Canvas API MCP

Name: Canvas API MCP
Author: JohannsenLum

by JohannsenLumversion 1.1.0i★ –iRuns on your computer

Registry nameio.github.JohannsenLum/canvas-api-mcp

Install

Overview

Description from the maker (original English)

MCP server exposing the Canvas LMS REST API (1,116 endpoints) for AI assistants

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

These three are never merged into one score: opinions, measurements and popularity are different things.

User voiceiNo reviews yetReviews open together with accounts in a later step
Our basic checksi1 of 1 passedChecked from public information; code not scanned yet
UsageiVery new↓ 52/wk · ★ –

What you can do with it

We have not written a plain-language summary for this one yet. Below are the facts we read from the registry.

Connection: Runs on your computer
Transport: stdio
Category: Other
You need to fill in: CANVAS_BASE_URL, CANVAS_TOKEN

Install

Pick the AI app you use, then copy the settings.

Before you install

Basic checks: 1 of 1 passed
Runs on your computer with your user’s permissions (files, network, apps).
You fill in yourself: CANVAS_BASE_URL, CANVAS_TOKEN, CANVAS_MAX_PAGES

Values marked secret are keys to your account. Never share them or paste them into a chat.

You need

PyPIPython’s uv installed (for the uvx command)

Which app do you use?

ClaudeClaude CodeCursorVS CodeChatGPT

Pick your app above. We remember it, so next time the button says “Install in …”.

Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config, and paste this into claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "canvas-api": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "canvas-api-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CANVAS_BASE_URL": "your-value",
        "CANVAS_TOKEN": "your-value",
        "CANVAS_MAX_PAGES": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Run this in your terminal

claude mcp add canvas-api --env CANVAS_BASE_URL=your-value --env CANVAS_TOKEN=your-value --env CANVAS_MAX_PAGES=your-value -- uvx canvas-api-mcp

Fill in the empty values before running it.

Open in Cursor

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "canvas-api": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "canvas-api-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CANVAS_BASE_URL": "your-value",
        "CANVAS_TOKEN": "your-value",
        "CANVAS_MAX_PAGES": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

Open in VS Code

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .vscode/mcp.json in your project

{
  "servers": {
    "canvas-api": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "canvas-api-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CANVAS_BASE_URL": "your-value",
        "CANVAS_TOKEN": "your-value",
        "CANVAS_MAX_PAGES": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

This one runs on your computer, and ChatGPT can only connect to servers on the internet. Pick another app.

Your choice stays on this device in a cookie; no account needed.

Values you fill in

CANVAS_BASE_URL required env
Base URL of your Canvas LMS instance, e.g. https://yourschool.instructure.com
CANVAS_TOKEN secret required env
Canvas API access token (Canvas: Account > Settings > New Access Token)
CANVAS_MAX_PAGES env
Optional cap on the number of pages fetched per paginated Canvas API call

These settings are generated from the maker’s registry entry. If the README says otherwise, follow the README.

What it can do

Runs on your computer; the tool list appears in your AI app after you install it.

Basic checksi

We check information anyone can see; we have not read the code. Checks that do not apply are left out of the count. · Checked Nov 9, 2026

✓ Pass
Maker matches the repo
The registry name was verified with the GitHub account JohannsenLum, which owns the repo
… Not checked yet
Still maintained
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
… Not checked yet
Has a licence
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
– Not applicable
Endpoint responds
This one runs on your computer; there is no internet endpoint
– Not applicable
Sign-in with OAuth
Runs on your computer and uses local settings instead
… Not checked yet
No hidden instructions in tool descriptions
Runs on your computer; we can only read tool lists from internet endpoints

Compared with others in Otheri

More stars than 0% of the other 18725 servers in this category
Published to the registry more recently than 19% of the other 18725 servers in this category
Basic checks equal to or better than 100% of the other 18725 servers in this category

Compared with every active server in this category in the registry. Stars count only when the publisher owns the repo.

Common questions

Is Canvas API MCP safe?

It passed 1 of 1 applicable basic checks. We have not read the code. Before adding a key or token, see what access the server asks for and use a key with only the permissions you need.

What keys or codes does it need?

You need to fill in: CANVAS_BASE_URL, CANVAS_TOKEN

Does it run on my computer or in the cloud?

It runs on your computer. Your AI app starts it when needed, and data does not pass through the maker’s servers (unless it calls an online service itself).

Is it still maintained?

The GitHub repo last changed –, and the latest version (1.1.0) reached the registry 3 months ago.

Which apps can use it?

Apps that support MCP, such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code. You also need Python (uv) on your computer.

What can I use instead?

In the same category: Spec Driven Development, Remote Desktop Commander, WCS Points

Alternatives

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Install

README from the maker

Open the README

Copied from the maker’s repo as written. PopNx MCP has not reviewed or endorsed it. HTML, images and scripts are removed. Links lead off this site.

canvas-api-mcp

Never miss an assignment deadline again.

Ask your AI what's due and it reads the answer straight from Canvas:

real deadlines, real submission status, no copying anything across.

An MCP server for Canvas LMS. 16 curated tools for everyday student work, plus a gateway that reaches every endpoint your Canvas instance exposes.

📖 Documentation: [mcp.johannsenlum.com/canvas-lms](https://mcp.johannsenlum.com/canvas-lms) · install guide · tool reference · skills · compliance

Personal-use software. Canvas's API Policy requires OAuth for applications used

by multiple people, and Canvas OAuth cannot be implemented safely by locally

installed software (no PKCE, and client_secret cannot be shipped in a package).

Use this with your own token on your own account. See Compliance.

What you can ask it

Real prompts, and which tool answers them.

You: What's due this week?

Claude: *(calls whats_due)*: You have 3 things due: Problem Set 4 (Thu,

CS3230), a discussion reply (Fri, IS4302), and the Milestone 2 report (Sun,

EE2211).

You: How am I doing in my databases course, and what's on the syllabus for

week 6?

Claude: *(calls my_grades, then get_syllabus, then

course_content for the week 6 module)*: You're at 87% overall. Week 6 covers

normalization and has a reading plus a lab file due Friday.

You: Summarize the PDF lecture notes for lecture 8 and pull up my submission

for the essay so I can see the feedback.

Claude: *(calls list_files + read_file for the PDF, then my_submission

for the essay)*: ...

You: Reply to the "Project teams" discussion and say I'm free after 3pm for

the group meeting.

Claude: *(calls post_discussion_reply ✏️)*: Posted to the thread.

You: Has Canvas ever given me quiz statistics broken down by question, across

the whole semester?

Claude: *(calls search_canvas_api to find the right endpoint, then

canvas_request to call it)*: ...

The last example is the point of the gateway tools: if an endpoint exists on your Canvas instance, search_canvas_api can find it and canvas_request can call it, even though only 16 tools are hand-curated.

Install

Prerequisites

Python 3.11+
A Canvas personal access token. Your institution must allow students to create them: check Canvas → Account → Settings → Approved Integrations for a "+ New access token" button. Full walkthrough with screenshots: mcp.johannsenlum.com/canvas-lms/install.

Note that the token expires. Since Instructure's October 2025 security update, accounts holding only student roles must set an expiry no more than 120 days out, and institutions often cap it lower (NUS allows 90). Write the date down: an expired token makes every tool return 401 at once, which looks like a broken install rather than a credential that simply ran out.

Running the server

canvas-api-mcp is published on PyPI. Run it with:

uvx canvas-api-mcp

Install from source (contributors / unreleased `main`). Not part of the normal install path above, only needed if you want the latest unreleased code instead of the published PyPI release:

uvx --from git+https://github.com/JohannsenLum/canvas-api-mcp canvas-api-mcp

Or run from a local clone:

git clone https://github.com/JohannsenLum/canvas-api-mcp

cd canvas-api-mcp uv sync

Quick install (one-click)

One-click deeplinks exist for Cursor, VS Code, and LM Studio only. No other client has a documented install-link format. These prefill the config below but still need CANVAS_BASE_URL and CANVAS_TOKEN filled in afterward.

All clients (manual config)

Your token stays on your machine, in your own config file. It is never transmitted anywhere except directly to your Canvas instance.

