DaVinci Resolve MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server providing complete coverage of the DaVinci Resolve Scripting API. Connect AI assistants (Claude, Cursor, Windsurf) to DaVinci Resolve and control every aspect of your post-production workflow through natural language.

What's New in v2.3.1

• Positioned AppendToTimeline via clip_infos — media_pool(action="append_to_timeline", params={"clip_infos": [...]}) now exposes the documented MediaPool.AppendToTimeline([{clipInfo}, ...]) overload, accepting per-entry clip_id/media_pool_item_id, start_frame, end_frame, record_frame, track_index, and optional media_type. Each appended item returns its timeline_item_id for follow-up Fusion ops
• Positioned append failure reporting — the same call now returns {"error": ...} when Resolve fails to produce valid timeline items, including falsey AppendToTimeline() results and returned item handles without a timeline item id
• Live disposable Resolve validation — verified the fix against DaVinci Resolve Studio 20.3.2 with synthetic temp media in a disposable project: valid clip_infos append returned success, count=1, and timeline_item_id; invalid clip_infos calls returned errors

v2.3.0

• Resolve 20.2.2 API sync — added the 12 scripting methods introduced across Resolve 20.0-20.2.2, with compatibility guards so older Resolve builds return clear "requires Resolve 20.x" errors instead of crashing
• Resolve 20 live validation — revalidated the new API surface against DaVinci Resolve Studio 20.3.2, bringing live-tested coverage to 331/336 methods (98.5%)
• Official scripting docs refreshed — docs/resolve_scripting_api.txt now tracks the Resolve 20 scripting README bundled with the installed 20.3.2 developer package
• AI skill reference updated — merged PR #30's docs/SKILL.md and updated it for the Resolve 20 method count, 354-tool granular server, version guards, and source media integrity guidance
• Stale Resolve handle recovery — both server modes now validate cached Resolve handles and reconnect cleanly after Resolve restarts or Project Manager transitions

v2.2.0

• Granular server modularized internally — src/resolve_mcp_server.py is now a thin entrypoint, with the 354-tool implementation split across src/granular/resolve_control.py, project.py, timeline.py, timeline_item.py, media_pool.py, folder.py, media_pool_item.py, gallery.py, graph.py, and media_storage.py
• Installer now emits env blocks for every generated stdio config — standard .mcp.json, VS Code .vscode/mcp.json, Zed context_servers, and manual snippets now include RESOLVE_SCRIPT_API, RESOLVE_SCRIPT_LIB, and PYTHONPATH
• Windows Resolve 20.3 hardening — on Windows, the installer also emits PYTHONHOME derived from the selected interpreter's base install so Resolve binds against the intended Python instead of a newer globally registered one
• Windows stdio transport hardening — server entrypoints now run FastMCP through strict LF-only stdio wrappers to avoid client disconnects caused by platform newline translation in Windows pipes
• set_cdl accepts arrays cleanly — both compound and granular servers now normalize JSON array, tuple, and numeric CDL values into Resolve's required string form like "1.0 1.0 1.0"
• fusion_comp can target timeline item comps — node graph actions can now operate on a clip's Fusion comp via clip_id, timeline_item_id, or timeline_item, and bulk_set_inputs applies scoped input changes across multiple timeline comps
• python src/server.py --full now stays intact — the compound entrypoint now correctly launches the granular server instead of importing it and exiting

v2.1.0

• New fusion_comp tool — 20-action tool exposing the full Fusion composition node graph API. Add/delete/find nodes, wire connections, set/get parameters, manage keyframes, control undo grouping, set render ranges, and trigger renders — all on the currently active Fusion page composition
• timeline_item_fusion cache actions — added get_cache_enabled and set_cache actions for Fusion output cache control directly on timeline items
• Fusion node graph reference — docstring includes common tool IDs (Merge, TextPlus, Background, Transform, ColorCorrector, DeltaKeyer, etc.) for discoverability

v2.0.9

• Cross-platform sandbox path redirect — _resolve_safe_dir() now handles macOS (/var/folders, /private/var), Linux (/tmp, /var/tmp), and Windows (AppData\Local\Temp) sandbox paths that Resolve can't write to. Redirects to ~/Documents/resolve-stills instead of Desktop
• Auto-cleanup for grab_and_export — exported files are read into the response (DRX as inline text, images as base64) then deleted from disk automatically. Zero file accumulation. Pass cleanup: false to keep files on disk
• Both servers in sync — server.py and resolve_mcp_server.py now share the same version and both use _resolve_safe_dir() for all Resolve-facing temp paths (project export, LUT export, still export)

v2.0.8

• New grab_and_export action on gallery_stills — combines GrabStill() + ExportStills() in a single atomic call, keeping the live GalleryStill reference for reliable export. Returns a file manifest with exported image + companion .drx grade file
• Format fallback chain — if the requested format fails, automatically retries with tif then dpx
• macOS sandbox path redirect — /var/folders and /private/var paths are redirected to ~/Desktop/resolve-stills since Resolve's process can't write to sandboxed temp directories
• Key finding documented — ExportStills requires the Gallery panel to be visible on the Color page. All 9 supported formats (dpx, cin, tif, jpg, png, ppm, bmp, xpm, drx) produce a companion .drx grade file alongside the image

v2.0.7

• Security: path traversal protection for layout preset tools — export_layout_preset, import_layout_preset, and delete_layout_preset now validate that resolved file paths stay within the expected Resolve presets directory, preventing path traversal via crafted preset names
• Security: document destructive tool risk — added Security Considerations section noting that quit_app/restart_app tools can terminate Resolve; MCP clients should require user confirmation before invoking

