Zed#

Connect ClipKit to Zed's Agent Panel as a context server, so its agent can author and preview ClipKit videos.

Two ways to use ClipKit#

Zed 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	a `url` under `context_servers`	`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#

Goes in Zed's settings.json under context_servers (Zed's name for MCP servers — not mcpServers):

{
  "context_servers": {
    "clipkit": {
      "url": "https://www.clipkit.dev/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Verify the connector#

Open the Agent Panel → Settings; the clipkit context server should show a connected indicator and an expandable tool list. Then ask the agent to run a ClipKit tool.

Option B — npm packages (code)#

No MCP server involved — Zed 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 the agent 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#

Zed keys servers under context_servers, not mcpServers — pasting a Cursor / Claude block verbatim does nothing.
The remote url form needs a current Zed build. On an older build, use the mcp-remote bridge, which speaks stdio to Zed while still using the hosted connector:

{
  "context_servers": {
    "clipkit": {
      "source": "custom",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://www.clipkit.dev/mcp", "--transport", "http-only"]
    }
  }
}

Don't add a placeholder Authorization / headers entry — a bogus header can make the open server reject the request. Omit headers entirely.
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.