Backdraw

Name: Backdraw
Author: devtalh

by devtalhversion 2.1.3i★ –iRuns on your computer

Registry nameio.github.devtalh/backdraw

Install

Overview

Description from the maker (original English)

Generate images with your own ChatGPT account in a background Chrome tab. Needs Windows + Chrome.

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

These three are never merged into one score: opinions, measurements and popularity are different things.

User voiceiNo reviews yetReviews open together with accounts in a later step
Our basic checksi1 of 1 passedChecked from public information; code not scanned yet
UsageiNot measured yet★ –

What you can do with it

We have not written a plain-language summary for this one yet. Below are the facts we read from the registry.

Connection: Runs on your computer
Transport: stdio
Category: Web & browsers

Install

Pick the AI app you use, then copy the settings.

Before you install

Basic checks: 1 of 1 passed
Runs on your computer with your user’s permissions (files, network, apps).
The registry lists no key to fill in.

You need

npmNode.js installed (for the npx command)

Which app do you use?

ClaudeClaude CodeCursorVS CodeChatGPT

Pick your app above. We remember it, so next time the button says “Install in …”.

Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config, and paste this into claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "backdraw": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "backdraw",
        "mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Run this in your terminal

claude mcp add backdraw -- npx -y backdraw mcp

Open in Cursor

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "backdraw": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "backdraw",
        "mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

Open in VS Code

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .vscode/mcp.json in your project

{
  "servers": {
    "backdraw": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "backdraw",
        "mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

This one runs on your computer, and ChatGPT can only connect to servers on the internet. Pick another app.

Your choice stays on this device in a cookie; no account needed.

These settings are generated from the maker’s registry entry. If the README says otherwise, follow the README.

What it can do

Runs on your computer; the tool list appears in your AI app after you install it.

Basic checksi

We check information anyone can see; we have not read the code. Checks that do not apply are left out of the count. · Checked Nov 6, 2026

✓ Pass
Maker matches the repo
The registry name was verified with the GitHub account devtalh, which owns the repo
… Not checked yet
Still maintained
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
… Not checked yet
Has a licence
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
– Not applicable
Endpoint responds
This one runs on your computer; there is no internet endpoint
– Not applicable
Sign-in with OAuth
Runs on your computer and uses local settings instead
… Not checked yet
No hidden instructions in tool descriptions
Runs on your computer; we can only read tool lists from internet endpoints

Compared with others in Web & browsersi

More stars than 0% of the other 876 servers in this category
Published to the registry more recently than 75% of the other 876 servers in this category
Basic checks equal to or better than 100% of the other 876 servers in this category

Compared with every active server in this category in the registry. Stars count only when the publisher owns the repo.

Common questions

Is Backdraw safe?

It passed 1 of 1 applicable basic checks. We have not read the code. Before adding a key or token, see what access the server asks for and use a key with only the permissions you need.

What keys or codes does it need?

The registry does not list a required key, though some servers ask you to sign in on first use.

Does it run on my computer or in the cloud?

It runs on your computer. Your AI app starts it when needed, and data does not pass through the maker’s servers (unless it calls an online service itself).

Is it still maintained?

The GitHub repo last changed –, and the latest version (2.1.3) reached the registry 10 days ago.

Which apps can use it?

Apps that support MCP, such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code. You also need Node.js on your computer.

What can I use instead?

In the same category: Browser Use, Chrome DevTools MCP, MCP Server Browser

Alternatives

Servers in the same category from other makers, sorted by stars.

Reading a card:★ GitHub starsiThree pillars: reviews · checks · usageiUpdated = latest version published to the registryi

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Install

MCP Server Browser

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Install

README from the maker

Open the README

Copied from the maker’s repo as written. PopNx MCP has not reviewed or endorsed it. HTML, images and scripts are removed. Links lead off this site.

Let Claude generate images with your own ChatGPT account, in a background Chrome tab. No API key, no extra cost, nothing to watch.

Türkçe

What it does

Backdraw is a local MCP server plus a Chrome extension. Ask Claude for an image "with ChatGPT" and Backdraw opens ChatGPT in a background tab of your own Chrome, where you are already signed in. It sends the prompt, waits for the picture and saves it on your PC. Claude gets the file path, a preview and the link to the chat.