v2.0.6

• Fix color group operations crash — timeline_item_color unpacked _check() as (proj, _, _) but _check() returns (pm, proj, err), so proj got the ProjectManager instead of the Project, crashing assign_color_group and remove_from_color_group

v2.0.5

• Lazy connection recovery — full server (--full mode) now auto-reconnects and auto-launches Resolve, matching the compound server behavior
• Null guards on all chained API calls — GetProjectManager(), GetCurrentProject(), GetCurrentTimeline() failures now return clear errors instead of NoneType crashes
• Helper functions — get_resolve(), get_project_manager(), get_current_project() replace 178 boilerplate blocks

v2.0.4

• Fix apply_grade_from_drx parameter — renamed mode to grade_mode to match Resolve API; corrected documentation from replace/append to actual keyframe alignment modes (0=No keyframes, 1=Source Timecode aligned, 2=Start Frames aligned)
• Backward compatible — still accepts mode for existing clients, grade_mode takes precedence

v2.0.3

• Fix GetNodeGraph crash — GetNodeGraph(0) returns False in Resolve; now calls without args unless layer_index is explicitly provided
• Falsy node graph check — guard checks not g instead of g is None to catch False returns

v2.0.2

• Antigravity support — Google's agentic AI coding assistant added as 10th MCP client
• Alphabetical client ordering — MCP_CLIENTS list sorted for easier maintenance

v2.0.1

• 26-tool compound server — all 324 API methods grouped into 26 context-efficient tools (default)
• Universal installer — single python install.py for macOS/Windows/Linux, 10 MCP clients
• Dedicated timeline_item actions — retime/speed, transform, crop, composite, audio, keyframes with validation
• Lazy Resolve connection — server starts instantly, connects when first tool is called
• Bug fixes — CreateMagicMask param type, GetCurrentClipThumbnailImage args, Python 3.13+ warning

Key Stats

Metric	Value
MCP Tools	27 compound (default) / 354 granular
API Methods Covered	336/336 (100%)
Methods Live Tested	331/336 (98.5%)
Live Test Pass Rate	331/331 (100%)
API Object Classes	13
Tested Against	DaVinci Resolve 19.1.3 Studio + Resolve 20.3.2 Studio
Compatibility Note	Resolve 19.1.3 remains the compatibility baseline; Resolve 20.x scripting calls are additive, version-guarded, and live-tested on 20.3.2; Resolve 21 beta APIs are intentionally deferred until stable

API Coverage

Every non-deprecated method in the DaVinci Resolve Scripting API is covered. The default compound server exposes 27 tools that group related operations by action parameter, keeping LLM context windows lean. The full granular server provides 354 individual tools for power users. Both modes cover all 13 API object classes:

Class	Methods	Tools	Description
Resolve	22	22	App control, pages, layout presets, render/burn-in presets, keyframe mode
ProjectManager	25	25	Project CRUD, folders, databases, cloud projects, archive/restore
Project	43	43	Timelines, render pipeline, settings, LUTs, color groups
MediaStorage	9	9	Volumes, file browsing, media import, mattes
MediaPool	27	27	Folders, clips, timelines, metadata, stereo, sync
Folder	8	8	Clip listing, export, transcription
MediaPoolItem	36	36	Metadata, markers, flags, properties, proxy, transcription
Timeline	58	58	Tracks, markers, items, export, generators, titles, stills, stereo
TimelineItem	80	80	Properties, markers, Fusion comps, versions, takes, CDL, AI tools
Gallery	8	8	Albums, stills, power grades
GalleryStillAlbum	6	6	Stills management, import/export, labels
Graph	11	22	Node operations, LUTs, cache, grades (timeline + clip graph variants)
ColorGroup	5	10	Group management, pre/post clip node graphs

Requirements

• DaVinci Resolve Studio 18.5+ (macOS, Windows, or Linux) — the free edition does not support external scripting
• Python 3.10–3.12 recommended (3.13+ may have ABI incompatibilities with Resolve's scripting library)
• DaVinci Resolve running with Preferences > General > "External scripting using" set to Local

Validated live coverage is based on DaVinci Resolve 19.1.3 Studio for the original API surface, plus DaVinci Resolve 20.3.2 Studio for the Resolve 20.0-20.2.2 scripting additions. Resolve 21 beta APIs are intentionally deferred until a stable release.

Quick Start

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/samuelgursky/davinci-resolve-mcp.git
cd davinci-resolve-mcp

# Make sure DaVinci Resolve is running, then:
python install.py

The universal installer auto-detects your platform, finds your DaVinci Resolve installation, creates a virtual environment, and configures your MCP client — all in one step.

Supported MCP Clients

The installer can automatically configure any of these clients:

Client	Config Written To
Claude Desktop	~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS)
Claude Code	.mcp.json (project root)
Cursor	~/.cursor/mcp.json
VS Code (Copilot)	.vscode/mcp.json (workspace)
Windsurf	~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
Cline	VS Code global storage
Roo Code	VS Code global storage
Zed	~/.config/zed/settings.json
Continue	~/.continue/config.json
JetBrains IDEs	Manual (Settings > Tools > AI Assistant > MCP)

You can configure multiple clients at once, or use --clients manual to get copy-paste config snippets.

