Gemini CLI#

Connect ClipKit to Gemini CLI — Google's open-source terminal agent — so it can author and preview ClipKit videos.

Two ways to use ClipKit#

Gemini CLI is a coding agent, so it can work with ClipKit two ways — call ClipKit's hosted MCP tools, or write code against ClipKit's npm packages right in your repo. Both are first-class; pick by where you want the video to live.

	MCP tools (hosted)	npm packages (code)
Wire-up	an `httpUrl` in `settings.json`	`npx @clipkit/cli init` in your repo
The agent	calls tools (`add_element`, `preview_still`, `render_video`)	edits a `video.ts` Source, runs `clipkit validate` / render
Your video is	scratch state on clipkit.dev, shareable by link	a `video.ts` in your repo — version-controlled, reviewable
Installs	nothing	`@clipkit/cli`, `@clipkit/protocol`, `@clipkit/runtime`
Best for	quick authoring, preview stills inline	videos that live in your codebase, CI renders, reuse

They're not exclusive — wire the MCP tools for fast iteration and keep finished videos as code. New to ClipKit? Start with the connector (Option A) — it's zero-install.

Option A — hosted MCP connector#

Use the httpUrl key — not url — in ~/.gemini/settings.json (all projects) or ./.gemini/settings.json (this project):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "clipkit": {
      "httpUrl": "https://www.clipkit.dev/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Verify the connector#

Launch gemini and run /mcp — clipkit should show as CONNECTED with its tools listed.

Option B — npm packages (code)#

No MCP server involved — Gemini CLI writes ClipKit code directly in your project. Scaffold once:

npx @clipkit/cli init my-video
cd my-video && npm install

That pins @clipkit/cli, @clipkit/protocol, and @clipkit/runtime, writes a starter video.ts (a plain, typed Source object), and drops an AGENTS.md so any AI agent working in the directory picks up the authoring guide. Then ask Gemini to:

edit video.ts — typed by @clipkit/protocol, so the schema drives its edits;
npx clipkit validate video.ts — the same Zod check the runtime and the MCP server run;
render — @clipkit/renderer locally, or POST the Source to the hosted API.

Add @clipkit/patterns for prebuilt scene and data-viz units, @clipkit/lint for soft checks. Full walkthrough: Quickstart.

Notes#

Connector: use httpUrl, not url. url selects the deprecated SSE transport and fails silently (no error, no tools) against this Streamable-HTTP server. httpUrl selects the Streamable HTTP transport ClipKit speaks.
On a slow cold start, add "timeout": 60000 to the entry and retry.
Put it in ~/.gemini/settings.json to make the connector available everywhere.
A CLIPKIT_API_KEY (Settings → API keys) is only needed for the paid render path in Option B (clipkit render / the hosted render API), never by the connector.

New to the tools? The MCP server overview has the full tool list and how projects work.