Excalidraw MCP Server

Local setup required. This server has to be cloned and prepared on your machine before you register it in Claude Code.
1

Set the server up locally

Run this once to clone and prepare the server before adding it to Claude Code.

Run in terminal
git clone https://github.com/antonpk1/excalidraw-mcp-app.git
cd excalidraw-mcp-app
npm install
npm run build
2

Register it in Claude Code

After the local setup is done, run this command to point Claude Code at the built server.

Run in terminal
claude mcp add excalidraw-mcp-7503 -- node "<FULL_PATH_TO_EXCALIDRAW_MCP>/dist/index.js" --stdio

Replace <FULL_PATH_TO_EXCALIDRAW_MCP>/dist/index.js with the actual folder you prepared in step 1.

README.md

Stream hand-drawn Excalidraw diagrams with interactive fullscreen editing.

Excalidraw MCP App Server

MCP server that streams hand-drawn Excalidraw diagrams with smooth viewport camera control and interactive fullscreen editing.

Demo

Install

In claude.ai:

  1. Go to SettingsConnectorsAdd custom connector
  2. Server URL: https://excalidraw-mcp-app.vercel.app/mcp
  3. Done — start using Excalidraw in your conversations

Alternative: Local Server

Option A: Download Extension

  1. Download excalidraw-mcp-app.mcpb from Releases
  2. Double-click to install in Claude Desktop

Option B: Build from Source

git clone https://github.com/antonpk1/excalidraw-mcp-app.git
cd excalidraw-mcp-app
npm install && npm run build

Add to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "excalidraw": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/excalidraw-mcp-app/dist/index.js", "--stdio"]
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop.

Usage

Example prompts:

  • "Draw a cute cat using excalidraw"
  • "Draw an architecture diagram showing a user connecting to an API server which talks to a database"

Releasing a New Version

# 1. Make changes, commit, push
git add -A && git commit -m "..." && git push

# 2. Bump version in manifest.json and package.json

# 3. Rebuild
npm run build

# 4. Pack the .mcpb bundle
mcpb pack .

# 5. Create GitHub release with bundle attached
gh release create v0.2.0 excalidraw-mcp-app.mcpb --title "v0.2.0" --notes "What changed"

What are MCP Apps and how can I build one?

Text responses can only go so far. Sometimes users need to interact with data, not just read about it. MCP Apps is an official Model Context Protocol extension that lets servers return interactive HTML interfaces (data visualizations, forms, dashboards) that render directly in the chat.

Credits

Built with Excalidraw — a virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn like diagrams.

License

MIT

Configuration

claude_desktop_config.json
{"mcpServers": {"excalidraw": {"command": "node", "args": ["/path/to/excalidraw-mcp-app/dist/index.js", "--stdio"]}}}

Try it

Draw a cute cat using excalidraw
Draw an architecture diagram showing a user connecting to an API server which talks to a database
Create a flowchart illustrating the user authentication process
Sketch a wireframe for a simple landing page

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key features of Excalidraw MCP?

Streams hand-drawn Excalidraw diagrams directly into chat. Provides smooth viewport camera control. Supports interactive fullscreen editing. Leverages MCP Apps for rich HTML interface rendering.

What can I use Excalidraw MCP for?

Visualizing system architecture diagrams during technical discussions. Sketching UI wireframes for rapid prototyping. Creating flowcharts to explain complex logic or processes. Collaborative brainstorming using hand-drawn visual aids.

How do I install Excalidraw MCP?

Install Excalidraw MCP by running: Download excalidraw-mcp-app.mcpb from Releases and double-click to install

What MCP clients work with Excalidraw MCP?

Excalidraw MCP works with any MCP-compatible client including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, and other editors with MCP support.

Turn this server into reusable context

Keep Excalidraw MCP docs, env vars, and workflow notes in Conare so your agent carries them across sessions.

Need the old visual installer? Open Conare IDE.
Open Conare