# How to integrate Pexels MCP with Google ADK

```json
{
  "title": "How to integrate Pexels MCP with Google ADK",
  "toolkit": "Pexels",
  "toolkit_slug": "pexels",
  "framework": "Google ADK",
  "framework_slug": "google-adk",
  "url": "https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/google-adk",
  "markdown_url": "https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/google-adk.md",
  "updated_at": "2026-05-12T10:21:52.555Z"
}
```

## Introduction

This guide walks you through connecting Pexels to Google ADK using the Composio tool router. By the end, you'll have a working Pexels agent that can find free stock photos of beaches, get trending pexels videos this week, list featured photography collections through natural language commands.
This guide will help you understand how to give your Google ADK agent real control over a Pexels account through Composio's Pexels MCP server.
Before we dive in, let's take a quick look at the key ideas and tools involved.

## Also integrate Pexels with

- [ChatGPT](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/chatgpt)
- [Antigravity](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/antigravity)
- [OpenAI Agents SDK](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/open-ai-agents-sdk)
- [Claude Agent SDK](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/claude-agents-sdk)
- [Claude Code](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/claude-code)
- [Claude Cowork](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/claude-cowork)
- [Codex](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/codex)
- [Cursor](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/cursor)
- [VS Code](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/vscode)
- [OpenCode](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/opencode)
- [OpenClaw](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/openclaw)
- [Hermes](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/hermes-agent)
- [CLI](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/cli)
- [LangChain](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/langchain)
- [Vercel AI SDK](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/ai-sdk)
- [Mastra AI](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/mastra-ai)
- [LlamaIndex](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/llama-index)
- [CrewAI](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/crew-ai)

## TL;DR

Here's what you'll learn:
- Get a Pexels account set up and connected to Composio
- Install the Google ADK and Composio packages
- Create a Composio Tool Router session for Pexels
- Build an agent that connects to Pexels through MCP
- Interact with Pexels using natural language

## What is Google ADK?

Google ADK (Agents Development Kit) is Google's framework for building AI agents powered by Gemini models. It provides tools for creating agents that can use external services through the Model Context Protocol.
Key features include:
- Gemini Integration: Native support for Google's Gemini models
- MCP Toolset: Built-in support for Model Context Protocol tools
- Streamable HTTP: Connect to external services through streamable HTTP
- CLI and Web UI: Run agents via command line or web interface

## What is the Pexels MCP server, and what's possible with it?

The Pexels MCP server is an implementation of the Model Context Protocol that connects your AI agent and assistants like Claude, Cursor, etc directly to your Pexels account. It provides structured and secure access to the Pexels media library, so your agent can search photos and videos, fetch curated collections, explore trending media, and retrieve detailed asset information on your behalf.
- Photo and video search: Instantly find high-quality photos and videos from Pexels based on keywords, categories, or filters using natural language queries.
- Curated and trending media discovery: Let your agent fetch the latest curated photos or surface popular videos to keep your content pipeline fresh and engaging.
- Collection management and exploration: Access your own collections or featured Pexels collections, and pull all media from any collection with ease.
- Detailed asset retrieval: Retrieve metadata, dimensions, and direct image or video URLs for any specific photo or video asset by ID.
- Content integration for creative workflows: Seamlessly pull media assets into your applications, presentations, or creative projects with minimal effort.

