Portal
  2. Log in to your account
  3. Navigate to the API Keys section
  4. Generate a new API key or copy your existing one
  5. Keep this key secure - you’ll need it for configuration

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Step 3: Create Configuration File

Create the Claude Desktop configuration file in the appropriate location:

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For macOS:

bash
cd ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/

touch claude_desktop_config.json

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For Windows:

bash
cd %APPDATA%\Claude\

type nul > claude_desktop_config.json

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Step 4: Configure the MCP Server

Add the following configuration to your claude_desktop_config.json file:
claude_desktop_config.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ModelsLab-MCP": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/modelslab-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "IMAGE_STORAGE_DIRECTORY": "/path/to/your/images",
        "MODELSLAB_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

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Configuration Parameters:

ParameterDescriptionExample
commandPython executable pathpython or python3
argsPath to the cloned repository"/Users/username/modelslab-mcp"
IMAGE_STORAGE_DIRECTORYWhere to save generated images"/Users/username/Pictures/ModelsLab"
MODELSLAB_API_KEYYour ModelsLab API key"ml-abc123..."

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Step 5: Update Paths

Replace the placeholder paths with your actual paths:

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Example for macOS:

claude_desktop_config.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ModelsLab-MCP": {
      "command": "/usr/bin/python3",
      "args": [
        "/Users/johndoe/modelslab-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "IMAGE_STORAGE_DIRECTORY": "/Users/johndoe/Pictures/ModelsLab",
        "MODELSLAB_API_KEY": "ml-your-actual-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

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Example for Windows:

claude_desktop_config.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ModelsLab-MCP": {
      "command": "C:\\Python39\\python.exe",
      "args": [
        "C:\\Users\\JohnDoe\\modelslab-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "IMAGE_STORAGE_DIRECTORY": "C:\\Users\\JohnDoe\\Pictures\\ModelsLab",
        "MODELSLAB_API_KEY": "ml-your-actual-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

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Step 6: Restart Claude Desktop

  1. Completely quit Claude Desktop (not just minimize)
  2. Reopen Claude Desktop
  3. The MCP server should now be available

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Verification

To verify the installation worked:
  1. Open a new conversation in Claude Desktop
  2. Try generating an image with a command like: 
    Generate an image of a cat sitting on a tree
  3. If successful, you should see the generated image and it will be saved to your specified directory