rvt-mcp

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Client Quick Install (Recommended)

For a Revit user machine, use the setup ZIP from GitHub Releases. It includes the self-contained MCP server and Revit plugins, so the client machine does not need the .NET SDK, NuGet global tools, this source repo, or a local build.

AI agents: if a user asks you to install Bimwright on a client machine, download the latest RvtMcp.Setup-*-win-x64.zip release asset and run the installer below. Do not clone this repo, build source, install the .NET SDK, or use dotnet tool install unless the user explicitly asks for a developer install. See AGENTS.md for the full agent install protocol.

$tag = (Invoke-RestMethod https://api.github.com/repos/bimwright/rvt-mcp/releases/latest).tag_name
$zip = "$env:TEMP\RvtMcp.Setup-$tag-win-x64.zip"
$dir = "$env:TEMP\RvtMcp.Setup-$tag-win-x64"
Invoke-WebRequest "https://github.com/bimwright/rvt-mcp/releases/download/$tag/RvtMcp.Setup-$tag-win-x64.zip" -OutFile $zip
Expand-Archive $zip -DestinationPath $dir -Force

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$dir\install.ps1" -WhatIf
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$dir\install.ps1"

The installer detects Revit 2022-2027, installs only the matching plugin(s), copies the server under %LOCALAPPDATA%\RvtMcp\rvt\server\<version>\, and wires installed MCP clients with absolute paths. Use -Client codex, -Client opencode, -Client claude, or -Client none to override auto-detection.

dwg-mcp is not part of this RVT setup package; install it separately when it has its own client-ready release.

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Revit Automation Should Not Stop At "I Don't Code"

Before AI agents, many BIM users already wanted the same thing: make Revit faster, remove repetitive clicks, and shape the software around the way they actually work.

The hard part was never the idea. The hard part was turning the idea into a tool.

To build even a small Revit add-in, a practitioner usually has to:

• Define the input and output clearly enough for software.
• Think through the algorithm, edge cases, parameters, categories, filters, units, and Revit API constraints.
• Prototype in Dynamo, maybe move to Python, then eventually rewrite in C# when the workflow needs to become stable.
• Package the result as an add-in, handle dependencies, install paths, .addin manifests, Revit version drift, and ribbon buttons.

That is a lot of work for someone who studied architecture, structure, MEP, quantity takeoff, or BIM coordination - not software engineering.

The usual options are expensive in different ways:

• Spend months learning enough coding to maintain your own tools.
• Pay someone to build custom add-ins.
• Buy fixed add-ins and adapt your workflow to the vendor's assumptions.
• Stay with manual work because the automation path is too much friction.

rvt-mcp exists to compress that loop.

It gives AI agents a safe local bridge into Revit, then lets repeated workflows evolve into personal tools through ToolBaker. The goal is not one universal add-in for everyone. Revit serves too many disciplines, offices, standards, and habits for that. The goal is a system where each practitioner can grow a toolkit that matches their own work.

Personal automation should be personal.

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What rvt-mcp Is

rvt-mcp is a local MCP gateway for Autodesk Revit 2022-2027.

It has two parts:

• RvtMcp.Server: a .NET 8 MCP server launched by Claude, Cursor, Codex, OpenCode, Cline, VS Code Copilot, or another stdio MCP client.
• RvtMcp.Plugin: a Revit add-in shell for each supported Revit year, running inside Revit and executing commands on the Revit UI thread.

The agent talks MCP. The server talks to the plugin over localhost TCP or Named Pipe. The plugin talks to the Revit API.

Your model stays on your machine.

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Why It Matters

AI agents make it possible for BIM users to describe intent instead of writing code by hand. But intent alone is not enough. Revit automation still needs a runtime that understands transactions, parameters, units, selection, model state, version drift, safety, and rollback.

rvt-mcp is that runtime.

