Canvas Dev

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Canvas Medical API/SDK development assistance. This server provides streamlined access to Canvas Medical documentation and AI-powered development tools.

🚀 Quick Start

1. Installation

# Clone and install dependencies
git clone https://github.com/your-username/mcp-canvas.git
cd mcp-canvas
pnpm install

2. Configuration

# Copy environment template
cp packages/server/env.template packages/server/.env

# Edit with your API credentials
nano packages/server/.env
# Set CARA_CANVAS_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
# Contact [email protected] for API credentials

3. Build and Start

# Build the server
pnpm build

# Start in stdio mode (for MCP clients like Claude Desktop)
pnpm dev

# Start in HTTP mode (for web applications)
STREAMABLE_HTTP=1 pnpm dev

🔧 Configuration Options

Option 1: Use Public API (Recommended)

The server uses public API endpoints with API key authentication:

# Set environment variables in packages/server/.env (only API key needed for most users)
CARA_CANVAS_BASE_URL=https://k8zoi0cmul.execute-api.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/dev
CARA_CANVAS_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

Need API credentials? Email [email protected] to request access.

Option 2: Deploy Your Own Lambda Proxy

For production use or custom knowledge bases, deploy your own Lambda proxy:

# Navigate to lambda-proxy directory
cd lambda-proxy

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Configure your AWS credentials and Knowledge Base IDs
export API_KNOWLEDGE_BASE_ID=your_api_knowledge_base_id
export SDK_KNOWLEDGE_BASE_ID=your_sdk_knowledge_base_id

# Deploy to AWS
npm run deploy:dev

Option 3: Use Your Own API Endpoints

Configure the server to use your own API endpoints:

# In packages/server/.env
CARA_CANVAS_BASE_URL=https://your-api-endpoint.com
CARA_CANVAS_API_KEY=your_api_key

🛠️ Available Tools

The server provides 9 streamlined tools and 6 comprehensive prompts for Canvas Medical development:

📚 Documentation Search

• search_api_docs - Search Canvas Medical API documentation
• search_sdk_docs - Search Canvas Medical SDK documentation
• search_all_docs - Search all Canvas Medical documentation

🤖 AI-Powered Development

• generate_response - Generate AI responses using Canvas Medical documentation
• generate_code - Generate code examples for Canvas Medical API integration
• review_code - Review Canvas Medical integration code and provide suggestions
• smart_canvas_development - Intelligent assistant with automatic documentation search and code generation
• generate_canvas_manifest - Generate complete Canvas Medical plugin manifest files with proper structure and data access permissions
• validate_code_against_docs - Validate that code only uses documented APIs, methods, and imports from Canvas Medical documentation. Prevents hallucination of non-existent features.

🎯 Code Generation Prompts

• prompts.generate_code_from_docs - Generate complete code from Canvas Medical documentation search results
• prompts.implement_from_findings - Create complete implementation from research findings and documentation
• prompts.code_review - Review Canvas Medical integration code and provide suggestions
• prompts.api_implementation - Generate implementation guidance for Canvas Medical API features
• prompts.debug_assistance - Help debug issues with Canvas Medical API integration
• prompts.canvas_manifest_guide - Comprehensive guide for creating and understanding Canvas Medical plugin manifest files (CANVAS_MANIFEST.json)

🧠 Intelligent Auto-Triggering

The MCP server now automatically provides comprehensive responses for Canvas Medical development requests:

• Plugin Development: Auto-triggers documentation search and code generation
• API Integration: Automatically searches relevant API documentation
• SDK Development: Provides SDK-specific guidance and examples
• Physician Information: Intelligent responses for clinical workflow questions

Example: Ask "create a plugin for canvas which creates a text in a note about what physician / clinician did the note" and get:

• 📚 Relevant API and SDK documentation
• 💻 Complete Python plugin code
• 🚀 Step-by-step implementation guide
• 🛠️ Best practices and deployment instructions

🔄 Code Generation Workflow

Clear Path from Research to Implementation:

1. 🔍 Research Phase:

   • Use search_api_docs to find relevant Canvas Medical APIs
   • Use search_sdk_docs to understand Canvas Medical SDK patterns
   • Use search_all_docs for comprehensive documentation coverage

2. 📝 Code Generation Phase:

   • Use prompts.generate_code_from_docs for documentation-based code generation
   • Use prompts.implement_from_findings for complete implementation from research
   • Get production-ready code with Canvas Medical best practices

3. 🔧 Development Phase:

   • Use prompts.code_review to review and improve generated code
   • Use prompts.debug_assistance for troubleshooting
   • Use prompts.api_implementation for implementation guidance

Example Workflow:

