Canvas MCP Server

{ "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema", "name": "canvas-mcp", "version": "1.0.4", "description": "MCP server for Canvas Learning Management System API", "categories": [ { "id": "student", "name": "Student Tools", "description": "Personal academic tracking using Canvas 'self' endpoints" }, { "id": "educator", "name": "Educator Tools", "description": "Course management, grading, and analytics for instructors/TAs" }, { "id": "shared", "name": "Shared Tools", "description": "Content access tools for both students and educators" }, { "id": "developer", "name": "Developer Tools", "description": "Bulk operations, code execution, and tool discovery" } ], "tools": [ { "name": "get_my_upcoming_assignments", "category": "student", "description": "Get your upcoming assignments across all courses", "parameters": [ { "name": "days", "type": "integer", "required": false, "default": 7, "description": "Number of days to look ahead" } ], "returns": "List of assignments due within timeframe, sorted by due date", "examples": [ "What assignments do I have due this week?", "Show me what's due in the next 3 days" ] }, { "name": "get_my_todo_items", "category": "student", "description": "Get your Canvas TODO list", "parameters": [], "returns": "All items requiring attention with due dates and course info", "examples": [ "Show me my Canvas TODO list", "What do I need to do?" ] }, { "name": "get_my_submission_status", "category": "student", "description": "Check your submission status across assignments", "parameters": [ { "name": "course_identifier", "type": "string | integer", "required": false, "description": "Course code or ID to filter (optional)" } ], "returns": "Submitted and missing assignments, with overdue items flagged", "examples": [ "Have I submitted everything?", "Show me my submission status for BADM 350" ] }, { "name": "get_my_course_grades", "category": "student", "description": "View your current grades across all enrolled courses", "parameters": [], "returns": "Current grade and percentage for each course", "examples": [ "What are my current grades?", "Show me how I'm doing in all my courses" ] }, { "name": "get_my_peer_reviews_todo", "category": "student", "description": "List peer reviews you need to complete", "parameters": [ { "name": "course_identifier", "type": "string | integer", "required": false, "description": "Course code or ID to filter (optional)" } ], "returns": "Incomplete peer reviews with assignment and course info", "examples": [ "What peer reviews do I need to complete?", "Show me my pending peer reviews" ] }, { "name": "list_assignments", "category": "educator", "description": "List all assignments for a course", "parameters": [ { "name": "course_identifier", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Course code or Canvas ID" } ], "returns": "List of assignments with IDs, names, due dates, points", "examples": [ "Show me all assignments in BADM 350", "List assignments for course 12345" ] }, { "name": "get_assignment_details", "category": "educator", "description": "Get detailed information about a specific assignment", "parameters": [ { "name": "course_identifier", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Course code or Canvas ID" }, { "name": "assignment_id", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Assignment ID" } ], "returns": "Full assignment details including description, due date, submission types", "examples": [ "Show me details for assignment 456 in course 123" ] }, { "name": "list_submissions", "category": "educator", "description": "View student submissions for an assignment", "parameters": [ { "name": "course_identifier", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Course code or Canvas ID" }, { "name": "assignment_id", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Assignment ID" } ], "returns": "List of submissions with student info, scores, and status", "examples": [ "Who has submitted Assignment 2?", "Show me submissions for the latest assignment" ] }, { "name": "get_assignment_analytics", "category": "educator", "description": "Get comprehensive performance analytics for an assignment", "parameters": [ { "name": "course_identifier", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Course code or Canvas ID" }, { "name": "assignment_id", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Assignment ID" } ], "returns": "Submission stats, grade distribution, completion rates", "examples": [ "Show me analytics for Assignment 3", "What's the submission rate for the final project?" ] }, { "name": "get_student_analytics", "category": "educator", "description": "Multi-dimensional student performance analysis", "parameters": [ { "name": "course_identifier", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Course code or Canvas ID" }, { "name": "student_id", "type": "string | integer", "required": false, "description": "Specific student ID (optional, all students if not provided)" } ], "returns": "Assignment completion, grade trends, risk indicators", "examples": [ "Show me student performance in BADM 350", "Analyze Student_abc123's progress" ] }, { "name": "bulk_grade_submissions", "category": "educator", "description": "Grade multiple submissions efficiently with concurrent processing", "parameters": [ { "name": "course_identifier", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Course code or Canvas ID" }, { "name": "assignment_id", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Assignment ID" }, { "name": "grades", "type": "object", "required": true, "description": "Dictionary mapping user IDs to grade info: {user_id: {rubric_assessment?, grade?, comment?