It is designed around four ideas:

• Local first. No cloud bridge is required. Revit, the plugin, MCP server, logs, and ToolBaker storage all live on the user's machine.
• Reversible by default. Mutating workflows can run through batch_execute, wrapping multiple commands in one Revit TransactionGroup so one undo step rolls the batch back.
• Progressively exposed. Toolsets and --read-only mode control what the agent can see and do. Weak or narrow agents do not need destructive tools.
• Personal over generic. Adaptive ToolBaker can observe repeated local workflows, propose a personal tool, and make accepted tools available through MCP and the Revit ribbon.

This is not a black-box demo and not courseware. It is public Apache-2.0 code. Claims should be checked by building, testing, running, and reading the source.

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The ToolBaker Loop

Most Revit automation dies between "good idea" and "usable add-in".

ToolBaker is the path from agent-assisted workflow to personal tool:

1. Use the existing MCP tools to query, create, lint, inspect, or batch operations in Revit.
2. When advanced automation is needed, call send_code_to_revit directly from the default tool surface.
3. If adaptive bake is enabled, repeated local usage is recorded locally under %LOCALAPPDATA%\RvtMcp\.
4. Repeated patterns become suggestions, visible through list_bake_suggestions.
5. You explicitly accept a suggestion with accept_bake_suggestion, including the tool name, schema, and output choice.
6. Accepted tools become callable through list_baked_tools / run_baked_tool and available from the Revit ribbon runtime cache.

Adaptive bake is off by default. It is for users who want their own local usage data to shape their own tools.

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Architecture

+---------------------------+
| AI Client                 |
| Claude / Cursor / Codex   |
+---------------------------+
              |
              | stdio MCP
              v
+---------------------------+
| RvtMcp.Server      |
| .NET 8 / C#               |
+---------------------------+
              |
              | TCP (R22-R24)
              | Named Pipe (R25-R27)
              v
+---------------------------+
| Plugin Shell              |
| thin add-in per Revit yr  |
+---------------------------+
              |
              | shared command core
              | from `src/shared/`
              v
+---------------------------+
| ExternalEvent Marshal     |
| execution -> Revit UI     |
+---------------------------+
              |
              v
+---------------------------+
| Revit API                 |
+---------------------------+
              |
              v
+---------------------------+
| Model / Transaction /     |
| Undo                      |
+---------------------------+

rvt-mcp is a full C# MCP stack. The MCP server, per-version Revit plugin shells, transport bridge, command handlers, DTO mapping, and ToolBaker pipeline are all written in C# using the official MCP C# SDK.

There is no Node.js sidecar on the Revit machine.

The version split is explicit at the edge: one thin plugin shell per Revit year, all compiling the same src/shared/ source glob. See ARCHITECTURE.md for the threading, transport, DTO, and ToolBaker details.

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Current State

rvt-mcp is usable but still young.

• Compile gate covers Revit R22-R27 plugin shells.
• Unit tests cover pure .NET logic, tool-surface snapshots, ToolBaker storage/policy paths, config, logging, privacy, and batching behavior.
• Core runtime coverage exists for R23-R26.
• Accepted ToolBaker list/run/ribbon path has smoke evidence on R22, R26, and R27.
• Fresh-machine install testing is tracked in docs/testing/fresh-install-checklist.md.

Treat it like serious open-source infrastructure: test it on your own environment before trusting it on production models.

