The official draw.io MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that enables LLMs to create and open diagrams in the draw.io editor.
This repository offers four approaches for integrating draw.io with AI assistants. Pick the one that fits your setup:
| MCP App Server | MCP Tool Server | Skill + CLI | Project Instructions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | Renders diagrams inline in chat | Opens diagrams in your browser | Generates .drawio files, optional PNG/SVG/PDF export |
Claude generates draw.io URLs via Python |
| Diagram output | Interactive viewer embedded in conversation | draw.io editor in a new tab | .drawio or .drawio.png / .svg / .pdf |
Clickable link to draw.io |
| Requires installation | No (hosted at mcp.draw.io) |
Yes (npm package) | Copy skill file + draw.io Desktop | No — just paste instructions |
| Supports XML, CSV, Mermaid | XML only | ✅ All three | XML only (native format) | ✅ All three |
| Editable in draw.io | Via "Open in draw.io" button | ✅ Directly | ✅ Directly | Via link |
| Works with | Claude.ai, VS Code, any MCP Apps host | Claude Desktop, any MCP client | Claude Code | Claude.ai (with Projects) |
| Best for | Inline previews in chat | Local desktop workflows | Local development workflows | Quick setup, no install needed |
The MCP App server renders draw.io diagrams inline in AI chat interfaces using the MCP Apps protocol. Instead of opening a browser tab, diagrams appear directly in the conversation as interactive iframes.
The official hosted endpoint is available at:
https://mcp.draw.io/mcp
Add this URL as a remote MCP server in Claude.ai or any MCP Apps-compatible host — no installation required.
You can also run the server locally via Node.js or deploy your own instance to Cloudflare Workers.
Note: Inline diagram rendering requires an MCP host that supports the MCP Apps extension. In hosts without MCP Apps support, the tool still works but returns the XML as text.
The original MCP server that opens diagrams directly in the draw.io editor. Supports XML, CSV, and Mermaid.js formats with lightbox and dark mode options. Published as @drawio/mcp on npm.
Quick start: npx @drawio/mcp
A Claude Code skill that generates native .drawio files, with optional export to PNG, SVG, or PDF (with embedded XML so the exported file remains editable in draw.io). No MCP setup required — just copy a skill file.
By default, the skill writes a .drawio file and opens it in draw.io. Mention a format in your request (/drawio png ...) to export using the draw.io desktop CLI with --embed-diagram.
An alternative approach that works without installing anything. Add instructions to a Claude Project that teach Claude to generate draw.io URLs using Python code execution. No MCP server, no desktop app — just paste and go.
# MCP App Server
cd mcp-app-server
npm install
npm start
# MCP Tool Server
cd mcp-tool-server
npm install
npm start- draw.io - Free online diagram editor
- draw.io Desktop - Desktop application
- @drawio/mcp on npm - This package on npm
- drawio-mcp on GitHub - Source code repository
- Mermaid.js Documentation
- MCP Specification
- MCP Apps Extension
