Autodesk Maya is a comprehensive 3D computer graphics application used for creating interactive 3D applications including video games, animated films, TV series, and visual effects. Maya provides multiple programming APIs including a Python API, C++ plugin API, MEL scripting language, USD integration, and Bifrost visual programming environment for extending and automating Maya workflows and creating custom tools and plugins.
Autodesk Maya publishes 5 APIs on the APIs.io network. Tagged areas include 3D Graphics, Animation, Game Development, Modeling, and Rendering.
Autodesk Maya’s developer surface includes developer portal, documentation, support, engineering blog, release notes, and 7 more developer resources.
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Python API for scripting and extending Maya functionality, providing access to Maya's scene graph and node architecture. Includes Python API 2.0 with a more Pythonic workflow an...
C++ API providing low-level access to Maya's core functionality for creating plugins, custom nodes, and high-performance tools. The API is organized into functional libraries in...
Maya Embedded Language (MEL) scripting interface for automating tasks and customizing Maya workflows. MEL provides direct access to Maya commands and is the foundation of Maya's...
Universal Scene Description (USD) integration for Maya, enabling exchange of 3D content between applications. Provides tools for importing, exporting, and working with USD stage...
Bifrost is Maya's visual programming environment for creating simulation and procedural effects. It provides a node-based graph editor for building complex effects including flu...
aid: autodesk-maya
name: Autodesk Maya
description: Autodesk Maya is a comprehensive 3D computer graphics application used for creating interactive 3D applications
including video games, animated films, TV series, and visual effects. Maya provides multiple programming APIs including
a Python API, C++ plugin API, MEL scripting language, USD integration, and Bifrost visual programming environment for extending
and automating Maya workflows and creating custom tools and plugins.
type: Index
deliveryModel:
model: unknown
open_source: unknown
commercial: true
callable_host: false
label: Delivery model not determined — needs a product licence on record
confidence: low
source:
- pricing
- repository-unlicensed
generated: '2026-08-28'
method: derived
accessModel:
pricing: freemium
onboarding: unknown
trial: false
try_now: false
public: false
label: Freemium
confidence: medium
source:
- plans
generated: '2026-07-22'
method: derived
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/icons/autodesk-maya.png
tags:
- 3D Graphics
- Animation
- Game Development
- Modeling
- Rendering
- Visual Effects
- VFX
- CAD
url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/autodesk-maya/refs/heads/main/apis.yml
created: '2025-01-01'
modified: '2026-04-19'
specificationVersion: '0.23'
apis:
- aid: autodesk-maya:maya-python-api
name: Maya Python API
description: Python API for scripting and extending Maya functionality, providing access to Maya's scene graph and node
architecture. Includes Python API 2.0 with a more Pythonic workflow and improved performance via maya.api.OpenMaya, as
well as Python API 1.0 via maya.OpenMaya and the maya.cmds wrapper for MEL commands.
humanURL: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2026/ENU/
baseURL: https://localhost
tags:
- Automation
- Python
- Scripting
properties:
- type: Documentation
url: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2024/ENU/?guid=Maya_SDK_MERGED_Maya_Python_API_Maya_Python_API_2_0_html
- type: APIReference
url: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2024/ENU/?guid=Maya_SDK_py_ref_index_html
- type: GettingStarted
url: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2024/ENU/?guid=Maya_SDK_MERGED_Maya_Python_API_Python_API_2_0_Quick_Start_html
- aid: autodesk-maya:maya-cpp-api
name: Maya C++ API
description: C++ API providing low-level access to Maya's core functionality for creating plugins, custom nodes, and high-performance
tools. The API is organized into functional libraries including OpenMaya, OpenMayaUI, OpenMayaAnim, OpenMayaFX, and OpenMayaRender.
humanURL: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2026/ENU/
baseURL: https://localhost
tags:
- C++
- Native
- Performance
- Plugins
properties:
- type: Documentation
url: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2024/ENU/?guid=Maya_SDK_MERGED_cpp_ref_index_html
- type: APIReference
url: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2024/ENU/?guid=Maya_SDK_cpp_ref_index_html
- type: GettingStarted
url: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2024/ENU/?guid=Maya_SDK_MERGED_Maya_SDK_Maya_SDK_html
- aid: autodesk-maya:maya-mel-commands
name: Maya Commands (MEL)
description: Maya Embedded Language (MEL) scripting interface for automating tasks and customizing Maya workflows. MEL provides
direct access to Maya commands and is the foundation of Maya's scripting capabilities.
humanURL: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2026/ENU/
baseURL: https://localhost
tags:
- Automation
- Commands
- MEL
- Scripting
properties:
- type: Documentation
url: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2024/ENU/?guid=__CommandsPython_index_html
- type: APIReference
url: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2024/ENU/?guid=__Commands_index_html
- aid: autodesk-maya:maya-usd-api
name: Maya USD API
description: Universal Scene Description (USD) integration for Maya, enabling exchange of 3D content between applications.