Installer Options

python install.py                              # Interactive mode
python install.py --clients all                # Configure all clients
python install.py --clients cursor,claude-desktop  # Specific clients
python install.py --clients manual             # Just print the config
python install.py --dry-run --clients all      # Preview without writing
python install.py --no-venv --clients cursor   # Skip venv creation

Server Modes

The MCP server comes in two modes:

Mode	File	Tools	Best For
Compound (default)	src/server.py	27	Most users — fast, clean, low context usage
Full	src/resolve_mcp_server.py	354	Power users who want one tool per API method

The compound server's timeline_item tool includes dedicated actions for common workflows:

Category	Actions	Parameters
Retime	get_retime, set_retime	process (nearest, frame_blend, optical_flow), motion_estimation (0-6)
Transform	get_transform, set_transform	Pan, Tilt, ZoomX/Y, RotationAngle, AnchorPointX/Y, Pitch, Yaw, FlipX/Y
Crop	get_crop, set_crop	CropLeft, CropRight, CropTop, CropBottom, CropSoftness, CropRetain
Composite	get_composite, set_composite	Opacity, CompositeMode
Audio	get_audio, set_audio	Volume, Pan, AudioSyncOffset
Keyframes	get_keyframes, add_keyframe, modify_keyframe, delete_keyframe, set_keyframe_interpolation	property, frame, value, interpolation (Linear, Bezier, EaseIn, EaseOut, EaseInOut)

The installer uses the compound server by default. To use the full server:

python src/server.py --full    # Launch full 354-tool server
# Or point your MCP config directly at src/resolve_mcp_server.py

Manual Configuration

If you prefer to set things up yourself, add to your MCP client config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "davinci-resolve": {
      "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"
      }
    }
  }
}

On Windows, installer-generated configs also include PYTHONHOME. That scopes Resolve's Python binding to the selected interpreter and avoids the Resolve 20.3 multi-Python crash reported in Issue #26.

Platform-specific paths:

Platform	API Path	Library Path
macOS	/Library/Application Support/Blackmagic Design/DaVinci Resolve/Developer/Scripting	fusionscript.so in DaVinci Resolve.app
Windows	C:\ProgramData\Blackmagic Design\DaVinci Resolve\Support\Developer\Scripting	fusionscript.dll in Resolve install dir
Linux	/opt/resolve/Developer/Scripting	/opt/resolve/libs/Fusion/fusionscript.so

Usage Examples

Once connected, you can control DaVinci Resolve through natural language:

"What version of DaVinci Resolve is running?"
"List all projects and open the one called 'My Film'"
"Create a new timeline called 'Assembly Cut' and add all clips from the media pool"
"Add a blue marker at the current playhead position with note 'Review this'"
"Set up a ProRes 422 HQ render for the current timeline"
"Export the timeline as an EDL"
"Switch to the Color page and grab a still"
"Create a Fusion composition on the selected clip"

Test Results

Baseline testing was performed against DaVinci Resolve 19.1.3 Studio on macOS with live API calls (no mocks). Resolve 20 additions were revalidated live against DaVinci Resolve 20.3.2 Studio.

Phase	Tests	Pass Rate	Scope
Phase 1	204/204	100%	Safe read-only operations across all classes
Phase 2	79/79	100%	Destructive operations with create-test-cleanup patterns
Phase 3	20/20	100%	Real media import, sync, transcription, database switching, Resolve.Quit
Phase 4	10/10	100%	AI/ML methods, Fusion clips, stereo, gallery stills
Phase 5	6/6	100%	Scene cuts, subtitles from audio, graph node cache/tools/enable
Resolve 20 delta	12/12	100%	Resolve 20.0-20.2.2 scripting additions live-tested on 20.3.2
Total	331/331	100%	98.5% of current API methods tested live

Untested Methods (5 of 336)

Method	Reason	Help Wanted
PM.CreateCloudProject	Requires DaVinci Resolve cloud infrastructure	Yes
PM.LoadCloudProject	Requires DaVinci Resolve cloud infrastructure	Yes
PM.ImportCloudProject	Requires DaVinci Resolve cloud infrastructure	Yes
PM.RestoreCloudProject	Requires DaVinci Resolve cloud infrastructure	Yes
TL.AnalyzeDolbyVision	Requires HDR/Dolby Vision content	Yes

---

Complete API Reference

Every method in the DaVinci Resolve Scripting API and its test status. Methods are listed by object class.

Status Key:

• ✅ = Tested live, returned expected result
• ⚠️ = Tested live, API accepted call (returned False — needs specific context to fully execute)
• ☁️ = Requires cloud infrastructure (untested)
• 🔬 = Requires specific content/hardware (untested — PRs welcome)

Resolve

#	Method	Status	Test Result / Notes
1	Fusion()	✅	Returns Fusion object
2	GetMediaStorage()	✅	Returns MediaStorage object
3	GetProjectManager()	✅	Returns ProjectManager object
4	OpenPage(pageName)	✅	Switches Resolve page
5	GetCurrentPage()	✅	Returns current page name (e.g. "edit")
6	GetProductName()	✅	Returns "DaVinci Resolve Studio"
7	GetVersion()	✅	Returns [19, 1, 3, 7, '']
8	GetVersionString()	✅	Returns "19.1.3.7"
9	LoadLayoutPreset(presetName)	✅	Loads saved layout
10	UpdateLayoutPreset(presetName)	✅	Updates existing preset
11	ExportLayoutPreset(presetName, presetFilePath)	✅	Exports preset to file
12	DeleteLayoutPreset(presetName)	✅	Deletes preset
13	SaveLayoutPreset(presetName)	⚠️	API accepts; returns False when preset name conflicts
14	ImportLayoutPreset(presetFilePath, presetName)	✅	Imports preset from file
15	Quit()	✅	Quits DaVinci Resolve
16	ImportRenderPreset(presetPath)	⚠️	API accepts; needs valid preset file
17	ExportRenderPreset(presetName, exportPath)	⚠️	API accepts; needs valid preset name
18	ImportBurnInPreset(presetPath)	⚠️	API accepts; needs valid preset file
19	ExportBurnInPreset(presetName, exportPath)	⚠️	API accepts; needs valid preset name
20	GetKeyframeMode()	✅	Returns keyframe mode
21	SetKeyframeMode(keyframeMode)	⚠️	API accepts; mode must match valid enum
22	GetFairlightPresets()	✅	Resolve 20.3.2 live test returns preset map

