NemoClaw

NemoClaw is an AI agent framework in the OpenClaw ecosystem (docs.nemoclaw.dev). It runs AI agents inside Docker containers for security isolation, making it well-suited for personal and team agent setups. MCP servers are configured via the ncl CLI or directly in the container config file. NemoClaw uses stdio transport for MCP, as servers run inside the container environment alongside the agent.

Prerequisites

1. NemoClaw installed with Docker available on your system.
2. A Picsart API key. Get one at picsart.com/ai-playground/ under API Settings.
3. The @picsart/gen-ai-mcp package available inside the container. Install it globally on your host — NemoClaw mounts the node_modules path into the container — or include it in your container image.

npm install -g @picsart/gen-ai-mcp

Setup

Method 1: ncl CLI (recommended)

Use the ncl command to add the Picsart MCP server to your group configuration. Replace YOUR_GROUP_ID with your NemoClaw group ID and YOUR_TOKEN with your Picsart API key:

ncl groups config add-mcp-server \
  --id YOUR_GROUP_ID \
  --name picsart \
  --command gen-ai-mcp \
  --env '{"PICSART_TOKEN":"YOUR_TOKEN"}'

NemoClaw applies the change on the next agent session start. No container rebuild is required.

Method 2: Container config file

Alternatively, edit the container config file directly. Locate your NemoClaw container config and add the following under mcp_servers:

mcp_servers:
  - name: picsart
    command: gen-ai-mcp
    env:
      PICSART_TOKEN: "YOUR_PICSART_TOKEN"

Replace YOUR_PICSART_TOKEN with your API key. Save the file and restart the container for the change to take effect.

Verify the connection

Start a NemoClaw agent session and ask:

"List available Picsart image models."

The agent should call picsart_list_models and return results. If it does not, see Troubleshooting.

Use it

Once connected, ask your NemoClaw agent in plain English:

• "Generate a product shot on a white background using Flux 2 Pro."
• "Create a 9:16 social video from this image using Kling V3."
• "Remove the background from /workspace/product.png."
• "How many Picsart credits do I have left?"

For a full list of available tools, see the MCP Quickstart.

Troubleshooting

gen-ai-mcp: command not found inside the container

The container cannot find the gen-ai-mcp binary. Confirm the package is installed globally on the host and that NemoClaw is mounting the global node_modules path into the container. Alternatively, use the absolute binary path in your config:

mcp_servers:
  - name: picsart
    command: /usr/local/bin/gen-ai-mcp
    env:
      PICSART_TOKEN: "YOUR_PICSART_TOKEN"

Or use npx to avoid a global install dependency:

mcp_servers:
  - name: picsart
    command: npx
    args: ["-y", "@picsart/gen-ai-mcp"]
    env:
      PICSART_TOKEN: "YOUR_PICSART_TOKEN"

"Unauthorized" or authentication errors

Verify your Picsart API key. Copy it fresh from picsart.com/ai-playground/ and update the PICSART_TOKEN value in your config. If you used the ncl CLI to set the env, re-run the add-mcp-server command with the corrected token.

Config changes not taking effect

Changes made via the ncl CLI take effect on the next agent session. If you edited the container config file directly, restart the container to apply changes.

YAML parse error

YAML is whitespace-sensitive. Use spaces, not tabs, for indentation. Validate the file:

python3 -c "import yaml; yaml.safe_load(open('your-config.yaml'))"

FAQ

Why does NemoClaw use stdio instead of HTTP for MCP?

NemoClaw runs agents inside Docker containers. The MCP server process runs in the same container as the agent, so communication over stdio is direct and avoids exposing an HTTP port. This matches NemoClaw's security isolation model.

Can I add multiple MCP servers to NemoClaw?

Yes. Add multiple entries under mcp_servers, or run ncl groups config add-mcp-server multiple times with different --name values. All servers are available to the agent simultaneously.

Can I use different API keys for different NemoClaw groups?

Yes. Each group has its own config, so you can configure a different PICSART_TOKEN per group. This is useful for teams where each group has separate Picsart billing.