Provides tools for importing, exporting, and working with USD stages and layers within Maya.
humanURL: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2026/ENU/
baseURL: https://localhost
tags:
- Interchange
- Pipeline
- Scene Description
- USD
properties:
- type: Documentation
url: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2024/ENU/?guid=GUID-C7DB6AF9-653E-4B49-93D6-F9C2D0865B85
- type: GitHubRepository
url: https://github.com/Autodesk/maya-usd
- aid: autodesk-maya:maya-bifrost-api
name: Maya Bifrost API
description: Bifrost is Maya's visual programming environment for creating simulation and procedural effects. It provides
a node-based graph editor for building complex effects including fluids, particles, destruction, and procedural geometry,
with SDK support for custom node development.
humanURL: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2026/ENU/?guid=GUID-1223AA4F-1CD7-473C-87EA-C16C6B28F7FD
baseURL: https://localhost
tags:
- Bifrost
- Particles
- Procedural Effects
- Simulation
- Visual Programming
properties:
- type: Documentation
url: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2026/ENU/?guid=Bifrost_MayaPlugin_bifrost_for_maya_html
- type: GitHubRepository
url: https://github.com/Autodesk/bifrost-usd
common:
- type: IssueTracker
url: https://github.com/Autodesk/maya-usd/issues
- type: Releases
url: https://github.com/Autodesk/maya-usd/releases
- type: SecurityPolicy
url: https://github.com/Autodesk/maya-usd/blob/dev/SECURITY.md
- type: DomainSecurity
url: security/autodesk-maya-domain-security.yml
- type: Portal
url: https://www.autodesk.com/developer-network/platform-technologies/maya
- type: Documentation
url: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYADEV/2026/ENU/
- type: Support
url: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/maya-programming/bd-p/area-c-maya-programming
- type: Blog
url: https://www.autodesk.com/blogs/maya/
- type: Tutorials
url: https://tutorials.autodesk.io/
- type: ReleaseNotes
url: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2026/ENU/?guid=MAYA_RELEASENOTES_2026_RELEASE_NOTES_HTML
- type: TermsOfService
url: https://www.autodesk.com/company/legal-notices-trademarks/terms-of-service-autodesk360-web-services
- type: GitHubOrganization
url: https://github.com/autodesk-platform-services
- type: Features
data:
- name: Python API 2.0
description: Modern Pythonic API with improved performance and a cleaner interface for accessing Maya's node architecture
and scene graph via maya.api.OpenMaya.
- name: C++ Plugin SDK
description: Low-level C++ API for high-performance plugin development with access to Maya's full internal architecture
through OpenMaya functional libraries.
- name: MEL Scripting
description: Maya Embedded Language for command-line scripting, UI automation, and batch processing of Maya scenes and
assets.
- name: USD Integration
description: Universal Scene Description support for importing, exporting, and working with USD assets within Maya for
cross-application 3D content pipelines.
- name: Bifrost Visual Programming
description: Node-based visual programming environment for creating procedural effects, simulations, and custom workflows
without traditional coding.
- name: Custom Node Development
description: Create custom dependency graph nodes, deformers, and shape nodes that integrate natively into Maya's scene
graph and evaluation system.
- type: UseCases
data:
- name: VFX Pipeline Integration
description: Integrating Maya into visual effects production pipelines with custom tools, asset management systems, and
render farm automation.
- name: Game Asset Automation
description: Automating game asset creation, optimization, and export workflows for game engines like Unreal Engine and
Unity through Maya scripting.
- name: Animation Workflow Tools
description: Building custom rigging systems, animation controls, and workflow tools to accelerate character animation
production for film and TV.
- name: Procedural Content Generation
description: Using Bifrost and Python APIs to generate procedural geometry, textures, and scene content for games, visualization,
and architectural projects.
- name: DCC Pipeline Development
description: Developing studio pipeline tools that automate scene assembly, asset tracking, and data interchange between
Maya and other DCC applications.
- type: Integrations
data:
- name: Autodesk Arnold
description: Integration with Arnold renderer via the MtoA (Maya to Arnold) plugin for photorealistic rendering of Maya
scenes.
- name: Unreal Engine
description: USD-based pipeline integration with Unreal Engine for game asset export and visualization workflows.
- name: ShotGrid (Flow Production Tracking)
description: Integration with Autodesk ShotGrid for production tracking, asset management, and review workflows in film
and TV production.
- name: Houdini
description: Interoperability with SideFX Houdini via USD and Alembic for visual effects simulation and procedural content
pipelines.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
email: kin@apievangelist.com
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