thierryc/glyphs-mcp/glyphs-mcp-development

Glyphs Scripts & Plugins

Start with the user's idea, existing artifact and workspace. Choose a script for a one-off action or a plugin for reusable native UI/behavior. Glyphs may be closed: code creation, documentation lookup and static validation require no MCP connection, document discovery or font Save. Ordinary font-design work belongs to $glyphs; one-off native scripts can use scripting. Feature source work uses OpenType guidance.

Continue with the workspace, verified connection/document binding and relevant instructions already in context. Load only a needed reference or missing excerpt; switching between coding and font work does not restart either workflow.

Create and revise

1. Resolve purpose, workspace, name, class and developer from the task or

existing project. Choose reporter for an Edit View overlay. Other existing templates: general, filter, palette, select-tool, file-format. This skill and its scaffolder target Glyphs 4 only.

1. Search the complete offline SDK/API and handbook corpus

for unfamiliar APIs or missing evidence. Reuse loaded guides and native-symbol excerpts from the same installed corpus; fetch only what is needed next. Coordinate edits use the native precision recipe.

1. Run the existing helper from this skill directory, or resolve its absolute path:

``text python3 scripts/scaffold.py create reporter --name "Selection Lens" --class-name SelectionLens --developer "Project Developer" --destination /absolute/workspace --target 4 python3 scripts/scaffold.py validate "/absolute/workspace/Selection Lens.glyphsReporter" --target 4 ``

For a script use create script --name "My Script" --description "Purpose". Existing outputs are preserved. Revise an existing artifact in place within scope instead of rerunning create over it.

1. Implement the requested revision, keeping the SDK loader and Apache attribution.

Validate changed artifacts; runtimeTested: false is not native qualification. Keep drawing callbacks free of file/network access, full-font traversal and font mutation. Batch related edits before validation and native installation.

1. Follow the native install, verify and iterate loop

for authorised tests. Reuse the user's authorisation; preserve a working revision and compare workspace, installed and loaded evidence before taking the next action. In a development-link installation, rebuild each coherent runtime change into the exact linked payload before any live test or user handoff; source-only tests do not prove that the installed code is current. Keep the managed development skills linked to the canonical workspace skill bundle, with its packaged mirror synchronized, so guidance and capabilities cannot drift during testing. Restart a changed sidecar, and ask before relaunching Glyphs when changed native plug-in code must be loaded. Unchanged installed/loaded code needs no reinstall or relaunch. Use the verification record and recovery guidance when verifying a revision, diagnosing a failure or resuming interrupted work. Generated files alone are not a working plugin; report the tested revision and relevant evidence.

Live context, only when needed

For MCP access, reuse the specific $glyphs connection and intended document ID. Only missing or invalid bindings need document targeting. Reads are fresh; dirty fonts need no Save. Native relaunch invalidates old document IDs.

The twenty-tool MCP can execute scripts through an advertised python_script job; use the shared execution contract. For a one-off bulk or font-level edit, direct native scripting avoids a plugin installation and layer patch preparation. Require script.native.v1; its Restore before run restores a detached copy of the whole pre-run font, including unsaved edits. This does not recover external script effects or replace the plugin iteration workflow. There is no plugin reload tool. Native development through files/UI does not add an MCP capability. A required missing private capability needs the bridge, sidecar and skills updated together. Do not use an earlier-private fallback or claim recovery beyond the pre-run copy or across a Glyphs restart. Installation, execution, restart, font edits and Save follow the user's authorised scope.

For script requests, follow the shared intent rules: writing includes code review, review-only stays non-executing, and writing alone does not authorize live edits. A result-focused font task needs validation/testing and result verification, without a mandatory source review or another Run question. Scripts run on dirty, clean and pathless fonts without Save; saving remains a separately authorized action.