MakeMidas

Generate AI images and short videos with the MakeMidas CLI (Nano Banana, GPT Image, Seedream, Flux, Seedance, Kling, Veo, Wan…), from a prompt, reference images or a first and last frame, and save them to disk. Use when the user asks to generate, draw or render an image, illustration, photo, product shot, cover or mockup, to animate a picture, or to make a short video clip, and wants files on their computer; also for "生成图片", "画一张", "做个视频", "图生视频". Spends the user's MakeMidas credits.

Generate images and videos with MakeMidas

The makemidas CLI sends a prompt to the user's MakeMidas account, waits for the result and saves the files where you run it. Results (file paths) go to stdout, progress to stderr. Every command takes --json.

1. Make sure the CLI runs

bash

makemidas --version

If it isn't installed, use npx -y @makemidas/cli in place of makemidas everywhere below (Node.js 20+). Ask the user before running npm i -g @makemidas/cli.

2. Make sure the user is signed in

bash

makemidas auth status --json

Exit code 3 means not signed in. Either:

• run makemidas auth login: it opens the browser, where the user signs in and allows "MakeMidas CLI", and waits up to 5 minutes. Tell the user to approve it in the browser; if your shell times out sooner, run it in the background and check auth status after; or
• ask the user for an API key (Settings → API keys on makemidas.com) and run with MAKEMIDAS_API_KEY set in the environment. Never write the key into files or the conversation.

3. Check credits and pick a model

bash

makemidas credits --json
makemidas models --json            # or --kind image / --kind video

Every generation costs credits. Unless the user asks for something else: one output, the default (cheapest usable) model, 1:1 for images. Tell the user what a run will cost when it is more than a few credits (videos, 4K, several outputs). Free accounts get 10 credits a day, the free models only and watermarked images; videos need a plan or credit pack.

4. Generate

bash

makemidas image "a red fox in fresh snow, golden hour, 35mm film" --aspect 3:2 --json
makemidas image "same fox as a watercolor" --ref fox.png --model <id> --json
makemidas video "the fox looks up and the snow starts falling" --ref fox.png --duration 5 --json

• --model <id> from makemidas models; --aspect, --resolution (1K|2K|4K for images, 480p|720p|1080p for videos), --count 1-4.
• --ref <file|url> adds a reference image (repeat for more). For videos one image is the first frame, two are the first and last frame; --frame-mode reference uses them as references instead (Seedance).
• --duration <s> and --audio for videos; --style <id> (photo, cinematic, film, anime, …); --enhance lets MakeMidas expand a short prompt.
• --out <dir> picks the folder (default: current directory). Files are named makemidas-<id>-<n>.<ext>; existing files are kept unless --force.
• --no-download prints signed links (valid one hour) instead of saving.

Images come back in under a minute. Videos take one to several minutes; the CLI waits (up to --timeout minutes, default 15). To avoid blocking your shell:

bash

makemidas video "…" --no-wait --json        # prints the id, exit code 7
makemidas get <id> --wait --json            # run in the background

With --json, image, video and get print the generation ({ id, kind, model, status, credits, watermarked, outputs, files }), where files are the saved paths.

5. Use the result

Show the user the saved files (open or embed them if your environment can). makemidas list --json lists recent generations and ids; makemidas get <id> downloads one again.

Exit codes

Code	Meaning	What to do
0	done
2	bad input (unknown model, unsupported ratio or size, bad file)	fix the command; check makemidas models
3	not signed in or sign-in expired	makemidas auth login, or MAKEMIDAS_API_KEY
4	not enough credits, paid model on a free plan, or too many running	show makemidas credits; plans at https://makemidas.com/pricing
5	the model could not make it (credits refunded)	show the error; change the prompt or model before retrying
6	network or server error	retry once, then report
7	video still rendering	makemidas get <id> --wait

Rules

• Generations spend the user's credits. Don't run batches, 4K or videos the user didn't ask for; ask first when the cost is unclear.
• Don't generate images of real people without their consent, or content the user would not want stored in their MakeMidas account.
• Never print, log or copy tokens, MAKEMIDAS_API_KEY or the credentials file (~/.config/makemidas/credentials.json).
• In ChatGPT, Claude or another MCP client, the MakeMidas MCP server (https://makemidas.com/api/mcp) does the same without the CLI.