exif-mcp

What is exif-mcp?

exif-mcp is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables LLMs to read image metadata on-demand, entirely offline. Built with TypeScript and powered by the exifr library, it parses metadata from common image formats without relying on any external tools, making it efficient and secure.

How to use exif-mcp?

Install by cloning the repository, running npm install, and building with npm run build. For use with Claude Desktop, add an entry to claude_desktop_config.json with command: "node" and args: ["/path/to/exif-mcp/dist/server.js"]. The server can also be started with npm start or run in development mode with npm run dev. It uses StdioServerTransport and is compatible with any MCP client that supports STDIO transport.

Key features of exif-mcp

• Works completely offline with no remote network required
• Extracts EXIF, GPS, XMP, ICC, IPTC, JFIF, and IHDR metadata
• Supports JPEG, TIFF, HEIC/AVIF, and PNG formats
• Reads images from file system, URLs, base64 data, or buffers
• Provides specialized tools for orientation, rotation, GPS coordinates, and thumbnails

Use cases of exif-mcp

• Analyze and visualize image metadata for any image
• Perform library analysis: most used cameras, lens distribution, favorite locations
• Debug image manipulation code by inspecting metadata before and after edits

FAQ from exif-mcp

What image formats are supported?

JPEG, TIFF, HEIC/AVIF, and PNG are supported.

Does exif-mcp require an internet connection?

No. It works entirely offline and never makes remote network requests.

How can I provide image data to the server?

Image data can be supplied via a local file path (path), a URL (url), a base64 string (base64), or a base64 buffer (buffer).

What tools does the server provide?

It offers 11 tools: read-metadata, read-exif, read-xmp, read-icc, read-iptc, read-jfif, read-ihdr, orientation, rotation-info, gps-coordinates, and thumbnail.

Is exif-mcp secure to use?

Yes. It processes image metadata without executing any external tools or network calls, minimizing security risks. It also handles oversized payloads and internal exifr errors with standardized error handling.