Claude Code

Claude Code supports two connection methods: Skills (the recommended path) and MCP (for direct tool-call access). Both use the same gen-ai CLI under the hood.

Prerequisites

1. Install the gen-ai CLI — see Installation.
2. Run gen-ai login (one-time browser OAuth).
3. Verify: gen-ai --version and gen-ai credits.

Method 1: Skills (recommended)

Skills give Claude Code a pre-built understanding of Picsart's models and generation patterns. You describe what you want; Claude Code handles the rest.

Install

claude plugin marketplace add PicsArt/gen-ai-skills

Then activate it inside Claude Code:

/plugin install picsart@picsart

Or via npx:

npx skills add PicsArt/gen-ai-skills

Or download the .zip from picsart.com/gen-ai-skills and place it in ~/.claude/skills/.

Use it

Invoke the skill directly:

/gen-ai-use

Or just describe a task — Claude Code detects the relevant skill automatically:

• "Generate a 16:9 hero image for a summer sale campaign using Flux 2 Pro."
• "Animate this product photo into a 5-second video with subtle motion."
• "Remove the background from all images in ./product-shots/ and save to Drive."

Claude Code picks the model, constructs the command, runs it, and returns the result URL.

What the skill can access

The gen-ai-use skill gives Claude Code access to all 174 models across image, video, and audio. Browse them at picsart.com/ai-playground or run:

gen-ai models
gen-ai models --mode video
gen-ai models --provider elevenlabs

Method 2: MCP

For direct tool-call access, connect the Picsart MCP server. This lets Claude Code call picsart_generate, picsart_preflight, picsart_remove_bg, and all other tools explicitly.

Add the MCP server

claude mcp add picsart-gen-ai -- gen-ai-mcp

Restart Claude Code after running this command.

Verify the connection

In Claude Code, ask:

"List the available Picsart video models."

Claude Code should call picsart_list_models and return a list. If it does not, see Troubleshooting below.

Use it

Once connected, Claude Code can call any MCP tool:

• "Quote the cost of generating an 8-second Veo 3.1 video at 1080p."
• "Generate a product image with Recraft V4, white background, square format."
• "Upload ./logo.png to Drive and use it as the input for a background replacement."

See the MCP Quickstart for the full tool catalog and example tool calls.

Choosing between Skills and MCP

	Skills	MCP
Setup complexity	One command	One command
What Claude Code knows	Pre-built Picsart instructions	Raw tool schema
Best for	Conversational generation tasks	Workflows that inspect cost, validate params, or chain tools
Prompt style	Plain English description	Can be explicit tool-call instructions

You can use both at the same time — the skill and the MCP server do not conflict.

Troubleshooting

Claude Code does not recognize the skill.

Run claude plugin list to confirm picsart@picsart appears. If not, reinstall:

claude plugin marketplace add PicsArt/gen-ai-skills

Then in Claude Code: /plugin install picsart@picsart

Claude Code calls gen-ai but gets "command not found".

The CLI is not on the PATH visible to Claude Code. Run gen-ai --version in a terminal to confirm it is installed, then restart Claude Code. If needed, specify the full path: find it with which gen-ai.

The MCP server connects but no tools appear.

Restart Claude Code after adding the MCP config. The tool list is loaded at startup.

Generation fails with "unauthorized".

Your session has expired. Run gen-ai login in a terminal and restart Claude Code.

Generation fails with "insufficient credits".

Run gen-ai credits to check your balance. Top up at picsart.com.

FAQ

Can I use Claude Code's Skills and MCP simultaneously?

Yes. Install the skill and the MCP server independently — they do not conflict. Skills give Claude Code pre-built instructions; MCP gives it direct tool-call access.

Does installing the skill cost credits?

No. Installing the skill is free. Credits are consumed only when a generation runs.

Can I restrict which models the skill uses?

Not from within the skill configuration. To control models, be explicit in your prompt: "Use Flux 2 Pro for this — do not use other image models."

How do I update the skill?

Run the two install steps again:

claude plugin marketplace add PicsArt/gen-ai-skills

Then in Claude Code: /plugin install picsart@picsart

Start creating

Click below to open Claude with a ready-to-run Picsart prompt. Claude will call Picsart MCP automatically once you confirm.

Ready to generate?

Start creating in Claude