## Supported Tools

| Tool slug | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `PEXELS_COLLECTION_MEDIA` | Get Collection Media | Tool to get all media within a collection by its ID. Use when you need to fetch paginated media from a specific collection. |
| `PEXELS_CURATED_PHOTOS` | Get Curated Photos | Tool to get real-time curated photos. Use when you need to fetch curated photos with pagination support. |
| `PEXELS_FEATURED_COLLECTIONS` | Featured Collections | Tool to get featured collections. Use when you need curated collections of photos and videos with pagination support. |
| `PEXELS_GET_PHOTO` | Get Photo | Tool to retrieve detailed information about a specific photo. Use when you have a valid photo ID to fetch metadata including dimensions, photographer details, and image URLs. Use after confirming the photo ID from search or curated endpoints. |
| `PEXELS_GET_VIDEO_BY_ID` | Get Video by ID | Tool to retrieve detailed information about a specific video from Pexels. Use when you have a valid video ID to fetch metadata including dimensions, duration, videographer details, and available video file versions. |
| `PEXELS_MY_COLLECTIONS` | Get My Collections | Tool to get all of the user's collections on Pexels. Use when you need to list a user's collections with pagination support. |
| `PEXELS_POPULAR_VIDEOS` | Get Popular Videos | Tool to retrieve current popular Pexels videos. Use when you want to fetch trending videos from Pexels. |
| `PEXELS_SEARCH_PHOTOS` | Search Photos | Tool to search for photos on Pexels. Use when you need to retrieve photos by a search term and optional filters. Call after confirming you have a valid Pexels API key. Response image URLs are nested under `photo.src.` (e.g., `photo.src.original`, `photo.src.landscape`, `photo.src.medium`); the top-level `url` field is not sufficient for accessing specific image sizes. |
| `PEXELS_SEARCH_VIDEOS` | Search Videos | Tool to search for videos on Pexels by query and optional filters. Use when you need to find relevant video assets. Combining multiple filters with a narrow query may return few or no results; only apply strict filter combinations when explicitly required. |

## Supported Triggers

None listed.

## Creating MCP Server - Stand-alone vs Composio SDK

The Pexels MCP server is an implementation of the Model Context Protocol that connects your AI agent to Pexels. It provides structured and secure access so your agent can perform Pexels operations on your behalf through a secure, permission-based interface.
With Composio's managed implementation, you don't have to create your own developer app. For production, if you're building an end product, we recommend using your own credentials. The managed server helps you prototype fast and go from 0-1 faster.

## Step-by-step Guide

### 1. Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:
- A Google API key for Gemini models
- A Composio account and API key
- Python 3.9 or later installed
- Basic familiarity with Python

### 1. Getting API Keys for Google and Composio

Google API Key
- Go to [Google AI Studio](https://aistudio.google.com/app/apikey) and create an API key.
- Copy the key and keep it safe. You will put this in GOOGLE_API_KEY.
Composio API Key and User ID
- Log in to the [Composio dashboard](https://dashboard.composio.dev?utm_source=toolkits&utm_medium=framework_docs).
- Go to Settings → API Keys and copy your Composio API key. Use this for COMPOSIO_API_KEY.
- Decide on a stable user identifier to scope sessions, often your email or a user ID. Use this for COMPOSIO_USER_ID.

### 2. Install dependencies

Inside your virtual environment, install the required packages.
What's happening:
- google-adk is Google's Agents Development Kit
- composio connects your agent to Pexels via MCP
- python-dotenv loads environment variables
```bash
pip install google-adk composio python-dotenv
```

### 3. Set up ADK project

Set up a new Google ADK project.
What's happening:
- This creates an agent folder with a root agent file and .env file
```bash
adk create my_agent
```

### 4. Set environment variables

Save all your credentials in the .env file.
What's happening:
- GOOGLE_API_KEY authenticates with Google's Gemini models
- COMPOSIO_API_KEY authenticates with Composio
- COMPOSIO_USER_ID identifies the user for session management
```bash
GOOGLE_API_KEY=your-google-api-key
COMPOSIO_API_KEY=your-composio-api-key
COMPOSIO_USER_ID=your-user-id-or-email
```

