ZPL-er

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that converts ZPL (Zebra Programming Language) code into PNG images. This tool is designed to help AI models generate and iterate on shipping labels, barcodes, and other ZPL-based designs by providing visual feedback.

What is ZPL-er?

ZPL-er bridges the gap between ZPL code and visual output, enabling AI models to:

• Generate ZPL code based on design requirements (e.g., from Figma exports)
• Convert ZPL to PNG images for visual inspection
• Iterate on label designs by comparing generated output with target designs
• Debug ZPL positioning and formatting issues

Installation

Prerequisites

• Go 1.19 or later
• An MCP-compatible client (like Claude Desktop, Zed, Cursor, or other AI coding assistants)

Install via go install

go install github.com/goalves/zpl-er@latest

This will install the `zpl-er` binary to your `$GOPATH/bin` directory (typically `~/go/bin`).

Verify Installation

zpl-er --help

Usage

As an MCP Server

ZPL-er runs as an MCP server that communicates via stdin/stdout. It's typically used with AI coding assistants rather than run directly.

Configure with Claude Desktop, Zed, Cursor or most AI Agent-like workflows

Add the following to your settings file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zpl-er": {
      "command": "zpl-er"
    }
  }
}