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Install HoloViz MCP with conda/mamba

This guide shows you how to install HoloViz MCP using conda or mamba package managers.

Alternative: uv installation

For faster installation, consider using uv instead.

Prerequisites

You need either conda or mamba installed. If you don't have either:

Install HoloViz MCP

Using conda

Install HoloViz MCP from conda-forge:

conda install -c conda-forge holoviz-mcp

Using mamba

Mamba is faster than conda:

mamba install -c conda-forge holoviz-mcp

Create a dedicated environment

It's recommended to create a dedicated environment:

# With conda
conda create -n holoviz-mcp -c conda-forge holoviz-mcp
conda activate holoviz-mcp

# With mamba
mamba create -n holoviz-mcp -c conda-forge holoviz-mcp
mamba activate holoviz-mcp

Install Chromium

HoloViz MCP uses Chromium for taking screenshots. Install it:

holoviz-mcp install chromium

📦 This downloads 300MB as it downloads the Chromium and FFMPEG engines.

Create Documentation Index

Create the documentation index so HoloViz MCP can provide intelligent answers:

holoviz-mcp update index

⏱️ This takes 5-10 minutes on first run as it downloads and indexes documentation from Panel, hvPlot, and other HoloViz libraries.

Verify Installation

Test that the server starts correctly:

holoviz-mcp

You should see output indicating the server is running. Press Ctrl+C to stop it.

Update HoloViz MCP

To update to the latest version:

# With conda
conda update -c conda-forge holoviz-mcp

# With mamba
mamba update -c conda-forge holoviz-mcp

After updating, refresh the documentation index:

holoviz-mcp update index

Uninstall

To remove HoloViz MCP:

# With conda
conda remove holoviz-mcp

# With mamba
mamba remove holoviz-mcp

To also remove the documentation index and configuration:

rm -rf ~/.holoviz-mcp

Next Steps

After installation, configure your IDE or AI assistant:

Or start with a complete tutorial: