Replicate Imagen 4

You can run a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that exposes Google's Imagen 4 Ultra model via Replicate. This setup automates image generation, downloads outputs locally, and makes it easy to generate images in multiple formats and aspect ratios while handling errors gracefully.

How to use

Use an MCP client to connect to the Replicate Imagen 4 MCP Server. You will send prompts to generate images, choose aspect ratios such as 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 3:4, or 4:3, and receive both local file paths and original URLs for the generated images. The server automatically downloads generated images to a local images directory and returns detailed metadata about each prediction.

How to install

Prerequisites: Node.js 18 or higher and a Replicate API token.

Option 1: Portable Installation (Recommended) using npx

Install commands

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "replicate-imagen4": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "https://github.com/PierrunoYT/replicate-imagen4-mcp-server.git"],
      "env": {
        "REPLICATE_API_TOKEN": "your_token_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Option 2: Local Installation

If you prefer to run locally, clone the project, install dependencies, and build.

Local installation commands

git clone https://github.com/PierrunoYT/replicate-imagen4-mcp-server.git
cd replicate-imagen4-mcp-server
npm install
npm run build

Set up environment and run

Set your Replicate API token as an environment variable. This token authorizes access to the Replicate service.

export REPLICATE_API_TOKEN=YOUR_REPLICATE_API_TOKEN

Starting the MCP server

Start the server through the MCP client you are using. The portable installation uses npx to fetch and run the server directly from its GitHub location.

Configuration

The server supports multiple image generation options, automatic local downloads, and dual access to both local file paths and original image URLs. You can adjust safety filtering levels, output formats, and aspect ratios as described in the available tools.

Troubleshooting

If the MCP server does not appear in your client, verify the path to the built index file, ensure the API token is set, and confirm you are using Node.js 18+. If image generation fails, check your Replicate token and credits, review your prompt for policy compliance, and retry with a different safety level.

Notes on usage

The MCP server returns both local file paths and original URLs for each generated image, and it stores images in a dedicated local images directory to enable offline access and persistent storage.

Example usage scenarios

Generate a photorealistic image of a landscape with a 16:9 aspect ratio and save it locally in the images directory.

Security and authentication

Keep your Replicate API token secure and do not expose it in code. Use environment variables to provide the token at runtime.

Available tools

imagen4_generate

Generate images using Imagen 4 Ultra with automatic local download and dual access to local paths and original URLs.

imagen4_generate_and_save

Generate images with a custom filename and automatic download to the local images directory, returning local paths and original URLs.

imagen4_get_prediction

Check the status and results of a specific Replicate prediction, including logs and errors.