Canvas MCP
Server Configuration
Describes the environment variables required to run the server.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| CANVAS_TOKEN | Yes | Canvas Personal Access Token | |
| ADA_SERVICE_KEY | No | Optional shared secret for multi-tenant header-based requests | |
| CANVAS_BASE_URL | Yes | Base URL for Canvas API, e.g., https://canvas.asu.edu/api/v1 |
Instructions
Guidance the server publishes about itself, which clients place ahead of the tool catalog so the model reads it before choosing anything.
This server publishes no instructions, or was last inspected before Glama recorded them.
Capabilities
Features and capabilities supported by this server
Protocol revision2025-11-25
| Capability | Details |
|---|---|
| tools | {} |
Tools
Functions exposed to the LLM to take actions
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| whoamiA | Return the authenticated Canvas user (id, name, email). Useful for validating a PAT. |
| list_coursesB | List the authenticated student's courses. Defaults to active enrollments. Returns id, name, course_code, term, and dates. |
| get_courseB | Get a single course by id, including syllabus body if available. |
| list_modulesB | List modules for a course, with their items inlined. Use to see the structure of a course's content. |
| list_module_itemsC | List items in a specific module (files, pages, assignments, quizzes, links). |
| get_file_metadataC | Get Canvas file metadata (display_name, content-type, size, download URL). |
| get_file_textA | Download a Canvas file and return up to max_bytes of its body decoded as UTF-8 text. Best for plaintext/markdown/code/HTML; binary formats (PDF, DOCX) return raw bytes — extract text upstream. |
| list_pagesC | List wiki pages for a course. |
| get_pageA | Get a wiki page's full body (HTML) by its url slug. |
| list_assignmentsB | List assignments for a course ordered by due date. Returns due_at, points_possible, description, submission types. |
| get_assignmentC | Get full details for a single assignment, including HTML description. |
| list_my_submissionsB | List the current student's submissions for a course, including grade, score, late/missing flags, and the linked assignment. Use to detect grade drops and missing work. |
| list_announcementsC | List announcements across one or more courses. |
| list_upcomingA | List the current user's upcoming events (assignments + calendar items) across all courses. Use for deadline-aware planning. |
| get_syllabusB | Get the syllabus body (HTML) for a course. |
Prompts
Interactive templates invoked by user choice
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
No prompts | |
Resources
Contextual data attached and managed by the client
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
No resources | |
TDQS
Scored across 15 tools
Each tool targets a distinct resource (course, assignment, page, file, etc.) or operation (list vs. get), with clear boundaries. No two tools have overlapping purposes.
Most tools follow a consistent verb_noun pattern (get_*, list_*), but 'whoami' breaks the pattern. However, this is a common convention and does not cause confusion.
15 tools is well within the ideal range (3-15). Each tool serves a clear purpose for student interaction with Canvas, neither too many nor too few.
The tool set covers all essential student-facing operations: viewing courses, assignments, submissions, pages, modules, files, announcements, syllabus, and upcoming events. No obvious gaps given the read-only student role.