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Project Structure

rvt-mcp/
├── src/
│   ├── RvtMcp.sln         # Solution (server + 6 plugin shells)
│   ├── server/                   # RvtMcp.Server - stdio MCP server
│   ├── shared/                   # Source glob shared by every plugin shell
│   │   ├── Handlers/             # One file per Revit command handler
│   │   ├── Commands/             # Revit ribbon commands
│   │   ├── ToolBaker/            # Baked-tool registry/runtime/policy
│   │   ├── Transport/            # TCP + Named Pipe abstraction
│   │   ├── Infrastructure/       # Dispatcher, schema validation, ExternalEvent marshal
│   │   └── Security/             # Auth token, redaction, secret masking
│   ├── plugin-r22/               # Revit 2022 shell - .NET 4.8, TCP
│   ├── plugin-r23/               # Revit 2023 shell - .NET 4.8, TCP
│   ├── plugin-r24/               # Revit 2024 shell - .NET 4.8, TCP
│   ├── plugin-r25/               # Revit 2025 shell - .NET 8, Named Pipe
│   ├── plugin-r26/               # Revit 2026 shell - .NET 8, Named Pipe
│   └── plugin-r27/               # Revit 2027 shell - .NET 10, Named Pipe
├── tests/                        # xUnit, tool snapshots, policy/privacy tests
├── benchmarks/                   # Weak-model accuracy harness
├── scripts/                      # install, uninstall, plugin ZIP staging
├── docs/                         # Architecture, roadmap, ToolBaker, testing notes
├── server.json                   # MCP registry manifest
├── smithery.yaml                 # Smithery directory manifest
├── AGENTS.md                     # Agent-led install guide for MCP clients
└── ARCHITECTURE.md               # Deep dive on runtime architecture

Six plugin shells compile from the same src/shared/ glob. Year-specific #if fences handle Revit API drift such as ElementId.IntegerValue moving to .Value in newer versions.

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Install

Migration from Bimwright.Rvt.* (v0.3.0 and earlier)

v0.4.0 renames the codebase from Bimwright.Rvt.* to RvtMcp.*. The GitHub repo (bimwright/rvt-mcp) and brand are unchanged; only file names, package IDs, and folder paths change.

If you have v0.3.0 or earlier installed:

1. Close all running Revit instances.

2. Run the migration script:

   pwsh scripts/uninstall-old.ps1
   

   This removes:

   • %APPDATA%\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\<year>\Bimwright\ (plugin DLLs)
   • %APPDATA%\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\<year>\Bimwright.R<year>.addin (manifests)
   • %LOCALAPPDATA%\Bimwright\rvt\server\ (server install root)

   It preserves %LOCALAPPDATA%\Bimwright\baked\, journal\, firm-profiles\, and *.log files — these contain user data and are migrated to %LOCALAPPDATA%\RvtMcp\ on first launch of v0.4.0.

3. Install v0.5.0:

   dotnet tool update -g Bimwright.Rvt.Server --version 0.3.0   # ensure clean uninstall first
   dotnet tool uninstall -g Bimwright.Rvt.Server
   dotnet tool install -g RvtMcp.Server --version 0.5.0
   

4. Re-wire your MCP client. Old MCP entries bimwright-rvt-r22..bimwright-rvt-r27 are auto-removed by install.ps1. The new entry is rvt-mcp (single, auto-detects Revit version).

The old NuGet package Bimwright.Rvt.Server is deprecated at 0.3.0 with a redirect note pointing to RvtMcp.Server.

Client setup ZIP

Download RvtMcp.Setup-v<version>-win-x64.zip from GitHub Releases, extract it, then run:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\install.ps1 -WhatIf   # preview files and config edits
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\install.ps1           # install server, plugins, and detected client config entries

Useful installer options:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\install.ps1 -Client codex      # wire only Codex
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\install.ps1 -Client opencode   # wire only OpenCode
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\install.ps1 -Client claude     # wire Claude Code/Desktop configs if present
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\install.ps1 -Client none       # install files without MCP client config edits
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\install.ps1 -Years 2024        # force a Revit year if registry detection is unavailable

The setup ZIP contains a self-contained rvt-mcp.exe, so the client machine does not need .NET 8 SDK, dotnet tool install, or this repository. Config entries use the absolute installed path, so %USERPROFILE%\.dotnet\tools and PATH are not involved. The installer deploys plugins for every detected Revit year, then writes one auto-detect MCP entry named rvt-mcp.

Verify

1. Open Revit 2022-2027 and a model.
2. Use the BIMwright ribbon panel to start/toggle the MCP plugin.
3. In the MCP client, run tools/list.
4. Call get_current_view_info.

Expected response shape:

{ "viewName": "Level 1", "viewType": "FloorPlan", "levelName": "Level 1", "scale": 100 }

Do not claim an install is complete until the MCP client can list tools and call Revit successfully.

