21st.dev Magic MCP — Install & Live Demo

Why use it

Key features

v0-style component generation backed by 21st.dev's library
shadcn/ui, Tailwind, and Framer Motion patterns
Refine an existing component in place
Browse 5000+ pre-made components
Free tier with paid scaling

Live Demo

What it looks like in practice

magic-mcp.replay ▶ ready

0/0

Install

Pick your client

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json · Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "magic-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@21st-dev/magic@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config. Restart after saving.

~/.cursor/mcp.json · .cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "magic-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@21st-dev/magic@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Cursor uses the same mcpServers schema as Claude Desktop. Project config wins over global.

VS Code → Cline → MCP Servers → Edit

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "magic-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@21st-dev/magic@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Click the MCP Servers icon in the Cline sidebar, then "Edit Configuration".

~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "magic-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@21st-dev/magic@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Same shape as Claude Desktop. Restart Windsurf to pick up changes.

~/.continue/config.json

{
  "mcpServers": [
    {
      "name": "magic-mcp",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@21st-dev/magic@latest"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Continue uses an array of server objects rather than a map.

~/.config/zed/settings.json

{
  "context_servers": {
    "magic-mcp": {
      "command": {
        "path": "npx",
        "args": [
          "-y",
          "@21st-dev/magic@latest"
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to context_servers. Zed hot-reloads on save.

claude mcp add magic-mcp -- npx -y @21st-dev/magic@latest

One-liner. Verify with claude mcp list. Remove with claude mcp remove.

Use Cases

Real-world ways to use 21st.dev Magic MCP

Generate a polished landing-page hero in under a minute

👤 Frontend engineers shipping fast ⏱ ~15 min intermediate

When to use: You need a hero section right now and don't want to start from a blank file.

Prerequisites

Server/skill installed and authenticated — See repo README

Flow

Search for inspiration

Search 21st for hero sections that mix gradient + product screenshot.✓ Copied

→ 5–10 starter components
Generate the final one

Create a Hero component: dark gradient bg, headline 'Ship faster.' subhead 'AI for serious teams.' a primary CTA + secondary CTA, social proof row.✓ Copied

→ A complete tsx file using shadcn primitives

Outcome: A real production-shape component in one prompt.

Pitfalls

Generated components assume shadcn primitives are installed — Generated components assume shadcn primitives are installed — run npx shadcn add button card first.

Combine with: filesystem · flyonui-mcp

Combinations

Pair with other MCPs for X10 leverage

magic-mcp + filesystem

Pair with filesystem for complementary capabilities

Use this server together with filesystem to complete a multi-step task.✓ Copied

magic-mcp + flyonui-mcp

Pair with flyonui-mcp for complementary capabilities

Use this server together with flyonui-mcp to complete a multi-step task.✓ Copied

Tools

What this MCP exposes

Tool	Inputs	When to call	Cost
create_component	description, framework	Need a new UI component	21st credits
refine_component	component_code, instruction	Tweak an existing component	21st credits
search_components	query	Find a pre-made starting point	1 API call

Cost & Limits

What this costs to run

API quota: See provider docs for rate limits
Tokens per call: Varies by tool
Monetary: See repo README for pricing details
Tip: Cache tool results and avoid repeated identical calls.

Security

Permissions, secrets, blast radius

Credential storage: Use environment variables; never commit secrets

Data egress: Tool calls go to the provider's API as documented

Troubleshooting

Common errors and fixes

API key invalid

Get a key at 21st.dev/settings/api and set TWENTY_FIRST_API_KEY.

Verify: search_components returns results

component uses missing shadcn import

Run npx shadcn add <component> for each unresolved import.

Verify: Vite/Next builds cleanly

Alternatives

21st.dev Magic MCP vs others

Alternative	When to use it instead	Tradeoff
v0.dev	You prefer the v0 web UI	Outside your editor; different style

More

Resources

📖 Read the official README on GitHub

🐙 Browse open issues

🔍 Browse all 400+ MCP servers and Skills