ProjectManager

#	Method	Status	Test Result / Notes
1	ArchiveProject(projectName, filePath, ...)	⚠️	API accepts; archiving is slow
2	CreateProject(projectName, mediaLocationPath)	✅	Creates new project; optional media location added in Resolve 20.2.2
3	DeleteProject(projectName)	⚠️	Returns False if project is open
4	LoadProject(projectName)	✅	Returns Project object
5	GetCurrentProject()	✅	Returns current Project
6	SaveProject()	✅	Saves current project
7	CloseProject(project)	✅	Closes project
8	CreateFolder(folderName)	✅	Creates project folder
9	DeleteFolder(folderName)	✅	Deletes project folder
10	GetProjectListInCurrentFolder()	✅	Returns project name list
11	GetFolderListInCurrentFolder()	✅	Returns folder name list
12	GotoRootFolder()	✅	Navigates to root
13	GotoParentFolder()	✅	Returns False at root (expected)
14	GetCurrentFolder()	✅	Returns current folder name
15	OpenFolder(folderName)	✅	Opens folder
16	ImportProject(filePath, projectName)	✅	Imports .drp file
17	ExportProject(projectName, filePath, ...)	✅	Exports .drp file
18	RestoreProject(filePath, projectName)	⚠️	API accepts; needs backup archive
19	GetCurrentDatabase()	✅	Returns {DbType, DbName}
20	GetDatabaseList()	✅	Returns list of databases
21	SetCurrentDatabase({dbInfo})	✅	Switches database
22	CreateCloudProject({cloudSettings})	☁️	Requires cloud infrastructure
23	LoadCloudProject({cloudSettings})	☁️	Requires cloud infrastructure
24	ImportCloudProject(filePath, {cloudSettings})	☁️	Requires cloud infrastructure
25	RestoreCloudProject(folderPath, {cloudSettings})	☁️	Requires cloud infrastructure

Project

#	Method	Status	Test Result / Notes
1	GetMediaPool()	✅	Returns MediaPool object
2	GetTimelineCount()	✅	Returns integer count
3	GetTimelineByIndex(idx)	✅	Returns Timeline object
4	GetCurrentTimeline()	✅	Returns current Timeline
5	SetCurrentTimeline(timeline)	✅	Sets active timeline
6	GetGallery()	✅	Returns Gallery object
7	GetName()	✅	Returns project name
8	SetName(projectName)	⚠️	Returns False on open project
9	GetPresetList()	✅	Returns preset list with dimensions
10	SetPreset(presetName)	⚠️	API accepts; preset must exist
11	AddRenderJob()	✅	Returns job ID string
12	DeleteRenderJob(jobId)	✅	Deletes render job
13	DeleteAllRenderJobs()	✅	Clears render queue
14	GetRenderJobList()	✅	Returns job list
15	GetRenderPresetList()	✅	Returns preset names
16	StartRendering(...)	✅	Starts render
17	StopRendering()	✅	Stops render
18	IsRenderingInProgress()	✅	Returns False when idle
19	LoadRenderPreset(presetName)	✅	Loads render preset
20	SaveAsNewRenderPreset(presetName)	✅	Creates render preset
21	DeleteRenderPreset(presetName)	✅	Deletes render preset
22	SetRenderSettings({settings})	✅	Applies render settings; Resolve 20.2 adds ExportSubtitle and SubtitleFormat keys
23	GetRenderJobStatus(jobId)	✅	Returns {JobStatus, CompletionPercentage}
24	GetQuickExportRenderPresets()	✅	Returns preset names
25	RenderWithQuickExport(preset, {params})	✅	Initiates quick export
26	GetSetting(settingName)	✅	Returns project settings dict
27	SetSetting(settingName, settingValue)	✅	Sets project setting
28	GetRenderFormats()	✅	Returns format map
29	GetRenderCodecs(renderFormat)	✅	Returns codec map
30	GetCurrentRenderFormatAndCodec()	✅	Returns {format, codec}
31	SetCurrentRenderFormatAndCodec(format, codec)	✅	Sets format and codec
32	GetCurrentRenderMode()	✅	Returns mode integer
33	SetCurrentRenderMode(renderMode)	✅	Sets render mode
34	GetRenderResolutions(format, codec)	✅	Returns resolution list
35	RefreshLUTList()	✅	Refreshes LUT list
36	GetUniqueId()	✅	Returns UUID string
37	InsertAudioToCurrentTrackAtPlayhead(...)	⚠️	Tested; needs Fairlight page context
38	LoadBurnInPreset(presetName)	⚠️	API accepts; preset must exist
39	ExportCurrentFrameAsStill(filePath)	⚠️	API accepts; needs valid playhead position
40	GetColorGroupsList()	✅	Returns color group list
41	AddColorGroup(groupName)	✅	Returns ColorGroup object
42	DeleteColorGroup(colorGroup)	✅	Deletes color group
43	ApplyFairlightPresetToCurrentTimeline(presetName)	⚠️	Resolve 20.3.2 live test accepts call; returns False without a named preset

MediaStorage

#	Method	Status	Test Result / Notes
1	GetMountedVolumeList()	✅	Returns mounted volume paths
2	GetSubFolderList(folderPath)	✅	Returns subfolder paths
3	GetFileList(folderPath)	✅	Returns file paths
4	RevealInStorage(path)	✅	Reveals path in Media Storage
5	AddItemListToMediaPool(...)	✅	Imports media, returns clips
6	AddClipMattesToMediaPool(item, [paths], eye)	✅	Adds clip mattes
7	AddTimelineMattesToMediaPool([paths])	✅	Returns MediaPoolItem list

MediaPool

#	Method	Status	Test Result / Notes
1	GetRootFolder()	✅	Returns root Folder
2	AddSubFolder(folder, name)	✅	Creates subfolder
3	RefreshFolders()	✅	Refreshes folder list
4	CreateEmptyTimeline(name)	✅	Creates timeline
5	AppendToTimeline(...)	✅	Appends clips, returns TimelineItems
6	CreateTimelineFromClips(name, ...)	✅	Creates timeline from clips
7	ImportTimelineFromFile(filePath, {options})	✅	Imports AAF/EDL/XML
8	DeleteTimelines([timeline])	✅	Deletes timelines
9	GetCurrentFolder()	✅	Returns current Folder
10	SetCurrentFolder(folder)	✅	Sets current folder
11	DeleteClips([clips])	✅	Deletes clips
12	ImportFolderFromFile(filePath)	✅	Imports DRB folder
13	DeleteFolders([subfolders])	✅	Deletes folders
14	MoveClips([clips], targetFolder)	✅	Moves clips
15	MoveFolders([folders], targetFolder)	✅	Moves folders
16	GetClipMatteList(item)	✅	Returns matte paths
17	GetTimelineMatteList(folder)	✅	Returns matte items
18	DeleteClipMattes(item, [paths])	✅	Deletes clip mattes
19	RelinkClips([items], folderPath)	⚠️	API accepts; needs offline clips
20	UnlinkClips([items])	✅	Unlinks clips
21	ImportMedia([items])	✅	Imports media files
22	ExportMetadata(fileName, [clips])	✅	Exports metadata CSV
23	GetUniqueId()	✅	Returns UUID string
24	CreateStereoClip(left, right)	✅	Creates stereo pair
25	AutoSyncAudio([items], {settings})	⚠️	Tested; needs matching A/V clips
26	GetSelectedClips()	✅	Returns selected clips
27	SetSelectedClip(item)	✅	Selects clip

Folder

#	Method	Status	Test Result / Notes
1	GetClipList()	✅	Returns clip list
2	GetName()	✅	Returns folder name
3	GetSubFolderList()	✅	Returns subfolder list
4	GetIsFolderStale()	✅	Returns False
5	GetUniqueId()	✅	Returns UUID string
6	Export(filePath)	✅	Exports DRB file
7	TranscribeAudio()	✅	Starts audio transcription
8	ClearTranscription()	✅	Clears transcription

MediaPoolItem

#	Method	Status	Test Result / Notes
1	GetName()	✅	Returns clip name
2	GetMetadata(metadataType)	✅	Returns metadata dict
3	SetMetadata(type, value)	✅	Sets metadata
4	GetThirdPartyMetadata(type)	✅	Returns third-party metadata
5	SetThirdPartyMetadata(type, value)	✅	Sets third-party metadata
6	GetMediaId()	✅	Returns media UUID
7	AddMarker(frameId, color, name, note, duration, customData)	✅	Adds marker
8	GetMarkers()	✅	Returns marker dict
9	GetMarkerByCustomData(customData)	✅	Finds marker by data
10	UpdateMarkerCustomData(frameId, customData)	✅	Updates marker data
11	GetMarkerCustomData(frameId)	✅	Returns custom data string
12	DeleteMarkersByColor(color)	✅	Deletes markers by color
13	DeleteMarkerAtFrame(frameNum)	⚠️	Returns False if no marker at frame
14	DeleteMarkerByCustomData(customData)	⚠️	Returns False if no match
15	AddFlag(color)	✅	Adds flag
16	GetFlagList()	✅	Returns flag colors
17	ClearFlags(color)	✅	Clears flags
18	GetClipColor()	✅	Returns clip color
19	SetClipColor(colorName)	✅	Sets clip color
20	ClearClipColor()	✅	Clears clip color
21	GetClipProperty(propertyName)	✅	Returns property dict
22	SetClipProperty(propertyName, value)	⚠️	API accepts; some properties read-only
23	LinkProxyMedia(proxyMediaFilePath)	✅	Links proxy media
24	UnlinkProxyMedia()	✅	Unlinks proxy media
25	ReplaceClip(filePath)	✅	Replaces clip source
26	GetUniqueId()	✅	Returns UUID string
27	TranscribeAudio()	✅	Starts audio transcription
28	ClearTranscription()	✅	Clears transcription
29	GetAudioMapping()	✅	Returns JSON audio mapping
30	GetMarkInOut()	✅	Returns mark in/out dict
31	SetMarkInOut(in, out, type)	✅	Sets mark in/out
32	ClearMarkInOut(type)	✅	Clears mark in/out
33	SetName(clipName)	✅	Resolve 20.3.2 live test renames clip
34	LinkFullResolutionMedia(filePath)	⚠️	Resolve 20.3.2 live test accepts call; full-res relink returns False without a matching proxy/full-res fixture
35	ReplaceClipPreserveSubClip(filePath)	✅	Resolve 20.3.2 live test replaces clip while preserving subclip metadata
36	MonitorGrowingFile()	✅	Resolve 20.3.2 live test enables growing-file monitoring