Uninstall

To remove plugin, self-contained server, legacy .NET global tool if present, host-config entries, discovery files, logs, and ToolBaker cache in one pass:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\uninstall.ps1 -WhatIf
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\uninstall.ps1 -Yes

The setup ZIP also includes uninstall-all.ps1 as an alias for the same full sweep.

Developer / legacy install

Developers can still install the server as a NuGet .NET tool and use the plugin-only bundle:

dotnet tool install -g RvtMcp.Server
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\install.ps1 -SourceDir . -Client none

This path is for development and backward compatibility. Client machines should use the setup ZIP instead.

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Supported MCP Clients

Client	Status	Notes
Claude Code CLI	documented	project .mcp.json or global ~/.claude.json
Claude Desktop	documented	%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
OpenCode	scripted	install.ps1 -Client opencode
Codex	scripted	install.ps1 -Client codex
Cursor	documented	project or user mcp.json
Cline (VS Code)	documented	Cline MCP settings JSON
VS Code Copilot	documented	native servers schema with type: stdio
Gemini CLI	documented	gemini mcp add ... or settings JSON
Antigravity	documented	Gemini/Antigravity MCP config JSON

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Toolsets

The full surface is 226 tools across 23 toolsets (--toolsets all). By default every toolset is on except modify and delete. Adaptive bake, when enabled, adds accepted baked tools on top; --read-only strips every write-capable toolset.

Default-on toolsets: query, create, view, schedule, families, mep, graphics, export, toolbaker, meta, lint, sheets, materials, geometry, annotation, rooms, links, parameters, organization, workflows, structural.

Opt-in toolsets (off by default): modify, delete. Enable explicitly or via --toolsets all.

Enable specific sets with --toolsets query,create,modify,meta, or --toolsets all for everything. Add --read-only to strip write-capable toolsets regardless of what was requested.

Toolset	Tools	Default
query	get current view, selected elements, available family types, material quantities, model stats, AI element filter	on
create	grid, level, room, line-based, point-based, surface-based element, group from elements	on
view	create view, sheet layout, place view on sheet, capture image, set crop/scale, activate view, show element	on
meta	show_message, switch_target, batch_execute, usage stats, set project info, purge unused families	on
lint	view-naming pattern analysis, correction suggestions, firm-profile detect, model warnings summary	on
schedule	list/inspect, fields/formulas/data/elements, create + add/update field, filter+sort	on
modify	operate_element, color_elements, parameter/type/workset edits	off
delete	delete_element	off
annotation	element/category tagging, text notes, dimensions, filled regions, detail lines, callouts, keynotes, untagged/undimensioned checks, empty-tag cleanup	on
export	export_room_data	on
mep	detect_system_elements	on
toolbaker	accepted-tool list/run, send-code, adaptive suggestion lifecycle	on
sheets	sheet creation, duplication, placeholder sheets, list sheets, titleblock parameters, place schedule, revisions, sheet renumbering	on
materials	list/create/duplicate materials, material appearance/identity/structural/thermal properties, material takeoff, element assignment	on
geometry	element bounding box, element geometry, distance measurement, clash detection, raycasting, volume/area analysis, centroid, complexity	on
rooms	rooms, areas, spaces, boundaries, openings, room separators, finishes, auto-room creation, area tagging	on
links	Revit/CAD link listing, CAD import/link, Revit link load/unload/reload, link elements, coordinates, project base point	on
parameters	project/shared parameter creation, binding/unbinding, list/export shared params, set value by GUID	on
organization	saved selections (save/load/list/delete), select elements, view templates (list/apply/create-from-view/duplicate/delete)	on
workflows	clash review, data roundtrip, model audit, naming normalization, room documentation, sheet set, takeoff report, view cleanup	on
structural	structural columns/beams/walls/foundations, rebar set + stirrup, structural loads, framing tags, connection analysis	on

