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# Marp MCP Server

![NPM Downloads](https://img.shields.io/npm/dt/%40masaki39%2Fmarp-mcp)

> [!TIP]
> This package includes a [Claude Code Skill](./skills/marp/SKILL.md). After installing, Claude Code can create Marp presentations via the `/marp` command using the built-in CLI — no MCP server configuration required!
>
> **Auto-updating plugin install:**
> ```
> /plugin marketplace add masaki39/marp-mcp
> /plugin install marp@marp-mcp
> ```

An MCP server for creating and editing Marp presentations with AI assistance.
This MCP server allows LLMs to edit Markdown files according to a specified layout, supporting the built-in Marp themes (default, Gaia, Uncover) and a rich set of academic and professional presentation styles.

## ⚙️ Setup

### Claude Code

**Option 1 — CLI, user scope** (recommended):

```bash
claude mcp add marp-mcp -- npx -y @masaki39/marp-mcp@latest
```

**Option 2 — CLI, project scope** (shareable with team via `.mcp.json`):

```bash
claude mcp add --scope project marp-mcp -- npx -y @masaki39/marp-mcp@latest
```

**Option 3 — Manual config** (`~/.claude/settings.json` or `.mcp.json`):

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "marp-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@masaki39/marp-mcp@latest"]
    }
  }
}
```

### Other MCP clients

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "marp-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@masaki39/marp-mcp@latest"]
    }
  }
}
```

### Setting server default theme/style

Use `-t` / `--theme` and `-s` / `--style` args to set the server-wide default. Choose from themes: `default`, `gaia`, `uncover`. Styles: `default`, `rich`, `minimal`, `dark`, `corporate`, `academic`, `tech`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "marp-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@masaki39/marp-mcp@latest", "-t", "default", "-s", "rich"]
    }
  }
}
```

Omitting these flags defaults to `default` theme and `default` style.

### External styles via marp-cli config

If a marp-cli configuration file (`.marprc.{yml,yaml,json,js,cjs,mjs}`, `marp.config.{js,cjs,mjs}`, or a `marp` field in `package.json`) is found anywhere up the directory tree at server start, every CSS file listed under its `themeSet` field is registered as an MCP style. The style name is read from the file's `/* @theme NAME */` directive (lowercased). External entries reuse the active theme's layouts, so all existing tools work unchanged.

```yaml
# .marprc.yml
themeSet:
  - ./themes/sample.css
```

```css
/* themes/sample.css */
/* @theme sample */
section { background: #fff; }
```

`sample` is then a valid value for `-s` and shows up in `list_themes_and_styles` with `"external": true` and the absolute CSS path under `source`. Built-in style names are protected; any external collision is logged and skipped.

## 🛠️ Tools

| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `list_themes_and_styles` | List all available themes and styles; shows current server defaults |
| `list_layouts` | List available slide layouts for a theme/style combination |
| `create_presentation` | Create a new presentation with frontmatter and title slide in one step |
| `manage_slide` | Insert, replace, delete, or move slides using slide IDs (ID-based operations) |
| `batch_manage_slides` | Apply multiple slide operations in one call (single file read/write) |
| `set_frontmatter` | Ensure `marp`, `theme`, `header`, and `paginate` frontmatter fields are present |
| `read_slide` | Read slide content by ID or list all slides with their IDs and positions |
| `generate_slide_ids` | Generate stable UUIDs for every slide (safe to re-run) |
| `export_slide` | Export to HTML, PDF, or PPTX using marp-cli |
| `generate_agenda` | Auto-generate an agenda slide; adds numbered icons to section slides for view-transition morphing (HTML only) |
| `add_image_transition` | Insert a full-screen background image slide before a target slide and tag images for view-transition morphing (HTML only) |

### Per-call theme/style override

`list_layouts`, `manage_slide`, and `set_frontmatter` accept optional `theme` and `style` parameters to override the server default for a single call. This lets one server instance handle all theme/style combinations without restarting:

