Plate MCP Server: Rich-Text Editor Components for Agents

What is the Plate MCP server?

Plate is a rich-text editor framework for React, described in its repository as a rich-text editor with AI and shadcn/ui. The Plate docs call its MCP integration official. It is the shadcn CLI's MCP server pointed at the Plate component registry.

That means an AI coding agent can search the registry, read Plate's templates, plugin configurations and UI components, and add them to your project with the right imports. The docs also cover documentation and migration guides.

What changes in your agent's output

• The agent installs editor features from the registry instead of rewriting plugin wiring from memory.
• A prompt such as setting up a Plate editor with basic formatting and table support maps to registry items rather than guessed code.
• Updates are part of the loop. The docs list keeping your Plate configurations and components up to date as a use.
• Local documentation can sit in your project so the agent reads version-matched docs. The docs say this beats a plain llms.txt dump.

How the setup works

1. Add the @plate registry URL to the registries object in components.json.
2. Run npx shadcn@latest add @plate/editor-basic to add the basic editor, or start a new project with the Plate init preset.
3. Add the MCP entry for your client. All the entries run npx shadcn@latest mcp.

Who the Plate MCP server is for

Best for

• React and shadcn/ui projects that need a rich-text editor, such as a notes tool, a CMS editor or a document view.
• Teams that want AI features in the editor and an agent that knows the registry.
• Projects already using the shadcn MCP server, since this is the same server with another registry.

Not for

• Projects without a React and shadcn/ui setup. The setup starts from components.json.
• Generic UI generation. For a broad component source, see Magic MCP or the community shadcn/ui MCP server.
• Very small models. The docs name the shadcn CLI as the manual fallback for small models or outdated docs.

Use it with UiChemy

Plate output is React code for an editor inside a front end you ship yourself. If your target is a WordPress site, UiChemy builds there instead: AI to WordPress imports an existing AI build, and Composer edits it in Elementor or Gutenberg. Click Get Started on uichemy.com.

Connect Plate MCP Server: Rich-Text Editor Components for Agents to your AI client

npx shadcn@latest add @plate/editor-basic

1. Register Plate

   In an existing shadcn project, add "@plate": "https://platejs.org/r/{name}.json" under registries in components.json.

2. Install the basic editor

   Run npx shadcn@latest add @plate/editor-basic. For a new project, run npx shadcn@latest init --preset https://platejs.org/init.

3. Add the MCP entry

   Cursor reads .cursor/mcp.json, VS Code reads .vscode/mcp.json with a servers key, and a project .mcp.json works for Claude. Each runs npx shadcn@latest mcp.

4. Codex

   Add [mcp_servers.plate] with command = "npx" and args = ["shadcn@latest", "mcp"] to ~/.codex/config.toml, then restart Codex.

5. Optional: local docs

   Follow Plate's Local Docs guide so the agent reads documentation that matches your installed version.

Client configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "plate": {
      "description": "Plate editors, plugins and components",
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["shadcn@latest", "mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Endpoints and ports

What you can do with it

• Plate registry accessEditor templates, plugin configurations and UI components come from one registry that the agent can search.
• Documentation in reachThe MCP page lists documentation files, migration guides and API references among what the agent can read.
• Editor setup from a promptThe docs suggest asking for a basic editor with formatting and table support, or for an explanation of the AI plugin.
• Updates and syncThe docs describe a sync flow for copied registry files, so an agent can bring components up to date.
• Works across clientsThe docs give setup for Cursor, VS Code, Codex and a project MCP file, all running the same command.
• Three starting templatesThe repository lists a Notion-like template, a playground template and a minimal template.

Tools it exposes

Frequently asked questions