}}" }, { "name": "dry_run", "type": "boolean", "required": false, "default": false, "description": "If true, analyze but don't submit grades" }, { "name": "max_concurrent", "type": "integer", "required": false, "default": 5, "description": "Maximum concurrent grading operations" }, { "name": "rate_limit_delay", "type": "number", "required": false, "default": 1.0, "description": "Delay between batches in seconds" } ], "returns": "Summary of grading: total, successful, failed, error details", "examples": [ "Grade these 10 students with their specific rubric scores" ], "notes": "Use dry_run=true first to preview. For complex grading logic, consider execute_typescript instead." }, { "name": "grade_submission_with_rubric", "category": "educator", "description": "Grade a single student submission using a rubric", "parameters": [ { "name": "course_identifier", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Course code or Canvas ID" }, { "name": "assignment_id", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Assignment ID" }, { "name": "user_id", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Student user ID" }, { "name": "rubric_assessment", "type": "object", "required": true, "description": "Rubric criterion ratings: {criterion_id: {points, comments?}}" } ], "returns": "Confirmation of grade submission", "examples": [ "Grade student 123's submission with 80 points on criterion _8027" ] }, { "name": "send_conversation", "category": "educator", "description": "Send messages to students via Canvas inbox", "parameters": [ { "name": "course_identifier", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Course code or Canvas ID" }, { "name": "recipients", "type": "array", "required": true, "description": "Array of user IDs to message" }, { "name": "subject", "type": "string", "required": true, "description": "Message subject" }, { "name": "body", "type": "string", "required": true, "description": "Message content" } ], "returns": "Confirmation of message sent", "examples": [ "Message students who haven't submitted Assignment 3" ] }, { "name": "create_announcement", "category": "educator", "description": "Post a course announcement", "parameters": [ { "name": "course_identifier", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Course code or Canvas ID" }, { "name": "title", "type": "string", "required": true, "description": "Announcement title" }, { "name": "message", "type": "string", "required": true, "description": "Announcement content" } ], "returns": "Confirmation of announcement posted", "examples": [ "Create an announcement about tomorrow's exam" ] }, { "name": "list_courses", "category": "shared", "description": "List all enrolled courses", "parameters": [], "returns": "List of courses with IDs, names, and codes", "examples": [ "Show me my courses", "What courses am I enrolled in?" ] }, { "name": "get_course_details", "category": "shared", "description": "Get detailed course information including syllabus", "parameters": [ { "name": "course_identifier", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Course code or Canvas ID" } ], "returns": "Course info, syllabus, and enrollment details", "examples": [ "Show me the syllabus for BADM 350" ] }, { "name": "list_discussion_topics", "category": "shared", "description": "View discussion forums in a course", "parameters": [ { "name": "course_identifier", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Course code or Canvas ID" }, { "name": "only_announcements", "type": "boolean", "required": false, "default": false, "description": "Filter for announcements only" } ], "returns": "List of discussion topics with IDs and titles", "examples": [ "What discussions are active in my course?" ] }, { "name": "list_discussion_entries", "category": "shared", "description": "View posts in a discussion", "parameters": [ { "name": "course_identifier", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Course code or Canvas ID" }, { "name": "topic_id", "type": "string | integer", "required": true, "description": "Discussion topic ID" } ], "returns": "List of discussion posts with authors and content", "examples": [ "Show me posts in the Week 5 discussion" ] }, { "name": "search_canvas_tools", "category": "developer", "description": "Search available Canvas code API operations by keyword", "parameters": [ { "name": "query", "type": "string", "required": false, "default": "", "description": "Search term (empty returns all tools)" }, { "name": "detail_level", "type": "string", "required": false, "default": "signatures", "description": "names | signatures | full" } ], "returns": "JSON with matching tools based on detail level", "examples": [ "Search for grading tools in the code API", "What bulk operations are available?" ] }, { "name": "execute_typescript", "category": "developer", "description": "Execute TypeScript code for bulk operations with 99.7% token savings", "parameters": [ { "name": "code", "type": "string", "required": true, "description": "TypeScript code to execute (can import from ./canvas/* modules)" }, { "name": "timeout", "type": "integer", "required": false, "default": 120, "description": "Maximum execution time in seconds" } ], "returns": "Combined stdout/stderr from execution", "examples": [ "Grade all 90 notebook submissions using bulk grading", "Send reminders to all students who haven't submitted" ], "notes": "Use search_canvas_tools first to discover available imports. Best for 30+ items." } ], "workflows": [ { "name": "student_weekly_planning", "description": "Check upcoming work and status", "steps": [ "get_my_upcoming_assignments(days=7)", "get_my_submission_status()", "get_my_peer_reviews_todo()" ] }, { "name": "educator_assignment_review", "description": "Review submissions and send reminders", "steps": [ "list_submissions(course_id, assignment_id)", "get_assignment_analytics(course_id, assignment_id)", "send_conversation(course_id, missing_students, subject, reminder)" ] }, { "name": "bulk_grading_workflow", "description": "Efficiently grade many submissions", "steps": [ "get_rubric_details(course_id, rubric_id)", "bulk_grade_submissions(course_id, assignment_id, grades, dry_run=true)", "bulk_grade_submissions(course_id, assignment_id, grades, dry_run=false)" ] }, { "name": "token_efficient_bulk_operation", "description": "Use code execution for large datasets", "steps": [ "search_canvas_tools('bulk', 'signatures')", "execute_typescript(code_with_bulkGrade)" ] } ], "constraints": { "rate_limits": { "canvas_api": "~700 requests per 10 minutes (varies by institution)", "recommendation": "Use max_concurrent=5 and rate_limit_delay=1000ms for bulk ops" }, "permissions": { "student": "Own data only via /self endpoints", "ta": "Students in assigned sections", "instructor": "All students in their courses" }, "cannot_do": [ "Create or delete courses", "Modify course settings", "Access data outside user permissions", "Bypass Canvas API rate limits" ] } }