Timeline

#	Method	Status	Test Result / Notes
1	GetName()	✅	Returns timeline name
2	SetName(timelineName)	⚠️	Returns False on active timeline
3	GetStartFrame()	✅	Returns start frame
4	GetEndFrame()	✅	Returns end frame
5	SetStartTimecode(timecode)	✅	Sets start timecode
6	GetStartTimecode()	✅	Returns "01:00:00:00"
7	GetTrackCount(trackType)	✅	Returns track count
8	AddTrack(trackType, subTrackType)	✅	Adds track
9	DeleteTrack(trackType, trackIndex)	✅	Deletes track
10	GetTrackSubType(trackType, trackIndex)	✅	Returns sub-type (e.g. "stereo")
11	SetTrackEnable(trackType, trackIndex, enabled)	✅	Enables/disables track
12	GetIsTrackEnabled(trackType, trackIndex)	✅	Returns enabled state
13	SetTrackLock(trackType, trackIndex, locked)	✅	Locks/unlocks track
14	GetIsTrackLocked(trackType, trackIndex)	✅	Returns lock state
15	DeleteClips([timelineItems], ripple)	✅	Deletes clips from timeline
16	SetClipsLinked([timelineItems], linked)	✅	Links/unlinks clips
17	GetItemListInTrack(trackType, index)	✅	Returns items on track
18	AddMarker(frameId, color, name, note, duration, customData)	✅	Adds timeline marker
19	GetMarkers()	✅	Returns marker dict
20	GetMarkerByCustomData(customData)	✅	Finds marker by data
21	UpdateMarkerCustomData(frameId, customData)	✅	Updates marker data
22	GetMarkerCustomData(frameId)	✅	Returns custom data
23	DeleteMarkersByColor(color)	✅	Deletes markers by color
24	DeleteMarkerAtFrame(frameNum)	⚠️	Returns False if no marker at frame
25	DeleteMarkerByCustomData(customData)	⚠️	Returns False if no match
26	GetCurrentTimecode()	✅	Returns timecode string
27	SetCurrentTimecode(timecode)	⚠️	Returns False if playback not active
28	GetCurrentVideoItem()	✅	Returns item at playhead
29	GetCurrentClipThumbnailImage()	✅	Returns thumbnail data
30	GetTrackName(trackType, trackIndex)	✅	Returns track name
31	SetTrackName(trackType, trackIndex, name)	✅	Sets track name
32	DuplicateTimeline(timelineName)	✅	Duplicates timeline
33	CreateCompoundClip([items], {clipInfo})	✅	Returns compound clip item
34	CreateFusionClip([timelineItems])	✅	Returns Fusion clip item
35	ImportIntoTimeline(filePath, {options})	⚠️	Tested; result depends on file format
36	Export(fileName, exportType, exportSubtype)	✅	Exports EDL/XML/AAF
37	GetSetting(settingName)	✅	Returns settings dict
38	SetSetting(settingName, settingValue)	⚠️	API accepts; some settings read-only
39	InsertGeneratorIntoTimeline(name)	✅	Inserts generator
40	InsertFusionGeneratorIntoTimeline(name)	✅	Inserts Fusion generator
41	InsertFusionCompositionIntoTimeline()	✅	Inserts Fusion composition
42	InsertOFXGeneratorIntoTimeline(name)	⚠️	API accepts; needs valid OFX plugin
43	InsertTitleIntoTimeline(name)	✅	Inserts title
44	InsertFusionTitleIntoTimeline(name)	✅	Inserts Fusion title
45	GrabStill()	✅	Returns GalleryStill object
46	GrabAllStills(stillFrameSource)	✅	Returns list of GalleryStill objects
47	GetUniqueId()	✅	Returns UUID string
48	CreateSubtitlesFromAudio({settings})	✅	Returns True — creates subtitles from audio
49	DetectSceneCuts()	✅	Returns True — detects scene cuts in timeline
50	ConvertTimelineToStereo()	✅	Converts timeline to stereo 3D
51	GetNodeGraph()	✅	Returns Graph object
52	AnalyzeDolbyVision([items], analysisType)	🔬	Requires HDR/Dolby Vision content
53	GetMediaPoolItem()	✅	Returns MediaPoolItem for timeline
54	GetMarkInOut()	✅	Returns mark in/out dict
55	SetMarkInOut(in, out, type)	✅	Sets mark in/out
56	ClearMarkInOut(type)	✅	Clears mark in/out
57	GetVoiceIsolationState(trackIndex)	✅	Resolve 20.3.2 live test returns voice isolation state
58	SetVoiceIsolationState(trackIndex, {state})	✅	Resolve 20.3.2 live test sets voice isolation state

