MCP Server

Generate diagrams with AI, save them to CanvasKeep

Connect Claude Code or any MCP client to your CanvasKeep workspace. Describe what you want in plain English and get a properly laid-out Excalidraw diagram in seconds.

Get your API key

Set up in under a minute

Four steps from zero to generating diagrams with AI.

Step 1
Create a CanvasKeep account
Sign up at canvaskeep.com with Google or email. The free tier is enough to get started.
Step 2
Generate an API key
Go to your dashboard, click your profile menu (top right), and select API Keys. Generate a new key and copy it immediately.
Step 3
Add the MCP server
Run one command in your terminal to connect CanvasKeep to Claude Code.
Step 4
Start generating diagrams
Ask Claude to draw architecture diagrams, flowcharts, or any system design. Diagrams appear in your CanvasKeep workspace.

Installation

Claude Code

One command registers the MCP server. Replace ck_your_key_here with the API key you copied from the dashboard.

claude mcp add canvaskeep \
  -e CANVASKEEP_API_KEY=ck_your_key_here \
  -- npx canvaskeep-mcp

Other MCP clients (Codex, Cursor, etc.)

Add this to your MCP configuration file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "canvaskeep": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["canvaskeep-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "CANVASKEEP_API_KEY": "ck_your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

What you can ask

Talk to Claude naturally. It figures out the nodes and edges for you.

“Draw an architecture diagram of a web app with a React frontend, Node API, PostgreSQL, and Redis cache”
“Create a flowchart for user signup with email verification”
“Diagram the AWS S3 system design with storage tiers and replication”
“Map out a CI/CD pipeline from git push to production deploy”
“Show the data flow in an e-commerce checkout process”
“Draw a microservices architecture for a food delivery app”

Available tools

The MCP server exposes these tools to AI clients.

Tool	Description
`list_workspaces`	List all your workspaces
`create_workspace`	Create a new workspace
`list_folders`	List folders in a workspace
`create_folder`	Create a new folder, optionally nested
`list_diagrams`	List diagrams in a workspace
`create_diagram`	Create a diagram, optionally inside a folder
`update_diagram`	Rename a diagram
`delete_diagram`	Permanently delete a diagram
`get_diagram_summary`	Get diagram metadata and element count
`generate_diagram`	Generate a diagram from nodes and edges with auto-layout

Frequently asked questions

What is MCP?: MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets AI tools like Claude Code interact with external services. CanvasKeep's MCP server lets AI generate Excalidraw diagrams directly in your workspace.
Do I need to pay for the MCP server?: No. The MCP server is free and open source. You only need a CanvasKeep account (free tier works) and an API key.
Which AI tools work with this?: Any MCP-compatible client works: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, and others. Claude Code has the simplest setup with a single command.
What kinds of diagrams can AI generate?: Architecture diagrams, flowcharts, system design diagrams, ERDs, network topologies, and any graph-shaped diagram with labeled boxes and arrows.

Ready to generate diagrams with AI?

Create a free account, grab an API key, and start drawing with Claude in under a minute.