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Start the server

Start the server in Glyphs​

  1. Launch Glyphs.
  2. In the menu bar: Edit → Start Glyphs MCP Server
  3. Open Edit → Glyphs MCP Server Status… to confirm it’s running.

How to confirm it’s running​

In Glyphs MCP Server Status…, you should see:

  • A “running” state (or similar)
  • The endpoint URL you can connect to

Endpoint​

By default the MCP endpoint is:

http://127.0.0.1:9680/mcp/
Browser vs MCP client

If you open the endpoint in a browser, it returns a small JSON discovery response. MCP clients connect using Streamable HTTP (SSE).

Optional: auto-start​

If you enabled auto-start in the status panel, Glyphs will start the MCP server automatically when the app launches.

Settings & tool profiles (token-aware)​

Glyphs MCP settings live in Edit → Glyphs MCP Server Status….

Where to change settings​

Open Edit → Glyphs MCP Server Status…. You’ll typically see:

  • Status (running / not running)
  • Version
  • Endpoint
  • Docs
  • Profile (tool profile dropdown)
  • Auto-start server on launch
  • Copy Endpoint

What tool profiles do (and why tokens matter)​

Many MCP clients include the server’s tool list (and JSON Schemas) in the model’s prompt context. Tool profiles don’t change what the plug-in can do — they change what the client sees via tools/list.

Smaller tools/list → fewer tools + smaller schemas → less prompt “footprint” when tokens are scarce. In long sessions, this can reduce context pressure and improve responsiveness.

Which profile should I pick?​

ProfileUse whenNotes
FullYou want everything.Largest tool/schema footprint.
Core (Read-only)You want the smallest footprint and inspection-only workflows.Does not expose execute_code* or mutation tools.
KerningYou’re doing kerning workflows.Enables kerning tools (plus core read-only + execute_code*).
SpacingYou’re doing spacing workflows.Enables spacing tools (plus core read-only + execute_code*).
Kerning + SpacingYou’re switching between kerning and spacing.Combined workflow profile.
Paths / OutlinesYou’re working with outlines/paths.Includes path review/apply tools.
EditingYou’re creating/updating glyphs, components, anchors, metrics.Includes editing/mutation tools.

If you want to prevent exposing execute_code / execute_code_with_context, use Core (Read-only).

How to apply a profile change​

  1. Pick a profile in Edit → Glyphs MCP Server Status… → Profile.
  2. Restart the server so the next tools/list reflects the profile:
    • Quit and relaunch Glyphs (simplest), then Edit → Start Glyphs MCP Server, or
    • restart the server if your setup provides a stop/start workflow.
  3. Reconnect/reload your MCP client so it re-fetches the tool definitions.
  4. Verify: have your client run tools/list, then confirm a tool you expect is present/absent (for example review_spacing exists, or apply_spacing is absent under Core (Read-only)).

Extra footprint reduction tips​

  • Prefer docs_search + docs_get over registering every doc page as its own resource (that’s the default).
  • Avoid docs_enable_page_resources unless you truly need per-page resources; it can increase what some clients enumerate.

Optional: security​

If you want extra protection (token auth or origin allowlist), see Safety model.

Next: Connect a client.