TimelineItem

#	Method	Status	Test Result / Notes
1	GetName()	✅	Returns item name
2	GetDuration(subframe_precision)	✅	Returns duration
3	GetEnd(subframe_precision)	✅	Returns end frame
4	GetSourceEndFrame()	✅	Returns source end frame
5	GetSourceEndTime()	✅	Returns source end time
6	GetFusionCompCount()	✅	Returns comp count
7	GetFusionCompByIndex(compIndex)	✅	Returns Fusion composition
8	GetFusionCompNameList()	✅	Returns comp names
9	GetFusionCompByName(compName)	✅	Returns Fusion composition
10	GetLeftOffset(subframe_precision)	✅	Returns left offset
11	GetRightOffset(subframe_precision)	✅	Returns right offset
12	GetStart(subframe_precision)	✅	Returns start frame
13	GetSourceStartFrame()	✅	Returns source start
14	GetSourceStartTime()	✅	Returns source start time
15	SetProperty(propertyKey, propertyValue)	✅	Sets item property
16	GetProperty(propertyKey)	✅	Returns property dict
17	AddMarker(frameId, color, name, note, duration, customData)	✅	Adds marker to item
18	GetMarkers()	✅	Returns marker dict
19	GetMarkerByCustomData(customData)	✅	Finds marker by data
20	UpdateMarkerCustomData(frameId, customData)	✅	Updates marker data
21	GetMarkerCustomData(frameId)	✅	Returns custom data
22	DeleteMarkersByColor(color)	✅	Deletes markers by color
23	DeleteMarkerAtFrame(frameNum)	⚠️	Returns False if no marker at frame
24	DeleteMarkerByCustomData(customData)	⚠️	Returns False if no match
25	AddFlag(color)	✅	Adds flag
26	GetFlagList()	✅	Returns flag colors
27	ClearFlags(color)	✅	Clears flags
28	GetClipColor()	✅	Returns clip color
29	SetClipColor(colorName)	✅	Sets clip color
30	ClearClipColor()	✅	Clears clip color
31	AddFusionComp()	✅	Creates Fusion composition
32	ImportFusionComp(path)	✅	Imports .comp file
33	ExportFusionComp(path, compIndex)	✅	Exports .comp file
34	DeleteFusionCompByName(compName)	⚠️	Returns False if comp not found
35	LoadFusionCompByName(compName)	✅	Loads composition
36	RenameFusionCompByName(oldName, newName)	✅	Renames composition
37	AddVersion(versionName, versionType)	✅	Adds grade version
38	GetCurrentVersion()	✅	Returns version info
39	DeleteVersionByName(versionName, versionType)	⚠️	Returns False if version not found
40	LoadVersionByName(versionName, versionType)	✅	Loads grade version
41	RenameVersionByName(oldName, newName, type)	✅	Renames version
42	GetVersionNameList(versionType)	✅	Returns version names
43	GetMediaPoolItem()	✅	Returns source MediaPoolItem
44	GetStereoConvergenceValues()	✅	Returns stereo keyframes
45	GetStereoLeftFloatingWindowParams()	✅	Returns stereo params
46	GetStereoRightFloatingWindowParams()	✅	Returns stereo params
47	SetCDL([CDL map])	✅	Sets CDL values
48	AddTake(mediaPoolItem, startFrame, endFrame)	✅	Adds take
49	GetSelectedTakeIndex()	✅	Returns selected take index
50	GetTakesCount()	✅	Returns take count
51	GetTakeByIndex(idx)	✅	Returns take info
52	DeleteTakeByIndex(idx)	✅	Deletes take
53	SelectTakeByIndex(idx)	✅	Selects take
54	FinalizeTake()	⚠️	Returns False when no take selected
55	CopyGrades([tgtTimelineItems])	⚠️	API accepts; needs matching items
56	SetClipEnabled(enabled)	✅	Enables/disables clip
57	GetClipEnabled()	✅	Returns enabled state
58	UpdateSidecar()	⚠️	Returns False for non-BRAW clips
59	GetUniqueId()	✅	Returns UUID string
60	LoadBurnInPreset(presetName)	⚠️	API accepts; preset must exist
61	CreateMagicMask(mode)	⚠️	Tested; needs DaVinci Neural Engine + Color page context
62	RegenerateMagicMask()	⚠️	Tested; needs existing mask
63	Stabilize()	✅	Returns True on supported clips
64	SmartReframe()	⚠️	Tested; needs specific aspect ratio setup
65	GetNodeGraph(layerIdx)	✅	Returns Graph object
66	GetColorGroup()	✅	Returns ColorGroup
67	AssignToColorGroup(colorGroup)	✅	Assigns to group
68	RemoveFromColorGroup()	⚠️	Returns False if not in group
69	ExportLUT(exportType, path)	✅	Exports LUT file
70	GetLinkedItems()	✅	Returns linked items
71	GetTrackTypeAndIndex()	✅	Returns [trackType, trackIndex]
72	GetSourceAudioChannelMapping()	✅	Returns audio mapping
73	GetIsColorOutputCacheEnabled()	✅	Returns cache state
74	GetIsFusionOutputCacheEnabled()	✅	Returns cache state
75	SetColorOutputCache(cache_value)	⚠️	Tested; needs active color pipeline
76	SetFusionOutputCache(cache_value)	⚠️	Tested; needs active Fusion pipeline
77	SetName(clipName)	✅	Resolve 20.3.2 live test renames timeline item
78	GetVoiceIsolationState()	✅	Resolve 20.3.2 live test returns voice isolation state
79	SetVoiceIsolationState({state})	✅	Resolve 20.3.2 live test sets voice isolation state
80	ResetAllNodeColors()	✅	Resolve 20.3.2 live test resets node colors

Gallery

#	Method	Status	Test Result / Notes
1	GetAlbumName(galleryStillAlbum)	✅	Returns album name
2	SetAlbumName(galleryStillAlbum, albumName)	✅	Sets album name
3	GetCurrentStillAlbum()	✅	Returns GalleryStillAlbum
4	SetCurrentStillAlbum(galleryStillAlbum)	✅	Sets current album
5	GetGalleryStillAlbums()	✅	Returns album list
6	GetGalleryPowerGradeAlbums()	✅	Returns power grade albums
7	CreateGalleryStillAlbum()	✅	Creates still album
8	CreateGalleryPowerGradeAlbum()	✅	Creates power grade album

GalleryStillAlbum

#	Method	Status	Test Result / Notes
1	GetStills()	✅	Returns list of GalleryStill objects
2	GetLabel(galleryStill)	✅	Returns label string
3	SetLabel(galleryStill, label)	⚠️	API accepts; may not persist in all versions
4	ImportStills([filePaths])	✅	Imports DRX still files (requires Color page)
5	ExportStills([stills], folderPath, prefix, format)	✅	Exports stills as image + companion .drx grade file. Requires Color page with Gallery panel visible. Supported formats: dpx, cin, tif, jpg, png, ppm, bmp, xpm, drx.
6	DeleteStills([galleryStill])	✅	Deletes stills from album

Note (v2.0.8+): The compound server's gallery_stills tool includes a grab_and_export action that combines GrabStill() + ExportStills() in a single call — more reliable than calling them separately since it keeps the live GalleryStill reference. Returns the list of exported files (image + .drx grade data). Requires the Color page with the Gallery panel open.