### 5. Import modules and validate environment

What's happening:
- os reads environment variables
- Composio is the main Composio SDK client
- GoogleProvider declares that you are using Google ADK as the agent runtime
- Agent is the Google ADK LLM agent class
- McpToolset lets the ADK agent call MCP tools over HTTP
```python
import os
import warnings

from composio import Composio
from dotenv import load_dotenv
from google.adk.agents.llm_agent import Agent
from google.adk.tools.mcp_tool.mcp_session_manager import StreamableHTTPConnectionParams
from google.adk.tools.mcp_tool.mcp_toolset import McpToolset

load_dotenv()

warnings.filterwarnings("ignore", message=".*BaseAuthenticatedTool.*")

GOOGLE_API_KEY = os.getenv("GOOGLE_API_KEY")
COMPOSIO_API_KEY = os.getenv("COMPOSIO_API_KEY")
COMPOSIO_USER_ID = os.getenv("COMPOSIO_USER_ID")

if not GOOGLE_API_KEY:
    raise ValueError("GOOGLE_API_KEY is not set in the environment.")
if not COMPOSIO_API_KEY:
    raise ValueError("COMPOSIO_API_KEY is not set in the environment.")
if not COMPOSIO_USER_ID:
    raise ValueError("COMPOSIO_USER_ID is not set in the environment.")
```

### 6. Create Composio client and Tool Router session

What's happening:
- Authenticates to Composio with your API key
- Declares Google ADK as the provider
- Spins up a short-lived MCP endpoint for your user and selected toolkit
- Stores the MCP HTTP URL for the ADK MCP integration
```python
composio_client = Composio(api_key=COMPOSIO_API_KEY)

composio_session = composio_client.create(
    user_id=COMPOSIO_USER_ID,
    toolkits=["pexels"],
)

COMPOSIO_MCP_URL = composio_session.mcp.url,
print(f"Composio MCP URL: {COMPOSIO_MCP_URL}")
```

### 7. Set up the McpToolset and create the Agent

What's happening:
- Connects the ADK agent to the Composio MCP endpoint through McpToolset
- Uses Gemini as the model powering the agent
- Lists exact tool names in instruction to reduce misnamed tool calls
```python
composio_toolset = McpToolset(
    connection_params=StreamableHTTPConnectionParams(
        url=COMPOSIO_MCP_URL,
        headers={"x-api-key": COMPOSIO_API_KEY}
    )
)

root_agent = Agent(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    name="composio_agent",
    description="An agent that uses Composio tools to perform actions.",
    instruction=(
        "You are a helpful assistant connected to Composio. "
        "You have the following tools available: "
        "COMPOSIO_SEARCH_TOOLS, COMPOSIO_MULTI_EXECUTE_TOOL, "
        "COMPOSIO_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS, COMPOSIO_REMOTE_BASH_TOOL, COMPOSIO_REMOTE_WORKBENCH. "
        "Use these tools to help users with Pexels operations."
    ),
    tools=[composio_toolset],
)

print("\nAgent setup complete. You can now run this agent directly ;)")
```

### 8. Run the agent

Execute the agent from the project root. The web command opens a web portal where you can chat with the agent.
What's happening:
- adk run runs the agent in CLI mode
- adk web . opens a web UI for interactive testing
```bash
# Run in CLI mode
adk run my_agent

# Or run in web UI mode
adk web
```

