Setup

Subscribe, create an API key, and connect Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, or VS Code to your open AutoCAD drawing.

Setting up Cizgen MCP takes a few minutes: install the AutoCAD plugin, subscribe, create an API key, and add Cizgen to your AI app.

Install the Cizgen plugin

Install (or update) the Cizgen AutoCAD plugin from the Download page — version 1.0.10 or newer is required. The plugin hosts the local connection the MCP server talks to, and it starts automatically with AutoCAD; there is nothing to configure inside AutoCAD.

If you already use the Cizgen panel, you likely have this — the panel shows an update banner when your version is older.

Go to the MCP dashboard and sign in with Google, then click Subscribe — $20/mo. The first 7 days are a free trial; payment is handled by Lemon Squeezy, and you can cancel any time via Manage billing on the same page.

If you use the Cizgen panel, you can also do this without leaving AutoCAD: open the user menu and choose MCP.

Create an API key

On the same page, under API keys, give the key a name (for example Work laptop) and click Generate API key. The key starts with czmcp_ and is shown only once — copy it right away; you will paste it into your host in the next step.

Treat the key like a password: anyone who has it can use your subscription. If a key leaks, revoke it on the dashboard and generate a new one.

Connect your host

Each host has its own configuration format — pick yours below. Replace czmcp_YOUR_KEY with the key from the previous step.

Download cizgen-mcp.mcpb and double-click it — Claude Desktop opens an install dialog. Confirm, then paste your API key when asked; Claude Desktop stores it securely. No Node.js or terminal needed.

To change the key later: Settings → Extensions → Cizgen.

Run this once in a terminal (requires Node.js 20 or newer):

claude mcp add cizgen -e CIZGEN_MCP_API_KEY=czmcp_YOUR_KEY -- npx -y cizgen-mcp

This registers Cizgen for the current project. Add --scope user to make it available in every project.

Create .cursor/mcp.json in your project — or ~/.cursor/mcp.json to enable it everywhere — with (requires Node.js 20 or newer):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cizgen": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "cizgen-mcp"],
      "env": { "CIZGEN_MCP_API_KEY": "czmcp_YOUR_KEY" }
    }
  }
}

Create .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace (requires Node.js 20 or newer and Copilot agent mode). Note that VS Code uses a servers key, not mcpServers:

{
  "servers": {
    "cizgen": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "cizgen-mcp"],
      "env": { "CIZGEN_MCP_API_KEY": "czmcp_YOUR_KEY" }
    }
  }
}

Try it

Open AutoCAD with a drawing, then ask your AI app something about it — for example:

What's in this drawing? Give me a quick overview.

The AI calls Cizgen's tools to read the drawing and answers from what is actually there. When you ask it to draw or edit, the change appears in AutoCAD as a preview and waits for your approval — see Approvals.

Advanced: environment variables

The MCP server is configured entirely through environment variables:

Variable	Purpose
`CIZGEN_MCP_API_KEY`	Required. Your `czmcp_…` API key.
`CIZGEN_MCP_PIPE`	Override the local pipe name (development setups).
`CIZGEN_MCP_API_URL`	Override the cizgen.app endpoint (development setups).