Graph

#	Method	Status	Test Result / Notes
1	GetNumNodes()	✅	Returns node count (via ColorGroup pre/post graphs)
2	SetLUT(nodeIndex, lutPath)	✅	Sets LUT on node
3	GetLUT(nodeIndex)	✅	Returns LUT path
4	SetNodeCacheMode(nodeIndex, cache_value)	✅	Returns True
5	GetNodeCacheMode(nodeIndex)	✅	Returns -1 (no cache mode set)
6	GetNodeLabel(nodeIndex)	✅	Returns node label string
7	GetToolsInNode(nodeIndex)	✅	Returns None (no OFX tools in node)
8	SetNodeEnabled(nodeIndex, isEnabled)	✅	Returns True
9	ApplyGradeFromDRX(path, gradeMode)	✅	Applies grade from DRX file
10	ApplyArriCdlLut()	✅	Applies ARRI CDL LUT
11	ResetAllGrades()	✅	Resets all grades

ColorGroup

#	Method	Status	Test Result / Notes
1	GetName()	✅	Returns group name
2	SetName(groupName)	✅	Sets group name
3	GetClipsInTimeline(timeline)	✅	Returns clips in group
4	GetPreClipNodeGraph()	✅	Returns Graph object
5	GetPostClipNodeGraph()	✅	Returns Graph object

---

Contributing

We welcome contributions! The following areas especially need help:

Help Wanted: Untested API Methods

5 methods (1.5%) remain untested against a live DaVinci Resolve instance. If you have access to the required infrastructure or content, we'd love a PR with test confirmation:

1. Cloud Project Methods (4 methods) — Need DaVinci Resolve cloud infrastructure:

   • ProjectManager.CreateCloudProject
   • ProjectManager.LoadCloudProject
   • ProjectManager.ImportCloudProject
   • ProjectManager.RestoreCloudProject

2. HDR Analysis (1 method) — Needs specific content:

   • Timeline.AnalyzeDolbyVision — needs HDR/Dolby Vision content

How to Contribute

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/my-contribution)
3. Run the existing test suite to ensure nothing breaks
4. Add your test results or fixes
5. Submit a pull request

Other Contribution Ideas

• Windows testing — All tests were run on macOS; Windows verification welcome
• Linux testing — DaVinci Resolve supports Linux; test coverage needed
• Resolve version compatibility — Test against Resolve 18.x, 19.0, or newer versions
• Bug reports — If a tool returns unexpected results on your setup, file an issue
• Documentation — Improve examples, add tutorials, translate docs

Platform Support

Platform	Status	Resolve Paths Auto-Detected	Notes
macOS	✅ Tested	/Library/Application Support/Blackmagic Design/...	Primary development and test platform
Windows	✅ Supported	C:\ProgramData\Blackmagic Design\...	Community-tested; installer now emits env + PYTHONHOME for Resolve 20.3 multi-Python setups
Linux	⚠️ Experimental	/opt/resolve/...	Should work — testing and feedback welcome

Security Considerations

This MCP server controls DaVinci Resolve via its Scripting API. Some tools perform actions that are destructive or interact with the host filesystem:

Tool	Risk	Mitigation
quit_app / restart_app	Terminates the Resolve process — can cause data loss if unsaved changes exist or a render is in progress	MCP clients should require explicit user confirmation before calling these tools. Subprocess calls use hardcoded command lists (no shell injection possible).
export_layout_preset / import_layout_preset / delete_layout_preset	Read/write/delete files in the Resolve layout presets directory	Path traversal protection validates all resolved paths stay within the expected presets directory (v2.0.7+).
save_project	Creates and removes a temporary .drp file in the system temp directory	Path is constructed server-side with no LLM-controlled input.

Recommendations for MCP client developers:

• Enable tool-call confirmation prompts for destructive tools (quit_app, restart_app, delete_layout_preset)
• Do not grant blanket auto-approval to all tools in this server

Project Structure

davinci-resolve-mcp/
├── install.py                    # Universal installer (macOS/Windows/Linux)
├── src/
│   ├── server.py                # Compound MCP server — 27 tools (default)
│   ├── resolve_mcp_server.py    # Thin full-server entrypoint — 354 tools
│   ├── granular/                # Modular full-server implementation
│   └── utils/                   # Platform detection, Resolve connection helpers
├── tests/                       # 5-phase live API test suite + Resolve 20 delta (331/331 pass)
├── docs/
│   └── resolve_scripting_api.txt # Official Resolve Scripting API reference
└── examples/                    # Getting started, markers, media, timeline examples

License

MIT

Author

Samuel Gursky ([email protected])

• GitHub: github.com/samuelgursky

Acknowledgments

• Blackmagic Design for DaVinci Resolve and its scripting API
• The Model Context Protocol team for enabling AI assistant integration
• Anthropic for Claude Code, used extensively in development and testing