r1ckyIn/canvas-ed-mcp

Canvas + Ed Discussion MCP Server

An MCP server supporting both Canvas REST API and Ed Discussion API for accessing University of Sydney learning platforms.

Features

Canvas Features

• canvas_list_courses - Get Canvas course list
• canvas_get_course - Get course details
• canvas_list_announcements - Get course announcements
• canvas_list_assignments - Get assignment list

Ed Discussion Features

• ed_get_user_info - Get Ed user information (verify token)
• ed_list_courses - Get Ed course list
• ed_list_threads - Get discussion thread list
• ed_get_thread - Get thread details and replies
• ed_search_threads - Search threads

Installation

1. Install Dependencies

pip install mcp httpx pydantic

2. Configure Claude Desktop

Edit the Claude Desktop configuration file:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Add the following configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "canvas-ed-mcp": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": [
        "/your/full/path/canvas_ed_mcp.py"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CANVAS_API_TOKEN": "your_Canvas_API_Token",
        "ED_API_TOKEN": "your_Ed_API_Token"
      }
    }
  }
}

3. Restart Claude Desktop

Usage Examples

Canvas Operations

List all my Canvas courses

Get announcements for course ID 12345

View my assignment list

Ed Discussion Operations

List my Ed Discussion courses

Get the latest discussion threads for Ed course ID 12345

Search for threads about "assignment" in Ed course

Get detailed content and replies for Ed thread ID 67890

API Token Information

Canvas API Token

• Source: Canvas → Account → Settings → Approved Integrations → + New Access Token
• Valid until: March 18, 2026

Ed Discussion API Token

• Source: Ed Discussion → Settings → API
• Note: Ed API is an unofficial beta version, endpoints may change

Workflow Examples

View All Course Discussions

1. First get Ed course list: ed_list_courses
2. Note the Ed course ID of the course you're interested in
3. Get threads for that course: ed_list_threads (using course ID)
4. View specific thread details: ed_get_thread (using thread ID)

Check Assignment Due Dates

1. Get Canvas course list: canvas_list_courses
2. Get course assignments: canvas_list_assignments (using Canvas course ID)

Troubleshooting

Ed API Errors

401 Authentication Failed

• Check if Ed API token is correct
• Confirm token hasn't expired

404 Resource Not Found

• Ed course ID and Canvas course ID are different
• Use ed_list_courses to get the correct Ed course ID

Canvas API Errors

404 Resource Not Found

• Check if Canvas course ID is correct
• Confirm you have permission to access the course

Technical Notes

Ed API Endpoints

Ed Discussion API is unofficial and based on reverse engineering. Main endpoints:

• GET /api/user - Get user information and course list
• GET /api/courses/{id}/threads - Get course threads
• GET /api/threads/{id} - Get thread details

Data Format

Ed Discussion uses a special XML format to store thread content. The MCP server automatically parses this into plain text.

Project Files

canvas-ed-mcp/
├── canvas_ed_mcp.py           # Full MCP server (Canvas + Ed)
├── canvas_api_mcp.py          # Canvas-only version
├── requirements.txt           # Python dependencies
├── claude_desktop_config_full.json  # Full configuration example
└── README.md                  # This document

Security Reminder

• DO NOT commit API tokens to version control systems
• DO NOT share your tokens with others
• Tokens are equivalent to your account password

License

For educational purposes only. Ed API is an unofficial beta version, use at your own risk.