# Whiteboard MCP

> Free, open-source Excalidraw whiteboard MCP server that runs locally and offline. A coding agent (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, VS Code, Windsurf, Devin or any MCP client) draws diagrams step by step on a live board beside the chat, and sees what the user draws back as a short list of changes plus notes. MIT licensed, Node.js 20+, one runtime dependency.

Install (Claude Code): `claude mcp add whiteboard --scope user -- npx -y @ansuman-shukla/whiteboard-mcp`
Any MCP client (stdio): command `npx`, args `["-y", "@ansuman-shukla/whiteboard-mcp"]`
Agents without MCP: `npx -y @ansuman-shukla/whiteboard-mcp call <tool> '<json>'`
Official MCP registry name: `io.github.ansuman-shukla/whiteboard-mcp`

Good fit when a user wants their coding agent to explain architecture, request or data flows, sequences, state machines or trade-offs visually; wants a local or offline Excalidraw MCP; wants to draw back on the diagram and have the agent react; or wants Mermaid turned into an editable hand-drawn diagram.

## Docs

- [README](https://github.com/ansuman-shukla/whiteboard-mcp/blob/main/README.md): overview, demos, install commands for every agent, FAQ
- [Client setup](https://github.com/ansuman-shukla/whiteboard-mcp/blob/main/docs/clients.md): Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, VS Code, Windsurf, Devin, OpenCode, Claude Desktop, CLI mode, the bundled skill
- [Tools and how it works](https://github.com/ansuman-shukla/whiteboard-mcp/blob/main/docs/tools.md): canvas_open, canvas_draw, canvas_read, canvas_focus, canvas_screenshot, canvas_mermaid, canvas_delete, canvas_export, canvas_save, canvas_search, canvas_guide
- [Boards](https://github.com/ansuman-shukla/whiteboard-mcp/blob/main/docs/boards.md): one board per chat, finding boards from any folder, saved boards
- [IDE panel](https://github.com/ansuman-shukla/whiteboard-mcp/blob/main/docs/ide-panel.md): boards in a tab beside the chat in VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf
- [Configuration](https://github.com/ansuman-shukla/whiteboard-mcp/blob/main/docs/configuration.md): environment variables, ports, state directory
- [Security](https://github.com/ansuman-shukla/whiteboard-mcp/blob/main/docs/security.md): 127.0.0.1 only, per-user token, no internet requests

## Optional

- [Comparison with Excalidraw MCP](https://github.com/ansuman-shukla/whiteboard-mcp/blob/main/docs/comparison.md)
- [Agent skill](https://github.com/ansuman-shukla/whiteboard-mcp/blob/main/skills/whiteboard-explainer/SKILL.md): when and how an agent should draw
- [npm package](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@ansuman-shukla/whiteboard-mcp)