canvas-parent-mcp

MCP server for Canvas LMS (Instructure), scoped for parent observers and student self-access. Targets https://cms.instructure.com by default but works against any Canvas instance.

Mirrors the read-only parent-portal scope of sibling infinitecampus-mcp. Users interact via the canvas_* tool prefix.

Tools

18 tools across profile, observees, courses, assignments, submissions, grades, calendar, planner, announcements, conversations, discussions, and files.

Tools that the harness will gate as write/IO operations: canvas_download_file.

Configuration

Set the base URL plus one auth mode. Username/password is recommended — most schools have disabled personal-access-token creation, and this mode auto-logs-in on first request and silently re-mints session cookies on 401, so you never have to re-bootstrap.

Username/password (recommended):

CANVAS_BASE_URL=https://cms.instructure.com
CANVAS_USERNAME=me@example.com
CANVAS_PASSWORD=your-canvas-password
CANVAS_NAME=cms                # optional, defaults to host portion of base URL

Direct Canvas accounts only — won't work with SAML/Google/Microsoft SSO or 2FA. Treat .env like a password file: do not commit it.

Advanced alternatives

If your admin still allows tokens, or your account uses SSO (so username/password won't work), pick one of these instead:

CANVAS_BASE_URL=https://cms.instructure.com
CANVAS_TOKEN=your-personal-access-token

Generate via Canvas → Account → Settings → "+ New Access Token". Most institutions have disabled this for non-admins.

CANVAS_BASE_URL=https://cms.instructure.com
CANVAS_CLIENT_ID=...
CANVAS_CLIENT_SECRET=...
CANVAS_REFRESH_TOKEN=...

If your account uses SSO (so username/password can't auth), mint OAuth credentials by reusing the Canvas mobile-app QR-login flow — see Bootstrapping OAuth via the mobile QR code below.

Precedence when multiple are set: CANVAS_TOKEN > CANVAS_USERNAME+CANVAS_PASSWORD > OAuth.

See .env.example.

Bootstrapping OAuth via the mobile QR code

If your Canvas admin has disabled personal-access-token creation (some institutions restrict tokens to "the mobile app only") AND your account uses SSO so username/password can't auth, you can mint OAuth credentials by going through the same QR-login flow that the official Canvas mobile apps use:

1. In Canvas web, open Account → QR for Mobile Login — Canvas shows a QR that's valid for 10 minutes.

2. Decode the QR with any QR reader. The result is a URL on sso.canvaslms.com like https://sso.canvaslms.com/canvas/login?domain=...&code=....

3. Run the bundled helper:

   npx canvas-parent-mcp-qr-login "<decoded-qr-url>" >> .env
   

   It hits Canvas's public mobile_verify.json endpoint to fetch the mobile client_id/client_secret, exchanges the QR's one-time code for an access+refresh token pair, and prints CANVAS_BASE_URL / CANVAS_CLIENT_ID / CANVAS_CLIENT_SECRET / CANVAS_REFRESH_TOKEN to stdout. The refresh token is sensitive — treat it like a password.

This reuses the same SSO + OAuth endpoints the official Canvas Student/Parent apps use; from Canvas's perspective the resulting session looks like a mobile-app session. Use it only against accounts you legitimately control.

Status

Unofficial — not affiliated with Instructure. AI-maintained.