Generate new images, or edit one by attaching it as a reference.
Ask for a shape (16:9, a 4:1 banner, …) or a transparent background.
Save reference images from any website with a right-click and reuse them as collections.
Browse everything you made in a gallery side panel.
Pure Node.js with zero npm dependencies. Everything runs on your computer.

Personal use, with your own ChatGPT account and at your own risk. Automating the ChatGPT web

page may conflict with OpenAI's terms; read

Disclaimer and responsible use before you start.

Why Backdraw?

Your everyday Chrome. No separate browser profile, no second login, no automation browser: Backdraw works in the Chrome you already use, where you are signed in to ChatGPT.
Out of your way. The work happens in a muted background tab that never takes focus, so you keep working while the image is made.
No open ports. The pieces talk over Chrome native messaging and a named pipe that only your Windows user can open. There is no DevTools port (such as 9222) and no local web server.
No API key. It uses your ChatGPT plan; each image counts toward your normal ChatGPT limits.
References from the web. Right-click images on any site to collect them, then generate in their style.
A gallery of everything you made, in Chrome's side panel.
One command to set up: npx backdraw@latest setup. Loading the extension is the only step left to you.

How it compares

Other open-source projects take different approaches, and several of them do things Backdraw doesn't (macOS or Linux support, an API mode, running on a server). Each row was checked against the project's README and source on 2026-10-25; ? means we couldn't tell. Spotted a mistake? Please open an issue.

Project	Uses your everyday Chrome (no separate profile or login)	Background tab (doesn't take focus)	Open port	API key needed	Right-click reference collections	Gallery	Platforms
Backdraw	Yes	Yes	No (native messaging + named pipe)	No	Yes	Yes	Windows
lownamlee/gpt-image-2-mcp	No (own browser profile)	Partly¹	No	Optional (API mode)	No	No	?
nothariharan/image-gen	No (own Edge profile)	No	Yes (CDP 9222)	No	No	No	Windows; macOS/Linux by hand
goofyshwetank/mcp-chatgpt-gemini-image	No (own Chromium profile)	No	No	No	No	No	?
Dasemu/chatgpt-imagegen-mcp	No (own profile, on a server)	Partly²	Yes (HTTP 8088, remote server)	No (own server token)	No	No	Linux server
Codex built-in `$imagegen`	– (no browser)	–	No	No (Codex sign-in)	No	?	?
Sateezg/codex-bridge	– (no browser, runs Codex)	–	No	No (Codex sign-in)	No	No	macOS, Linux

¹ Its own browser window, moved off screen or minimized once ChatGPT is ready. ² A browser on a virtual display (Xvfb) on the server, or headless.

Codex users already have built-in image generation; Backdraw is mainly for Claude Code, the Claude desktop app and VS Code.

How it works

Claude Code / Claude desktop app (MCP client)

│ MCP over stdio ▼ mcp-server.js ──── named pipe, your Windows user only ────► host.js │ Chrome native messaging ▼ Backdraw Chrome extension │ background tab ▼ chatgpt.com → your Project → new chat → image

mcp-server.js is what Claude talks to. It forwards every tool call to host.js.
host.js is started by Chrome when the extension connects. It runs the job queue (one job at a time), saves the images and keeps the job history in %USERPROFILE%\.backdraw\data.
The extension opens chatgpt.com in a background tab, inside the ChatGPT Project you selected. The tab is never activated and is muted, no window takes focus, and your mouse and keyboard are never used: only synthetic events inside that one tab. The tab closes when the job is done, unless you are looking at it.
No API key. Backdraw uses the ChatGPT session you already have in Chrome. It never reads cookies, tokens or passwords.
Nothing leaves your PC except what you send to ChatGPT (the prompt and any reference images). There is no Backdraw server and no telemetry.

Images are saved in your Pictures folder under Backdraw, named after the time and the prompt, e.g. 20261021-153012_a-cozy-reading-nook.png.

Requirements


OS	Windows 10 or 11
Browser	Google Chrome 116 or newer (Edge, Brave and Chromium are registered too, but only Chrome is tested)
Runtime	Node.js 20 or newer
Account	A ChatGPT account that can generate images, signed in to chatgpt.com in Chrome
Client	Claude Code, the Claude desktop app, Codex, Cursor, VS Code or Gemini CLI (or another MCP client that runs stdio servers)

Windows only for now — the code is split into a platform module and macOS/Linux contributions are welcome. Everything OS-specific (named pipe, native host registration, user folders) lives in platform/win32.js.

