Labelixa — Claude Code MCP server: render and lint ZPL labels
Gives your AI assistant tools to render, lint and inspect thermal printer labels written in ZPL, EPL, TSPL and CPCL. Useful when you want to see a label before it hits the printer.
claude mcp add --transport http zpl https://api.labelixa.com/mcpWhat Labelixa does
The server exposes label tooling to the assistant. zpl_preview turns ZPL into a PNG you can look at, while zpl_validate plus the EPL, TSPL and CPCL linters return JSON diagnostics with positions. Barcode generation covers code128, code39, ean13, upca, upce, itf14, msi, qrcode, datamatrix and pdf417, as SVG or PNG. There is also language detection for raw label code, a lookup for a single ZPL command, and a DPI converter.
Two connection paths exist. The remote endpoint https://api.labelixa.com/mcp carries the full tool set, templates, bulk jobs and reading barcodes from photos included. The npm package labelixa-mcp runs locally over stdio through npx and offers the core subset; every tool in it calls the Labelixa REST API. An lbx_ key is optional either way — anonymous use falls back to a per-IP quota.
Some limits matter. zpl_preview is a render, not a print, so physical output still depends on the printer, media and darkness settings. zpl_compatibility is not an emulator and will not tell you a label works, only flag risk. convert_zpl_dpi leaves embedded ^GF and ~DG bitmaps alone and prints a warnings block ahead of the output when they are present. Numeric inputs are validated before the call: dpmm must be 6, 8, 12 or 24, label sides finite, above 0 and no more than 15 inches, DPI 152, 203, 300 or 600.
What it helps with
- render a ZPL label to PNG and check the result
- catch unknown commands and layout overflow in label code
- produce a standalone code128 or qrcode image
- identify which printer language a raw label snippet uses
- rescale ZPL coordinates for a different printer resolution
Example prompts for the agent
- Render this ZPL label and show me the PNG
- Validate the label code, size is 4x6 inches
- Generate a qrcode pointing to our site
How to install Labelixa
1Platform CLI: remote server
claude mcp add --transport http zpl https://api.labelixa.com/mcp2Platform CLI
claude mcp add labelixa -- npx -y labelixa-mcp1Platform CLI: remote server
codex mcp add labelixa --url https://api.labelixa.com/mcp2Platform CLI
codex mcp add labelixa -- npx -y labelixa-mcpConfig file
{
"mcpServers": {
"labelixa": {
"url": "https://api.labelixa.com/mcp"
}
}
}{
"mcpServers": {
"labelixa": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"labelixa-mcp"
]
}
}
}Config file
{
"servers": {
"labelixa": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://api.labelixa.com/mcp"
}
}
}{
"servers": {
"labelixa": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"labelixa-mcp"
]
}
}
}1Platform CLI: remote server
gemini mcp add -t http labelixa https://api.labelixa.com/mcp2Platform CLI
gemini mcp add labelixa npx -y labelixa-mcpStep by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about Labelixa
How do I install Labelixa in Claude Code?
For the remote server run claude mcp add --transport http labelixa https://api.labelixa.com/mcp. For the local package run claude mcp add labelixa -- npx -y labelixa-mcp.
What does Labelixa do?
It hands the assistant thermal label tools: ZPL rendering to PNG, linting for ZPL, EPL, TSPL and CPCL, barcode generation, language detection and DPI rescaling.
Do I need an API key?
No. The lbx_ key is optional; without it requests run on an anonymous per-IP quota, with it they draw on the account's own quota.
