Vixl

An editable image-document engine for AI agents and programmable creative work.

Create, inspect, edit, measure and export layered designs through MCP, CLI, Python or REST. No graphical display is required. Text, shapes, masks, effects, variables, constraints, pages and history stay editable in a portable .vixl master.

Current tagged release: 0.22.1. See the changelog for release notes. Run vixl --version to check your runtime; record the Git commit when using a source checkout.

Documentation home · Getting started · Visual gallery · Command reference · Downloads

What you can make

Install

On Windows, download the latest Vixl-Setup-VERSION-windows-x64.exe from GitHub Releases. It bundles Python, REST and MCP, installs for your user account, and supports verified automatic updates. If vixl is not found, reopen the terminal or see PATH repair.

vixl --version
vixl update --check
vixl update

For source development, use Python 3.11+:

git clone https://github.com/jxburros/Vixl.git
cd Vixl
python -m venv .venv
# macOS/Linux:
source .venv/bin/activate
# Windows PowerShell: .venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
python -m pip install -e '.[server,pdf]'
vixl --version

The core install is python -m pip install -e .; MCP is included. Optional server adds REST/live review, and pdf adds PDF page import. Pip installs use pip-managed updates. Installation and releases covers pinned versions, Windows rollback, agent bundles and packaging.

Make your first design

vixl new 800x600 --background '#18283b' -o hello.vixl
vixl -p hello.vixl text add 'Hello, Vixl' --name title --size 64 --color '#ffffff'
vixl -p hello.vixl align title center
vixl -p hello.vixl check --checks bounds contrast
vixl -p hello.vixl render --out hello-preview.png
vixl -p hello.vixl export hello.png

Editing commands autosave; pass -p explicitly in scripts. Inspect the preview before handoff. The first-design walkthrough explains undo, checkpoints, JSON batches and Python. Use the bundled font for proofing; choose suitable typography for finished work.

Connect an agent

vixl mcp --workspace . --tools core --schema slim

For a pinned tagged runtime with uv:

uvx --from https://github.com/jxburros/Vixl/archive/refs/tags/v0.22.1.tar.gz vixl mcp --workspace . --tools core --schema slim

The workspace must exist. Use --tools compact --schema slim for consolidated workflow tools, --tools ai for provider-backed tools, or --http for Streamable HTTP. Interface setup includes client JSON, multi-document sessions, REST authentication, imports and live human review (vixl -p hello.vixl view).

The Vixl agent skill teaches the inspect → apply → check → preview → export loop, recipes and operation details. Copy its folder to your agent's skills directory. AI functions use explicitly configured providers; Vixl contains no model weights.

Use Python

from vixl import Project

project = Project(800, 600, background="#18283b")
project.apply([
    {"type": "text", "name": "title", "text": "Hello, Vixl", "size": 64, "color": "#ffffff"},
    {"type": "align", "target": "title", "alignment": "center"},
])
project.save("hello.vixl")
project.export("hello.png")

All interfaces share canonical operations and atomic batches. Direct Python requires an explicit save. See document concepts, operation semantics and Python/REST/MCP for deeper integration.

Examples and development

Editable chart · Recipe · Visual capability gallery

python -m pip install -e '.[dev]'
python examples/build_documentation.py
python examples/build_poster.py --output examples/output
python examples/build_sprite.py --output examples/output/sprite
python examples/build_filter_gallery.py
python examples/build_organic_gallery.py
python examples/build_irregular_gallery.py
python examples/build_drawing_pipeline.py
python -m pytest -q

The documentation builder creates diagrams, charts, artwork, forms, slides and motion without AI credentials or network access. Every new visual has an editable master and operation recipe; see documentation maintenance. Explorations showcase longer creative projects, and agent evaluations measure design tasks.

Vixl edits in RGBA8 sRGB and exports supported vectors or documented raster fallbacks. CMYK is an export setting. RAW development, spot-color editing, PSD/XCF import (PSD export is layered pixels) and a desktop GUI are outside this implementation. Review coverage and limitations, export behavior and architecture before choosing it for a workflow. The original product specification is retained as design context. The Digital Shift identity kit includes logos, icons, usage guidance and editable masters.

Licence

Vixl is source-available under the PolyForm Small Business License 1.0.0: free for individuals and for companies with fewer than 100 people and under US$1M (2019) revenue; larger companies need a commercial licence from the licensor. Copies of Vixl must carry the licence and its Required Notice: lines. If Vixl helped make your work, please credit it ("Made with Vixl").

Bundled assets keep their own terms: DejaVu Sans (font licence) and the xkcd colour names (CC0).