harnessesLocal

Install Postward Creative locally

Run the open-source media MCP with Docker and keep editing work on your computer.

12 minutes

Intermediate

Technical creators

Local execution

What You Will Finish With

Your agent can trim, crop, transcode, caption, watermark, and transform local media without uploading it first.

1
Confirm Docker
Start Docker and confirm the daemon is reachable.
```
docker version
```
2
Pull the current image
Fetching explicitly gives you a predictable first startup.
```
docker pull ghcr.io/postward-cc/creative-mcp:latest
```
3
Register the stdio server
Use your client's local MCP configuration. Keep stdin attached and preserve the named volume.
```
docker run -i --rm -v postward-creative-output:/tmp/postward-creative ghcr.io/postward-cc/creative-mcp:latest
```
4
Inspect before editing
Call list_tools and choose a small, non-destructive operation such as thumbnail extraction.
5
Move into Postward deliberately
Local outputs stay local. Use prepare_for_postward locally, then media_create_upload when you want the result stored in your media library and reviewed in Postward.

Where to go next

Part of Build with Postward. Finish the journey in order for the full picture.

Ask my agent

Copy a ready prompt for this tutorial and paste it into any agent connected to Postward.

Preview the prompt

Follow the Postward tutorial "Install Postward Creative locally".

Outcome: Your agent can trim, crop, transcode, caption, watermark, and transform local media without uploading it first.
Prerequisites to verify first: Docker; A client with local stdio MCP support.

Steps:
1. Confirm Docker: Start Docker and confirm the daemon is reachable.
2. Pull the current image: Fetching explicitly gives you a predictable first startup.
3. Register the stdio server: Use your client's local MCP configuration. Keep stdin attached and preserve the named volume.
4. Inspect before editing: Call list_tools and choose a small, non-destructive operation such as thumbnail extraction.
5. Move into Postward deliberately: Local outputs stay local. Use prepare_for_postward locally, then media_create_upload when you want the result stored in your media library and reviewed in Postward.

First inspect my environment and existing configuration, and verify each prerequisite before acting.
Follow the current Postward documentation rather than assuming tool names.
Do not replace unrelated configuration.
Verify the result and report exactly what changed.

Prerequisites

Docker
A client with local stdio MCP support

Works With

Claude Code
Codex
Cursor
OMP
ZCode