Embody

Overview

Embody provides an MCP server called Envoy that enables AI coding assistants to interact directly with TouchDesigner sessions. With 47 available tools, users can create operators, wire them together, set parameters, write extensions, and debug errors through natural language commands. The system externalizes TouchDesigner networks to diffable JSON files (TDN format), allowing for version control, branching, and automatic restoration. It integrates with Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf, significantly accelerating creative workflows in visual programming.

Try asking AI

After installing, here are 5 things you can ask your AI assistant:

• create_op

  Create any operator type in any network

  Try:Create a new Null operator in the current networkTry:Add a movie player operator to the project
• set_parameter

  Set values, expressions, or bind modes on any parameter

  Try:Set the 'play' parameter to 1 on the movie playerTry:Bind the 'active' parameter to the keyboard space key
• connect_ops

  Wire operators together

  Try:Connect the output of movie player to the input of the movie file InTry:Link the 'out1' of operator A to the 'in1' of operator B
• execute_python

  Run arbitrary Python in TD's main thread

  Try:Run print('Hello from Python') in TouchDesignerTry:Execute op('moviePlayer').play = True
• export_network

  Export networks to diffable .tdn JSON

  Try:Export the current COMP to TDN formatTry:Save the entire project as a .tdn file
• create_extension

  Scaffold a full extension (COMP + DAT + wiring)

  Try:Create a new custom extension with a COMP and DATTry:Build a sample audio visualizer extension
• get_op_errors

  Inspect errors on any operator and its children

  Try:Check for errors on the current operatorTry:Find all errors in the project
• edit_dat_content

  Perform token-efficient surgical text edits on DATs

  Try:Replace 'old text' with 'new text' in the script1 DATTry:Change the first line of text in the table1 DAT
• run_tests

  Run Embody's test suites via MCP

  Try:Run all Embody testsTry:Execute the test suite for externalization

Comparable tools

Installation

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "envoy": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "http://localhost:9870/mcp"
    }
  }
}

FAQ

Which AI tools work with Embody?

Embody works with Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf. Any tool that can connect to an MCP server via HTTP can integrate with Embody.

Can I version control my TouchDesigner projects with Embody?

Yes, Embody externalizes networks to diffable JSON files (TDN format), making them ideal for version control. You can compare versions, branch experiments, and restore previous states.

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