## Complete Code

```python
import os
import warnings

from composio import Composio
from composio_google import GoogleProvider
from dotenv import load_dotenv
from google.adk.agents.llm_agent import Agent
from google.adk.tools.mcp_tool.mcp_session_manager import StreamableHTTPConnectionParams
from google.adk.tools.mcp_tool.mcp_toolset import McpToolset

load_dotenv()
warnings.filterwarnings("ignore", message=".*BaseAuthenticatedTool.*")

GOOGLE_API_KEY = os.getenv("GOOGLE_API_KEY")
COMPOSIO_API_KEY = os.getenv("COMPOSIO_API_KEY")
COMPOSIO_USER_ID = os.getenv("COMPOSIO_USER_ID")

if not GOOGLE_API_KEY:
    raise ValueError("GOOGLE_API_KEY is not set in the environment.")
if not COMPOSIO_API_KEY:
    raise ValueError("COMPOSIO_API_KEY is not set in the environment.")
if not COMPOSIO_USER_ID:
    raise ValueError("COMPOSIO_USER_ID is not set in the environment.")

composio_client = Composio(api_key=COMPOSIO_API_KEY, provider=GoogleProvider())

composio_session = composio_client.create(
    user_id=COMPOSIO_USER_ID,
    toolkits=["pexels"],
)

COMPOSIO_MCP_URL = composio_session.mcp.url


composio_toolset = McpToolset(
    connection_params=StreamableHTTPConnectionParams(
        url=COMPOSIO_MCP_URL,
        headers={"x-api-key": COMPOSIO_API_KEY}
    )
)

root_agent = Agent(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    name="composio_agent",
    description="An agent that uses Composio tools to perform actions.",
    instruction=(
        "You are a helpful assistant connected to Composio. "
        "You have the following tools available: "
        "COMPOSIO_SEARCH_TOOLS, COMPOSIO_MULTI_EXECUTE_TOOL, "
        "COMPOSIO_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS, COMPOSIO_REMOTE_BASH_TOOL, COMPOSIO_REMOTE_WORKBENCH. "
        "Use these tools to help users with Pexels operations."
    ),  
    tools=[composio_toolset],
)

print("\nAgent setup complete. You can now run this agent directly ;)")
```

## Conclusion

You've successfully integrated Pexels with the Google ADK through Composio's MCP Tool Router. Your agent can now interact with Pexels using natural language commands.
Key takeaways:
- The Tool Router approach dynamically routes requests to the appropriate Pexels tools
- Environment variables keep your credentials secure and separate from code
- Clear agent instructions reduce tool calling errors
- The ADK web UI provides an interactive interface for testing and development
You can extend this setup by adding more toolkits to the toolkits array in your session configuration.

## How to build Pexels MCP Agent with another framework

- [ChatGPT](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/chatgpt)
- [Antigravity](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/antigravity)
- [OpenAI Agents SDK](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/open-ai-agents-sdk)
- [Claude Agent SDK](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/claude-agents-sdk)
- [Claude Code](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/claude-code)
- [Claude Cowork](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/claude-cowork)
- [Codex](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/codex)
- [Cursor](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/cursor)
- [VS Code](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/vscode)
- [OpenCode](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/opencode)
- [OpenClaw](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/openclaw)
- [Hermes](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/hermes-agent)
- [CLI](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/cli)
- [LangChain](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/langchain)
- [Vercel AI SDK](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/ai-sdk)
- [Mastra AI](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/mastra-ai)
- [LlamaIndex](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/llama-index)
- [CrewAI](https://composio.dev/toolkits/pexels/framework/crew-ai)