Installation

Quick install

Run this in PowerShell or cmd (no admin rights needed):

npx backdraw@latest setup

It runs the backdraw package from npm.

setup does everything except one click in the browser:

It copies Backdraw to %USERPROFILE%\.backdraw (npx's own copy is temporary) and sets up the images folder Pictures\Backdraw (reference collections go to Pictures\Backdraw\References). Running it again updates Backdraw and keeps your settings, job history and collections.
It registers the native messaging host for your Windows user, for each browser it finds (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Chromium).
It lists the MCP clients it finds (Claude Code, the Claude desktop app, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI) and asks which ones to add Backdraw to. Only the backdraw entry is added or updated, and every config file gets a timestamped .bak copy before it changes. --yes takes every client it found; --clients=claude-code,cursor takes exactly those.
It opens the extension folder and your browser's extensions page, copies the folder path to the clipboard, and waits for you to load the extension, the one step left to you:
turn on Developer mode (top right),
click Load unpacked,
pick the folder (paste the path with Ctrl+V).

As soon as the extension connects, setup prints ✓ Ready and an example prompt.

The native host is still named io.github.muhammedtalha04.backdraw, after the project's old GitHub user name: renaming it would break existing installs.

Install from your client

Your MCP client can also add Backdraw itself; it then starts the server with npx backdraw@latest mcp. The browser side still needs a one-time setup on the PC, which leaves the clients alone:

npx backdraw@latest setup --clients=none

Client	Add Backdraw
Claude Code	`/plugin install backdraw --marketplace devtalh/backdraw` (Claude Code 2.1.275 or later; or `/plugin marketplace add devtalh/backdraw`, then `/plugin install backdraw@backdraw`). `/backdraw:setup` explains the browser step.
Cursor
VS Code
Codex	`codex mcp add backdraw -- cmd /c npx -y backdraw@latest mcp`
Gemini CLI	`npx backdraw@latest setup --clients=gemini`

On Windows the command goes through cmd /c, because clients start npx without a shell. Use one way per client: if setup already added Backdraw to Claude Code, the plugin would start a second server with the same tools.

Manual install

Get the code. Clone the repository with git, or download it as a ZIP (Code → Download ZIP) and unzip it:

   git clone https://github.com/devtalh/backdraw.git

cd backdraw

2. **Run the installer** in that folder (no admin rights needed):

   node install.js

It does steps 1 and 2 above and adds Backdraw to Claude Code (user scope). For the other clients, run node bin/backdraw.js setup instead, or see Use it.

Load the extension once: open chrome://extensions, turn on Developer mode, click Load unpacked and select %USERPROFILE%\.backdraw\extension.

Finish in the popup

Open the popup. Click the Backdraw icon in the toolbar (pin it from the puzzle-piece menu). Until everything works, the popup shows a setup checklist with the fix for each step:
the bridge is connected,
you are signed in to ChatGPT,
a ChatGPT Project is selected,
ready: an example prompt to copy into Claude.
Create and select a ChatGPT Project. In ChatGPT, create a Project for your images (for example "Backdraw"), open it, click the Backdraw icon and press Use the “Backdraw” project. You can also ask Claude: *"Select my Backdraw project in ChatGPT for images."* Every new image chat is created inside that Project.

The popup also has a language (Auto / English / Türkçe) and a theme (Auto / Light / Dark) setting. If something doesn't work, run npx backdraw@latest doctor.

Use it

From Claude Code

Start a new Claude Code session after installing (MCP servers are loaded when a session starts) and ask in plain words, in any language. The backdraw server gives Claude these tools: generate_image, job_status, cancel_job, fetch_images, list_projects, `s

Only the beginning is shown; read the rest in the repo

Backdraw

Overview

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

What you can do with it

Install

Before you install

What it can do

Basic checksi

Maker matches the repo

Still maintained

Has a licence

Endpoint responds

Sign-in with OAuth

No hidden instructions in tool descriptions

Compared with others in Web & browsersi

Common questions

Alternatives

Browser Use

Chrome DevTools MCP

MCP Server Browser

README from the maker

What it does

Why Backdraw?

How it compares

How it works

Requirements

Installation

Quick install

Install from your client

Manual install

Finish in the popup

Use it

From Claude Code