Client	Deeplink?
Claude Code	no
Claude Desktop	no
Cursor	yes, above
VS Code	yes, above
LM Studio	yes, above
Zed	no
Windsurf	no (Windsurf only resolves servers in its own registry)

Claude Code : ~/.claude.json

"mcpServers": { "canvas": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["canvas-api-mcp"], "env": { "CANVAS_BASE_URL": "https://canvas.yourschool.edu", "CANVAS_TOKEN": "your-token-here" } } } }

Claude Desktop : claude_desktop_config.json

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

No one-click install exists for Claude Desktop (it installs .mcpb bundles, not deeplinks). Copy this JSON in via Settings → Developer → Edit Config:

"mcpServers": { "canvas": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["canvas-api-mcp"], "env": { "CANVAS_BASE_URL": "https://canvas.yourschool.edu", "CANVAS_TOKEN": "your-token-here" } } } }

</details>

Cursor : ~/.cursor/mcp.json

Fallback for the button above, or if you'd rather paste it directly:

"mcpServers": { "canvas": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["canvas-api-mcp"], "env": { "CANVAS_BASE_URL": "https://canvas.yourschool.edu", "CANVAS_TOKEN": "your-token-here" } } } }

</details>

VS Code : .vscode/mcp.json

Fallback for the button above, or if you'd rather paste it directly. Note VS Code uses a servers key, not mcpServers:

"servers": { "canvas": { "type": "stdio", "command": "uvx", "args": ["canvas-api-mcp"], "env": { "CANVAS_BASE_URL": "https://canvas.yourschool.edu", "CANVAS_TOKEN": "your-token-here" } } } }

</details>

LM Studio : mcp.json (Program → Install → Edit mcp.json)

Fallback for the button above, or if you'd rather paste it directly:

"mcpServers": { "canvas": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["canvas-api-mcp"], "env": { "CANVAS_BASE_URL": "https://canvas.yourschool.edu", "CANVAS_TOKEN": "your-token-here" } } } }

</details>

Zed : settings.json

No deeplink exists for Zed. Add this under context_servers in your Zed settings:

"context_servers": { "canvas": { "source": "custom", "command": "uvx", "args": ["canvas-api-mcp"], "env": { "CANVAS_BASE_URL": "https://canvas.yourschool.edu", "CANVAS_TOKEN": "your-token-here" } } } }

</details>

Windsurf : ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

No deeplink exists for Windsurf. It only resolves servers from its own registry, so this has to be pasted in manually via Windsurf Settings → MCP Servers → Edit raw config:

"mcpServers": { "canvas": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["canvas-api-mcp"], "env": { "CANVAS_BASE_URL": "https://canvas.yourschool.edu", "CANVAS_TOKEN": "your-token-here" } } } }

</details>

Tools

Tool	What it does
`whoami`	Identity and your role in each course
`get_calendar_feed_url`	Your private calendar `.ics` link (only when you ask for it)
`my_courses`	Active courses with code, term, role
`whats_due`	Everything due, soonest first
`my_grades`	Current score per course
`list_assignments`	A course's assignments and submission state
`get_assignment`	One assignment in full, with rubric
`my_submission`	Your submission, score, and feedback
`submit_assignment` ✏️	Submit work
`course_announcements`	Recent announcements
`course_content`	Modules and their contents
`list_files`	Files in a course
`read_file`	Extract text from PDF/DOCX/PPTX/text
`get_page`	A Canvas wiki page by slug
`get_syllabus`	A course's syllabus
`read_discussion`	Topics, or one topic's replies
`post_discussion_reply` ✏️	Post to a discussion
`search_canvas_api`	Find any endpoint by keyword (gateway)
`canvas_request` ✏️	Execute any endpoint (gateway)

✏️ writes to Canvas. That's 3 write tools total: submit_assignment, post_discussion_reply, and canvas_request when called with a non-GET method (GET calls through canvas_request are read-only).

search_canvas_api + canvas_request reach all ~1,116 endpoints your instance exposes. What they may do is decided by Canvas from your token's permissions: a teacher token unlocks educator endpoints with no change to this server.

Prompts

week_ahead, study_pack, grade_check.

Resources

canvas://me, `c

Only the beginning is shown; read the rest in the repo

Canvas API MCP

Overview

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

What you can do with it

Install

Before you install

Values you fill in

What it can do

Basic checksi

Maker matches the repo

Still maintained

Has a licence

Endpoint responds

Sign-in with OAuth

No hidden instructions in tool descriptions

Compared with others in Otheri

Common questions

Alternatives

Spec Driven Development

Remote Desktop Commander

WCS Points

README from the maker

canvas-api-mcp

What you can ask it

Install

Prerequisites

Running the server

Quick install (one-click)

All clients (manual config)

Tools

Prompts

Resources