All Tools

Toolset	Tool	Description
query	get_current_view_info	Active view metadata: type, level, scale, detail level.
query	get_selected_elements	Currently selected elements with id, name, category, type.
query	get_available_family_types	Family types in the project, filterable by category.
query	ai_element_filter	Filter by category and parameter/operator, values in mm.
query	analyze_model_statistics	Element counts grouped by category.
query	get_material_quantities	Area and volume totals for a category.
query	get_element_details	Element metadata, location, bounding box, workset, phase, group, and assembly ids.
query	get_element_parameters	Instance parameters with storage type, display value, raw value, and data/spec ids.
query	get_type_parameters	Type parameters from type ids or from element ids.
query	list_project_parameters	Project/shared parameter bindings, binding kind, and categories.
query	get_element_relationships	Host, group, assembly, owner view, design option, nesting, and dependents.
query	list_groups	Group instances with type, attached/detail metadata, and optional member ids.
query	get_group_members	Members of a group instance with category, type, owner view, and pinned state.
query	list_assemblies	Assembly instances with type, naming category, member count, and optional member ids.
query	get_assembly_members	Members of an assembly instance with category, type, group, and workset ids.
query	list_worksets	Worksets, active workset, edit/open state, and optional element counts.
create	create_line_based_element	Wall or other line-based element.
create	create_point_based_element	Door, window, furniture or other point element.
create	create_surface_based_element	Floor or ceiling from a polyline.
create	create_level	Level at elevation in mm.
create	create_grid	Grid line between two points in mm.
create	create_room	Room at a point, bound by walls.
create	create_group_from_elements	Create a model/detail group from two or more elements.
modify	operate_element	Select, hide, unhide, isolate, or set-color on IDs.
modify	color_elements	Color-code a category by parameter value.
modify	set_element_parameter_values	Set an instance parameter across multiple elements.
modify	set_type_parameter_values	Set a type parameter across explicit or element-resolved types.
modify	change_element_type	Change elements to a target compatible type.
modify	assign_elements_to_workset	Assign elements to a user workset in a workshared model.
delete	delete_element	Delete by ID list. Keep off unless explicitly needed.
view	create_view	Floor plan or 3D view.
view	place_view_on_sheet	Drop a view onto a new or existing sheet.
view	analyze_sheet_layout	Title block, viewport positions, and scales in mm.
export	export_room_data	Rooms with name, number, area, perimeter, level, volume.
annotation	tag_all_walls	Wall-type tags at midpoint; skips already tagged.
annotation	tag_all_rooms	Room tags at location point; skips already tagged.
mep	detect_system_elements	Traverse connectors from a seed and return system members.
toolbaker	send_code_to_revit	Compile and run ad-hoc C# inside Revit from the default tool surface.
toolbaker	list_baked_tools	List accepted personal baked tools.
toolbaker	run_baked_tool	Invoke an accepted baked tool by name.
toolbaker	list_bake_suggestions	Adaptive bake only: list local suggestions.
toolbaker	accept_bake_suggestion	Adaptive bake only: accept and apply a local suggestion.
toolbaker	dismiss_bake_suggestion	Adaptive bake only: snooze or dismiss a local suggestion.
meta	show_message	TaskDialog inside Revit for connection tests or notifications.
meta	switch_target	Switch active Revit connection when multiple versions run.
meta	batch_execute	Run commands atomically in one TransactionGroup.
meta	analyze_usage_patterns	Local usage stats: tool calls, sessions, errors.
lint	analyze_view_naming_patterns	Infer dominant view-naming pattern and outliers.
lint	suggest_view_name_corrections	Propose corrected names for view outliers.
lint	detect_firm_profile	Fingerprint project naming against firm profiles.

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Supported Revit Versions

Revit	Target Framework	Transport	Notes
2022	.NET 4.8	TCP	Accepted ToolBaker path smoke-tested
2023	.NET 4.8	TCP	Core runtime coverage
2024	.NET 4.8	TCP	Core runtime coverage
2025	.NET 8 (net8.0-windows7.0)	Named Pipe	Core runtime coverage
2026	.NET 8 (net8.0-windows7.0)	Named Pipe	Core runtime coverage; accepted ToolBaker path smoke-tested
2027	.NET 10 (net10.0-windows7.0)	Named Pipe	Accepted ToolBaker path smoke-tested

Runtime behavior can still differ across Revit years because the Revit API changes. Custom baked C# tools should be treated as version-sensitive unless tested across the target years.