```json
{ "theme": "gaia", "style": "rich" }
```

Omit either parameter to fall back to the server default.

## 🎨 Example

Rendered samples (GitHub Pages):

- [Default theme](https://masaki39.github.io/marp-mcp/example-default-theme.html)
- [Gaia theme](https://masaki39.github.io/marp-mcp/example-gaia-theme.html)
- [Uncover theme](https://masaki39.github.io/marp-mcp/example-uncover-theme.html)
- [Default theme, rich style](https://masaki39.github.io/marp-mcp/example-default-rich-style.html)
- [Default theme, minimal style](https://masaki39.github.io/marp-mcp/example-default-minimal-style.html)
- [Default theme, dark style](https://masaki39.github.io/marp-mcp/example-default-dark-style.html)
- [Default theme, corporate style](https://masaki39.github.io/marp-mcp/example-default-corporate-style.html)
- [Default theme, academic style](https://masaki39.github.io/marp-mcp/example-default-academic-style.html)
- [Default theme, tech style](https://masaki39.github.io/marp-mcp/example-default-tech-style.html)

## 📐 Available Layouts

### Default theme

<details>
<summary>Show layouts</summary>

| Layout | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `title` | Title slide with heading and content |
| `section` | Section break slide with centered title and subtitle |
| `list` | List slide with bullet points (max 8 items) |
| `table` | Table slide with description (max 7 rows) |
| `image-right` | Slide with image on right and content list (allows more explanation than image-center) |
| `image-center` | Slide with centered image (fixed h:350) |
| `content` | Standard content slide with heading and free-form markdown body (supports bullets with -, bold with **, code with backticks) |

</details>

### Styles

#### `rich` — Rich visual style with cards, timelines, grids, gradients, and more

<details>
<summary>Show layouts</summary>

| Layout | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `title` | Hero title slide with dark gradient background |
| `section` | Section divider slide with gradient background |
| `list` | List slide with bullet points |
| `table` | Rich table slide with styled header and zebra stripes |
| `image-right` | Rich image-right slide with content on left and image on right (60:40 split) |
| `image-center` | Rich centered image slide with rounded corners and shadow |
| `image-split` | Image on the left with content list on the right (40:60 split) |
| `timeline` | Vertical timeline with labeled events (use 'Label: Description' format) |
| `card-grid` | Grid of cards with icon, title, and description (use 'Icon|Title|Description' format) |
| `statistics` | Statistics display with large numbers and labels (use 'Number|Label' format) |
| `highlight-box` | Centered gradient message box for key takeaways or announcements |
| `two-column-panel` | Two-column layout with styled panels, optional accent highlight on one panel |
| `three-column-panel` | Three-column layout with styled panels (use 'Title|Content' format) |
| `image-comparison` | Two images side by side with labels for comparison |
| `content` | Free-form markdown content slide |
| `quote` | Quote slide with attribution |
| `process` | Horizontal process flow with numbered steps and arrows |
| `two-column` | Simple two-column layout with headings and lists |
| `big-statement` | Large impactful statement slide with bold centered text |
| `sidebar` | Main content with sidebar for supplementary info, definitions, or references |
| `progress-bar` | Horizontal progress bars for metrics visualization (use 'Label|Value|MaxValue' format) |
| `chart-bar` | Pure CSS horizontal bar chart for data visualization (use 'Label|Value' format) |
| `timeline-horizontal` | Horizontal timeline with labeled events (use 'Label: Description' format) |
| `pull-quote` | Decorative impact quote with large quotation marks, centered layout |
| `bento-grid` | Bento Box modular grid for mixed content (use 'Size|Title|Content' format, Size: small/medium/large) |

</details>

#### `minimal` — Clean, flat design with typography focus and minimal decoration

<details>
<summary>Show layouts</summary>

| Layout | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `title` | Clean black title slide with white text |
| `section` | Simple black section divider slide |
| `content` | Pure markdown content slide |
| `list` | Simple bullet list slide |
| `table` | Minimal table with black header and clean borders |
| `image-right` | Text on left, image on right (60:40 split), clean design |
| `image-center` | Centered image slide, clean and minimal |
| `quote` | Quote slide with left border accent, no extra decoration |
| `two-column` | Two-column layout with a thin divider line |
| `big-statement` | Large impactful statement slide with bold centered text |
| `statistics` | Minimal statistics display with black numbers and thin underline (use 'Number|Label' format) |
| `highlight-box` | Minimal message box for key takeaways |
| `pull-quote` | Minimal decorative impact quote with large quotation marks |
| `agenda` | Clean agenda slide with numbered items and optional time durations (use 'Item name|Duration' format) |
| `comparison` | Side-by-side comparison with explicit left/right titles and list items, separated by a thin divider |

</details>

#### `dark` — Dark mode style with indigo and emerald accents, developer-friendly

<details>
<summary>Show layouts</summary>

| Layout | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `title` | Dark title slide with indigo-violet gradient |
| `section` | Dark section divider with slate-to-indigo gradient |
| `content` | Free-form markdown content slide on dark background |
| `list` | Bullet list slide on dark background |
| `table` | Dark table with indigo header |
| `card-grid` | Dark card grid with icon, title, and description (use 'Icon|Title|Description' format) |
