@pressa/mcp
MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for Pressa - LaTeX in, publication-quality PDF out. This server lets AI assistants compile documents through a standardized interface.
No API key required to start. Add the server, ask for a PDF, get one. A key raises the limits later.
Setup
Add this to your MCP client configuration (e.g. Claude Desktop, Cursor):
{
"mcpServers": {
"pressa": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@pressa/mcp"]
}
}
}
That is the whole configuration. The server starts in anonymous mode and
exposes the compile tool and the public template gallery, which work with no
credentials: 3 successful PDFs per day, and failed attempts do not count
against that, so an assistant can iterate on its LaTeX for free.
To unlock the rest, add a key:
{
"mcpServers": {
"pressa": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@pressa/mcp"],
"env": {
"PRESSA_API_KEY": "pressa_your_key_here"
}
}
}
}
Get a free key at pressa.dev. Takes about 30 seconds, no credit card. It raises the limit to 50 compilations per month and registers the template, asset and render tools.
Hosted server (no install)
The same tools are also served over Streamable HTTP at
https://api.pressa.dev/mcp, so a client that supports remote MCP servers
needs no Node.js and no local process:
claude mcp add --transport http pressa https://api.pressa.dev/mcp
Keyless, it exposes compile and the public template gallery
(list_public_templates, get_public_template, render_public_template). Send
an Authorization: Bearer <key> header to register the template, asset and
render tools as well.
Environment Variables
Anonymous mode
With no PRESSA_API_KEY set, the server starts anyway rather than refusing to
run, and registers only the tools that work without an account: compile,
list_public_templates, get_public_template and render_public_template.
Tools that need an account are not registered at all, because a tool that
cannot succeed is worse than an absent one.
Anonymous limits: pdflatex only, up to 3 pages, 30 KB of source, no image assets, and PDF links that expire after 1 hour.
Error handling
Compilation failures return a structured diagnosis rather than a raw TeX log:
the error class, the offending command, and a concrete suggested fix (often a
missing \usepackage). An assistant is expected to apply the fix and retry on
its own instead of showing the user a compiler log.
Tools
compile
Compile LaTeX source code into a PDF.
Input:
Each plan has limits on pages per document, LaTeX source size, PDF output size, and compile timeout. If a compile exceeds your plan's page limit, the document does not count against your monthly quota and the MCP response includes the limit and an upgrade URL. Non-LaTeX input is rejected with a structured requirements list and an example_template so the LLM can self-correct without user intervention.
Output (success):
{
"job_id": "ffc2bd62-3b67-45d6-be14-b529c4b9489f",
"pdf_url": "https://api.pressa.dev/api/v1/pdfs/ffc2bd62...?sig=xxx&exp=xxx",
"expires_at": "2026-04-09T20:44:55Z",
"pages": 1,
"compilation_time_ms": 359,
"usage": {
"plan": "free",
"compilations_this_month": 9,
"monthly_limit": 50
}
}
Output (error): Compilation log and error line number.
list_public_templates, get_public_template, render_public_template
Pressa's public document templates (pressa.dev/templates): invoices, purchase orders, packing slips, delivery notes, receipts, reports, certificates, resumes and cover letters. No key needed.
list_public_templates: every template with a summary, a preview image URL and its colours. Designs of one document (document, e.g. five resume designs) take the same data.get_public_template(template: slug): the fields (JSON schema), sample data and filling instructions.render_public_template(template: slug,data: object shaped like the sample, optionalcolor): fills the template and returnspdf_url. A field that is missing or of the wrong type comes back as a list to fix, at no cost.
Each template also has plain instructions for assistants at https://pressa.dev/templates/<slug>/agent.md.
usage
Get current API usage statistics.
Input: None.
Output:
{
"user": {
"email": "[email protected]",
"username": "user",
"plan": "free"
},
"usage": {
"compilations_this_month": 9,
"monthly_limit": 50,
"remaining": 41,
"resets_at": "2026-04-30T23:59:59Z"
},
"api_key": {
"prefix": "pressa_a",
"name": "my-key",
"total_requests": 15,
"last_used_at": "2026-04-08T20:44:55Z"
}
}
save_template
Save or update a LaTeX template by name. Paid plans only. Upserts: a second call with the same name overwrites the first.
description vs instructions: description is the one-line UI summary ("Standard Toptal monthly invoice"). instructions is the longer playbook your AI agent reads alongside the LaTeX when filling the template ("Ask the user only for total amount; date is today; invoice number format YYYYMMDD-N where N is sequential count for the calendar year; for EU clients add VAT line"). They are different fields.
Raw LaTeX vs placeholder templates: a raw LaTeX template is compiled exactly as saved. A placeholder template is filled with JSON data by render, so the layout never changes. A source containing Liquid placeholders sent without placeholder_engine is refused with liquid_placeholders_in_v1_template, because raw LaTeX would print the braces literally in the PDF. If a placeholder save returns liquid_syntax_error, wrap the literal LaTeX that Liquid misreads (usually a comment right after a brace, \foo{%) in {% raw %}...{% endraw %}.
list_templates
List the user's saved templates. Does not include latex_content or instructions to keep the response small.
Input: None.
Each item in the returned array carries id, name, description, updated_at, latex_size_bytes, and has_instructions (boolean). Use the has_instructions flag to decide whether a follow-up get_template call will return a useful playbook.
get_template
Fetch a single template by ID or name. Returns the full latex_content plus instructions (if any) in one round trip - your agent gets the layout and the playbook together.
delete_template
Delete a template by ID or name.
Development
npm install
npm run build
npm start
License
MIT