Overview
What is Canvas MCP Server?
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server implementation for the Canvas LMS API. It provides tools to interact with Canvas programmatically, such as listing courses with optional enrollment type filtering, and integrates with the Cursor client for AI-assisted workflows.
How to use Canvas MCP Server?
Install dependencies (npm install), set environment variables CANVAS_BASE_URL and CANVAS_ACCESS_TOKEN, build (npm run build), and start (npm start). Then configure the server in Cursor’s MCP settings using the provided JSON snippet and restart Cursor to access the tools.
Key features of Canvas MCP Server
- Lists courses from Canvas LMS with optional enrollment type filtering
- Interactive help prompt (
list-courses-help) for tool usage guidance - Built with TypeScript and the MCP SDK
- Integrates directly with the Cursor client as an MCP server
- Easy setup via environment variables and npm scripts
Use cases of Canvas MCP Server
- Quickly retrieve a list of Canvas courses in a development or AI-assisted environment
- Filter courses by enrollment type (teacher, student, ta) for targeted queries
- Integrate Canvas data into an agentic workflow using Cursor’s MCP tools panel
- Extend functionality by adding new API methods and tools through the provided SDK
FAQ from Canvas MCP Server
What prerequisites are needed to run Canvas MCP Server?
Node.js 18 or later, a Canvas LMS instance, a Canvas API access token, and the Cursor client for integration.
How do I connect Canvas MCP Server to Cursor?
Add the server configuration in Cursor’s MCP settings using the provided JSON snippet, specifying the command npm start and the correct working directory. Then restart Cursor.
What tools does Canvas MCP Server provide?
The server offers list_courses (with optional enrollment_type parameter) and list-courses-help, an interactive prompt.
How do I troubleshoot connection issues?
Check that environment variables are set correctly, verify your Canvas API token has necessary permissions, review Cursor’s MCP server logs for errors, and ensure the server path in Cursor’s configuration is correct.
Can I add new features to the server?
Yes. Add new API methods to the CanvasAPI class, register them as tools using server.tool(), and create help prompts with server.prompt(). Build and test your changes.