| `timeline` | Dark vertical timeline with indigo-to-emerald gradient line (use 'Label: Description' format) |
| `statistics` | Dark statistics display with large indigo numbers (use 'Number|Label' format) |
| `image-right` | Text on left, image on right on dark background (60:40 split) |
| `terminal` | Terminal-style command display on dark background (prefix lines with '$ ' for commands) |
| `quote` | Dark quote slide with attribution |
| `image-center` | Dark centered image slide |
| `process` | Dark horizontal process flow with numbered steps and arrows |
| `two-column` | Dark two-column layout with panels |
| `big-statement` | Dark large impactful statement slide with bold centered text |
| `highlight-box` | Dark gradient message box for key takeaways or announcements |
| `progress-bar` | Dark horizontal progress bars for metrics visualization (use 'Label|Value|MaxValue' format) |
| `chart-bar` | Dark CSS horizontal bar chart for data visualization (use 'Label|Value' format) |
| `timeline-horizontal` | Dark horizontal timeline with labeled events (use 'Label: Description' format) |
| `code-comparison` | Side-by-side code comparison (Before/After or two languages) |
| `code-showcase` | Code block with language badge, optional explanation text, and optional highlight bullet points |

</details>

#### `corporate` — Professional business style with navy color scheme, structured layouts

<details>
<summary>Show layouts</summary>

| Layout | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `title` | Professional navy gradient title slide |
| `section` | Corporate navy-to-sky section divider slide |
| `content` | Standard business content slide with markdown |
| `list` | Business bullet list slide |
| `table` | Business table with navy header and clean rows |
| `two-column` | Two-column comparison layout with navy-accented panels |
| `three-column` | Three-column layout with sky-accented panels |
| `statistics` | Business metrics display with large navy numbers (use 'Number|Label' format) |
| `process` | Horizontal business process flow with numbered steps |
| `agenda` | Agenda slide with numbered items and optional duration (use 'Item name|Duration' format) |
| `image-right` | Text on left, image on right, professional business style (60:40 split) |
| `highlight-box` | Navy key message box for important announcements or takeaways |
| `quote` | Corporate quote slide with attribution |
| `image-center` | Corporate centered image slide |
| `big-statement` | Corporate large impactful statement slide with bold centered text |
| `sidebar` | Main content with sidebar for supplementary info or references |
| `progress-bar` | Corporate horizontal progress bars for metrics visualization (use 'Label|Value|MaxValue' format) |
| `chart-bar` | Corporate CSS horizontal bar chart for data visualization (use 'Label|Value' format) |
| `pull-quote` | Corporate decorative impact quote with large quotation marks |
| `quadrant` | 2x2 matrix for SWOT, risk analysis, or priority grids |

</details>

#### `academic` — Academic conference presentation style with maroon color scheme, structured for scholarly talks

<details>
<summary>Show layouts</summary>

| Layout | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `title` | Academic title slide with author, affiliation, and date |
| `section` | Maroon section divider with optional number |
| `content` | Free-form markdown content slide. Add sidebarTitle/sidebarItems to show a sidebar panel on the right side. |
| `list` | Bullet point list with optional citations |
| `table` | Table with maroon header. Write the table in standard markdown format. |
| `two-column` | Two-column panel layout. Use panelStyle='comparison' to highlight right panel (maroon) vs left panel (gray) for conventional vs proposed comparisons. |
| `image-right` | Content on left, image on right (60:40 split) |
| `image-center` | Centered image slide. Set figNumber to switch to figure-caption mode (renders 'Fig. X.' label with optional source attribution). |
| `key-message` | Conclusion or key takeaway box with maroon highlight |
| `methodology` | Method step flow diagram (use 'Label|Description' format for steps) |
| `statistics` | Academic statistics display with maroon numbers (use 'Number|Label' format) |

</details>

#### `tech` — Modern tech/startup style with violet-cyan gradient accents, strong typography for product demos and engineering talks

<details>
<summary>Show layouts</summary>

| Layout | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `title` | Gradient title slide with optional tagline and event/company name |
| `section` | Dark full-bleed section divider with cyan eyebrow label and bold heading |
| `content` | Standard content slide with heading and free-form markdown body, accented with a violet left border |
| `list` | Bullet list slide with violet arrow markers and thin dividers between items |
| `two-column` | Two-panel layout with violet top borders, ideal for comparing options or features |
| `statistics` | Large gradient metric numbers with optional trend indicators. Use 'Value|Label|Trend' format (trend is optional). |
| `quote` | Stylized pull quote with violet left border, large quote mark, and attribution |
| `highlight-box` | Alert/callout box with color-coded variants: 'info' (cyan), 'warning' (amber), 'success' (green) |
| `feature-grid` | Grid of feature cards, each with an icon, title, and description. Use 'Icon|Title|Description' format. |
| `roadmap` | Horizontal milestone timeline with status indicators. Use 'Phase|Label|Status' format. Status: 'done', 'current', or 'future'. |

</details>

## 💡 Tips

### Adjusting font size

Add an inline style to any slide to override the font size for the whole presentation:

