Thermal label MCP server: render, validate, debug and convert ZPL, EPL, TSPL and CPCL labels.
Labelixa is an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server and API platform for thermal label development. It gives AI assistants and developer tools the ability to render, validate, debug, inspect and convert thermal printer labels — ZPL, EPL, TSPL and CPCL — through MCP.
There are two ways to connect:
| Remote server (recommended) | This npm package | |
|---|---|---|
| Endpoint | https://api.labelixa.com/mcp | local process over stdio |
| Tool set | full set: rendering, validation, debugging, conversion, barcode analysis, printer compatibility, templates, bulk jobs | core subset (table below); each tool calls the Labelixa REST API |
| Install | nothing to install | npx -y labelixa-mcp or npm install -g labelixa-mcp |
| Authentication | optional lbx_ API key | optional lbx_ API key |
The live tool list of the remote server is at labelixa.com/mcp.
Transport: Streamable HTTP, stateless JSON-RPC over POST. Anonymous use is free and rate-limited per IP; an API key uses the account's own quota. Keys: labelixa.com.
Claude Code:
claude mcp add --transport http labelixa https://api.labelixa.com/mcp
With an API key:
claude mcp add --transport http labelixa https://api.labelixa.com/mcp \
--header "Authorization: Bearer lbx_..."
Generic MCP client configuration (Claude Desktop, Cursor and other
clients that accept a url entry):
{
"mcpServers": {
"labelixa": {
"url": "https://api.labelixa.com/mcp",
"headers": {"Authorization": "Bearer lbx_..."}
}
}
}
Drop the headers block for anonymous use.
npm install -g labelixa-mcp
Or skip installing and run it with npx straight from your MCP client
config:
{
"mcpServers": {
"labelixa": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "labelixa-mcp"],
"env": {"LABELIXA_API_KEY": "lbx_..."}
}
}
}
Environment variables:
LABELIXA_API_KEY — optional lbx_ API key. Without it the anonymous
quota applies.LABELIXA_BASE_URL — optional; defaults to https://api.labelixa.com.| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
zpl_preview | Renders ZPL to a PNG image for inspection. Server-side render — not a guarantee of how a specific physical printer will output the label. |
zpl_validate | Lints ZPL and returns the structured diagnostics report (unknown commands, parameter ranges, layout overflow) as JSON. Pass the real label size — checks depend on it. |
barcode_generate | Generates a standalone barcode (SVG or PNG): code128, code39, ean13, upca, upce, itf14, msi, qrcode, datamatrix, pdf417. |
language_detect | Detects the printer language of raw label code (ZPL/EPL/TSPL/CPCL). Heuristic — returns a confidence tier, not a probability. |
epl_validate | Lints EPL/EPL2 code; positioned findings with severity, as JSON. |
tspl_validate | Lints TSPL/TSPL2 code; positioned findings with severity, as JSON. |
cpcl_validate | Lints CPCL code; positioned findings with severity, as JSON. |
zpl_compatibility | Compatibility RISK analysis of ZPL against a printer model. Not an emulator — reports language posture with evidence level; never says "it works". |
zpl_command_help | Looks up one ZPL command in the maintained catalog: name, syntax, parameters and whether the preview engine actually renders it — printer-side commands are marked as not rendered. |
convert_zpl_dpi | Rescales ZPL coordinates between printer resolutions (203/300/600 dpi). Embedded ^GF/~DG bitmaps are NOT rescaled — a warnings block precedes the output when present. |
explain_zpl | Full sectioned health report (syntax, size/DPI, orientation, barcodes, fonts, memory) with an honest score — sections it cannot assess say "not assessed" instead of counting. |
EPL, TSPL and CPCL previews, label templates, bulk generation, image-to-ZPL conversion and barcode reading from photos are on the remote server only.
com.labelixa/zpl (remote server + this npm package).labelixa/zpl.
Smithery routes calls through its own gateway; the canonical endpoint
is https://api.labelixa.com/mcp.Retry-After rather than a made-up delay.zpl_preview is a render, not a print: physical output depends on the
printer, media and darkness settings.Source of this package: github.com/Labelixa/labelixa-mcp. Docs: labelixa.com/docs/api. License: MIT.
Source-derived launch command. Check the maintainer’s required arguments and credentials before running:
npx -y labelixa-mcpMerge this template into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. Keep existing servers. Add any arguments, credentials, and permissions required by the maintainer; this template has not been install-tested.
{
"mcpServers": {
"com-labelixa-zpl": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"labelixa-mcp"
]
}
}
}Restart Claude Desktop completely for changes to take effect. Confirm the server appears connected in the client’s tool list, then try a read-only example from its documentation.
Claude Desktop setup referencelabelixa-mcpnpmLabelixa works with any MCP-compatible client. Copy the config snippet from the Configuration section above and add it to the file shown for your client, then restart the application.
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.jsonRestart Claude Desktop completely for changes to take effect.~/.cursor/mcp.jsonRestart Cursor for changes to take effect..vscode/mcp.jsonReload VS Code window for changes to take effect.~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.jsonRestart Windsurf for changes to take effect..mcp.jsonSave at the project root, then start Claude Code in that project and review the MCP server approval prompt. Keep real credentials out of shared files.