## Related Toolkits

- [Figma](https://composio.dev/toolkits/figma) - Figma is a collaborative interface design tool for teams and individuals. It streamlines design workflows with real-time collaboration and easy sharing.
- [Abyssale](https://composio.dev/toolkits/abyssale) - Abyssale is a creative automation platform for generating images, videos, GIFs, PDFs, and HTML5 content programmatically. It streamlines and scales visual content production for marketing, design, and operations teams.
- [Alttext ai](https://composio.dev/toolkits/alttext_ai) - AltText.ai is a service that generates alt text for images automatically. It helps boost accessibility and SEO for your visual content.
- [Bannerbear](https://composio.dev/toolkits/bannerbear) - Bannerbear is an API-driven platform for generating images and videos automatically at scale. It helps businesses create custom graphics, social visuals, and marketing assets using powerful templates.
- [Canva](https://composio.dev/toolkits/canva) - Canva is a drag-and-drop design suite for creating professional graphics, presentations, and marketing materials. It makes it easy for anyone to design with beautiful templates and a vast library of elements.
- [Claid ai](https://composio.dev/toolkits/claid_ai) - Claid.ai delivers AI-driven image editing APIs for tasks like background removal, upscaling, and color correction. It helps automate and enhance image workflows with powerful, developer-friendly tools.
- [Cloudinary](https://composio.dev/toolkits/cloudinary) - Cloudinary is a cloud-based platform for managing, uploading, and transforming images and videos. It streamlines media workflows and delivers optimized assets globally.
- [Cults](https://composio.dev/toolkits/cults) - Cults is a digital marketplace for 3D printing models, connecting designers and makers. It lets creators share, sell, and discover a huge variety of printable designs easily.
- [DeepImage](https://composio.dev/toolkits/deepimage) - DeepImage is an AI-powered image enhancer and upscaler. Get higher-quality images with just a few clicks.
- [Dreamstudio](https://composio.dev/toolkits/dreamstudio) - DreamStudio is Stability AI’s platform for generating and editing images with AI. It lets you easily turn ideas into stunning visuals, fast.
- [Dynapictures](https://composio.dev/toolkits/dynapictures) - Dynapictures is a cloud-based platform for generating personalized images at scale. Instantly create hundreds of custom visuals using your data sources, like Google Sheets.
- [Fal.ai](https://composio.dev/toolkits/fal_ai) - Fal.ai is a generative media platform offering 600+ AI models for images, video, voice, and audio. Developers use Fal.ai for fast, scalable access to cutting-edge generative AI tools.
- [Gamma](https://composio.dev/toolkits/gamma) - Gamma is an AI-powered platform for making beautiful, interactive presentations and documents. It lets anyone create and share engaging decks with minimal effort.
- [Html to image](https://composio.dev/toolkits/html_to_image) - Html to image converts HTML and CSS into images or captures web page screenshots. Instantly generate visuals from code or web content—no manual screenshots needed.
- [Imagior](https://composio.dev/toolkits/imagior) - Imagior is an AI-powered image generation platform that lets you create and customize images using dynamic templates and APIs. Perfect for businesses and creators needing fast, scalable visuals without design hassle.
- [Imejis io](https://composio.dev/toolkits/imejis_io) - Imejis io is an API-based image generation platform with powerful customization and template support. It lets you create and modify images in seconds, no manual design work required.
- [Imgix](https://composio.dev/toolkits/imgix) - Imgix is a real-time image processing and delivery service for developers. It helps you optimize, transform, and deliver images efficiently at any scale.
- [Kraken io](https://composio.dev/toolkits/kraken_io) - Kraken.io is an image optimization and compression platform. It helps you shrink image file sizes while keeping visual quality intact.
- [Logo dev](https://composio.dev/toolkits/logo_dev) - Logo.dev is an API and database for high-resolution company logos and brand metadata. Instantly fetch official logos from any domain without scraping or manual searching.
- [Miro](https://composio.dev/toolkits/miro) - Miro is a collaborative online whiteboard platform for teams to brainstorm, design, and manage projects visually. It streamlines teamwork by enabling real-time idea sharing, diagramming, and workflow planning in a single space.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What are the differences in Tool Router MCP and Pexels MCP?

With a standalone Pexels MCP server, the agents and LLMs can only access a fixed set of Pexels tools tied to that server. However, with the Composio Tool Router, agents can dynamically load tools from Pexels and many other apps based on the task at hand, all through a single MCP endpoint.

### Can I use Tool Router MCP with Google ADK?

Yes, you can. Google ADK fully supports MCP integration. You get structured tool calling, message history handling, and model orchestration while Tool Router takes care of discovering and serving the right Pexels tools.

### Can I manage the permissions and scopes for Pexels while using Tool Router?

Yes, absolutely. You can configure which Pexels scopes and actions are allowed when connecting your account to Composio. You can also bring your own OAuth credentials or API configuration so you keep full control over what the agent can do.

### How safe is my data with Composio Tool Router?

All sensitive data such as tokens, keys, and configuration is fully encrypted at rest and in transit. Composio is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant and follows strict security practices so your Pexels data and credentials are handled as safely as possible.

---
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