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Security And Privacy

Short version: your model stays on your machine.

• Loopback by default. TCP transport listens on 127.0.0.1; Named Pipe is local-machine scoped.
• Per-session token handshake. Discovery files under %LOCALAPPDATA%\RvtMcp\ carry connection information and auth token.
• Schema validation. Malformed tool calls are rejected before command handlers run.
• Path masking. Errors returned to the model are sanitized to avoid leaking absolute paths.
• ToolBaker controls. send_code_to_revit is available by default. Adaptive bake remains opt-in and only controls suggestion/logging features; --read-only or --disable-toolbaker removes the ToolBaker surface.
• Local storage. Usage events, bake database, logs, and accepted-tool metadata stay under local Bimwright storage.

See SECURITY.md for disclosure and threat-model details.

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Configuration

Three layers, later wins: JSON file, then env vars, then CLI args.

Setting	CLI	Env	JSON key
Target Revit year	--target 2023	BIMWRIGHT_TARGET	target
Toolsets	--toolsets query,create	BIMWRIGHT_TOOLSETS	toolsets
Read-only	--read-only	BIMWRIGHT_READ_ONLY=1	readOnly
Allow LAN bind	plugin-side only	BIMWRIGHT_ALLOW_LAN_BIND=1	allowLanBind
Allow ToolBaker tools	--enable-toolbaker / --disable-toolbaker	BIMWRIGHT_ENABLE_TOOLBAKER	enableToolbaker
Enable adaptive bake suggestions	--enable-adaptive-bake / --disable-adaptive-bake	BIMWRIGHT_ENABLE_ADAPTIVE_BAKE=1	enableAdaptiveBake
Cache send-code bodies	--cache-send-code-bodies / --no-cache-send-code-bodies	BIMWRIGHT_CACHE_SEND_CODE_BODIES=1	cacheSendCodeBodies

JSON file path: %LOCALAPPDATA%\RvtMcp\bimwright.config.json.

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Development

dotnet test tests/RvtMcp.Tests/RvtMcp.Tests.csproj
dotnet build src/server/RvtMcp.Server.csproj -c Release
dotnet build src/plugin-r26/RvtMcp.Plugin.R26.csproj -c Release

Plugin projects auto-deploy after normal Build, copying into %APPDATA%\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\<year>\RvtMcp\. Close Revit before building plugin projects because Revit locks loaded DLLs.

To stage plugin ZIPs for release:

pwsh scripts/stage-plugin-zip.ps1 -Config Release

See CONTRIBUTING.md for test strategy, tool-surface snapshot rules, and contribution notes.

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Documentation

• AGENTS.md - install and wiring guide for AI coding agents.
• ARCHITECTURE.md - process model, transport, threading, and DTO strategy.
• docs/bake.md - adaptive bake, privacy, accepted tools, and compatibility behavior.
• docs/roadmap.md - current hardening plan and deferred work.
• docs/testing/fresh-install-checklist.md - public install verification checklist.
• benchmarks/README.md - weak-model benchmark procedure.

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The bimwright family

Hand-forged MCP gateways for the AEC toolchain — one architecture, predictable / auditable / reversible:

• rvt-mcp — Autodesk® Revit®
• dwg-mcp — Autodesk® AutoCAD®
• nwd-mcp — Autodesk® Navisworks®
• ipt-mcp — Autodesk® Inventor®
• bim-wiki — Vietnamese-first BIM knowledge base

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License

Apache-2.0. See LICENSE.

Revit and Autodesk are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. bimwright is an independent open-source project and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Autodesk, Inc.

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A bimwright project - built for practitioners who would rather automate the work than sell the mystique.