```html
<style>section { font-size: 1em; }</style>
```

The `academic` style sets `font-size: 0.95em` by default.

### Image morphing transitions (HTML only)

Use `generate_agenda` and `add_image_transition` to enable CSS View Transition morphing effects:

- `generate_agenda` — scans section slides, inserts an agenda with numbered icons, and adds matching icons to each section slide so the icon morphs between agenda and section views.
- `add_image_transition` — inserts a full-screen background slide before an image slide and tags both with matching `view-transition-name` so the image appears to zoom in as you advance.

Both require HTML export (`export_slide` with `format: "html"`) to render transitions.

## 🔧 Development

### Working with Examples

Generate markdown examples:
```bash
pnpm run examples:generate
```

Generate HTML files locally:
```bash
pnpm run examples:html
```

Preview examples with live reload (recommended for testing):
```bash
pnpm run examples:server
# Open http://localhost:8080 in your browser
```

**Note**: HTML files are automatically generated and deployed to GitHub Pages by CI/CD. They are not committed to git.

## 📄 License

MIT License

## 🔗 Links

- [GitHub](https://github.com/masaki39/marp-mcp)
- [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@masaki39/marp-mcp)
- [Marp](https://marp.app/)
- [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io)

TDQS

B3.3/5.0

Scored across 3 tools

Disambiguation5/5

Each tool has a clearly distinct purpose: generate_slide creates individual slide content, init_presentation sets up a new project structure, and list_slide_layouts provides information about available layouts. There is no overlap or ambiguity between these three functions.

Naming Consistency5/5

All tools follow a consistent verb_noun naming pattern (generate_slide, init_presentation, list_slide_layouts) with clear, descriptive names that indicate their specific actions. The naming convention is uniform throughout the set.

Tool Count3/5

With only 3 tools, this server feels somewhat thin for a presentation creation domain. While the tools cover core functions, additional operations like editing slides, managing themes, or exporting presentations would enhance completeness. The count is borderline but reasonable for a minimal implementation.

Completeness3/5

The tools cover initialization, layout listing, and slide generation, which are foundational for a presentation workflow. However, there are notable gaps: no tools for updating or deleting slides, managing presentation metadata, or exporting to formats like PDF or HTML. This limits the agent's ability to handle full presentation lifecycles.

Maintenance

ActivityInactive
ResponsivenessNo issues