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Canvas LMS MCP Server

Canvas LMS MCP Server

by bruchris
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
TypeScript
Hybrid

List Students

list_students
Read-only

Retrieve all students enrolled in a Canvas course as user objects with id, name, email, and login_id. Fetches every page and errors on incomplete results instead of truncating.

Instructions

List every student enrolled in a course (enrollment_type=student only), returning Canvas user objects (id, name, email, login_id) without grades or enrollment details. Fetches every page (100 per request) and fails with a 'Results are incomplete' error instead of silently truncating. Use list_course_users for every role in the course (teachers, TAs, observers) or to filter users by enrollment_state, and list_course_enrollments when you need the enrollment/grade objects themselves (score, grade, enrollment workflow_state) rather than user profile fields. In pseudonymized mode every returned user's name and email are anonymized, since this endpoint carries no enrollment data for role classification to tell staff apart.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
course_idYesThe Canvas course ID

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed2 schema fields changedv1.18.15
    • addedInput schema / properties / course_id / anyOf
      Added value: +[
+  {
+    "exclusiveMinimum": 0,
+    "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+    "type": "integer"
+  },
+  {
+    "pattern": "^[1-9][0-9]{0,18}$",
+    "type": "string"
+  }
+]
    • removedInput schema / properties / course_id / type
      Removed value: -"number"
  2. Changed1 schema field changedv1.18.11
    • changedInput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
  3. First observedv1.18.0

TDQS

A4.6/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint and openWorldHint, yet the description adds substantial non-obvious behavior: full pagination at 100 per request and a hard 'Results are incomplete' error instead of silent truncation. It also discloses that pseudonymized mode anonymizes names and emails on this endpoint, a runtime trait an agent could not infer.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with purpose and return shape, then pagination/failure behavior, then alternatives, then the pseudonymization caveat — a sensible ordering with little waste. The final sentence is somewhat convoluted in its justification clause, keeping it from a 5.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

There is no output schema, but the description enumerates the returned user fields (id, name, email, login_id) and states what is absent. Combined with pagination, error, and pseudonymization disclosure, an agent has everything needed to call and interpret this tool.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100% and the single course_id parameter is fully documented in the schema, so the baseline is 3. The description's 'enrollment_type=student only' clarifies an implicit filter that is not exposed as a parameter, but adds no format or syntax detail beyond the schema.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a precise verb and resource ('List every student enrolled in a course') and immediately bounds it with 'enrollment_type=student only' plus the returned object shape. It also names what is excluded (grades, enrollment details), which lets an agent separate it from other user-listing siblings without opening a schema.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicitly routes to two alternatives with the conditions that select them: list_course_users for all roles or enrollment_state filtering, list_course_enrollments when enrollment/grade objects are needed. When-to-use, when-not-to-use, and the alternatives are all stated.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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