1. search_api_docs("note creation") → Get API documentation
2. search_sdk_docs("plugin development") → Get SDK patterns  
3. prompts.generate_code_from_docs({
     request: "Create note analysis plugin",
     documentation: [API + SDK results],
     language: "Python"
   }) → Get complete implementation
4. prompts.code_review({code: generated_code}) → Review and improve

🛡️ Anti-Hallucination Measures

Production-Ready Code Generation:

The MCP server includes comprehensive anti-hallucination measures to ensure all generated code uses only documented Canvas Medical APIs:

Documentation Search with Source Verification:

• Source verification for each API and method
• Anti-hallucination warnings in all documentation results
• Clear guidelines on what can and cannot be used
• Explicit warnings about undocumented features

Code Generation with Strict Validation:

• Source verification comments in generated code
• Validation for undocumented methods and imports
• Error handling for non-existent APIs
• Strict requirements in all prompts

Code Validation Tool:

• validate_code_against_docs - Validates code against documentation
• Detects undocumented APIs and methods
• Prevents hallucination of non-existent features
• Provides specific recommendations for fixes

Example Anti-Hallucination Workflow:

User: "Create a Canvas plugin for note analysis"

MCP Server Response:
1. 🔍 search_api_docs("note analysis") → Get documented APIs with source verification
2. 🔍 search_sdk_docs("Canvas plugin development") → Get documented SDK methods
3. 📝 generate_canvas_manifest({...}) → Generate manifest with documented structure
4. 💻 prompts.generate_code_from_docs({...}) → Generate code with strict validation
5. 🔧 validate_code_against_docs({...}) → Validate generated code against documentation

Result: Complete Canvas Medical plugin with:

• ✅ Only documented APIs and methods
• ✅ Source verification for all components
• ✅ Anti-hallucination validation
• ✅ Proper error handling for undocumented features

📚 Documentation

• MCP Client Setup - Detailed MCP client configuration
• Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions
• API Credentials - How to get API access

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• pnpm

Setup

# Install dependencies
pnpm install

# Build the server
pnpm build

# Run tests
pnpm test

# Start development server
pnpm dev

🛡️ Security

• No credentials required - Uses public API endpoints
• Open source - All code is publicly available
• Environment variable configuration for customization

�� Documentation

• README.md - This file with setup and usage instructions
• MCP Client Setup - Detailed MCP client configuration
• Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions
• API Credentials - How to get API access

🔒 Security & Privacy

Public API Usage

• API key required - Contact [email protected] for credentials
• No AWS credentials required for basic usage
• No sensitive data stored in the repository
• Public endpoints available with API key authentication

Custom Deployment

• Deploy your own Lambda proxy for production use
• Keep your AWS credentials private
• Use your own API keys and endpoints

🤝 Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests if applicable
5. Submit a pull request

📄 License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

��️ MCP Client Setup

The Canvas Medical MCP server works with various MCP-compatible applications. Here's how to set it up:

Claude Desktop (Anthropic)

1. Install Claude Desktop from Anthropic's website

2. Create configuration file:

   # Create config directory
   mkdir -p ~/.config/claude-desktop
   
   # Create configuration file
   nano ~/.config/claude-desktop/claude_desktop_config.json
   

3. Add MCP server configuration:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "canvas-medical": {
         "command": "node",
         "args": ["/path/to/your/mcp-canvas/packages/server/dist/index.js"],
         "env": {
           "CARA_CANVAS_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
         }
       }
     }
   }
   

4. Restart Claude Desktop and start using Canvas Medical tools!

Cursor IDE

1. Open Cursor IDE

2. Create MCP configuration:

   # Create config directory
   mkdir -p ~/.cursor
   
   # Create configuration file
   nano ~/.cursor/mcp.json
   

3. Add MCP server configuration:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "canvas-medical": {
         "command": "node",
         "args": ["/path/to/your/mcp-canvas/packages/server/dist/index.js"],
         "env": {
           "CARA_CANVAS_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
         }
       }
     }
   }
   

4. Restart Cursor and use Canvas Medical tools in chat!

Continue.dev (VS Code Extension)

1. Install Continue extension in VS Code

2. Open Continue config (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P → "Continue: Open Config")

3. Add MCP server configuration:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "canvas-medical": {
         "command": "node",
         "args": ["/path/to/your/mcp-canvas/packages/server/dist/index.js"],
         "env": {
           "CARA_CANVAS_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
         }
       }
     }
   }
   

4. Restart VS Code and use Canvas Medical tools!

Open WebUI

1. Install Open WebUI with MCP support

2. Configure MCP server in settings:

   • Server Name: canvas-medical
   • Command: node
   • Args: ["/path/to/your/mcp-canvas/packages/server/dist/index.js"]
   • Environment Variables: CARA_CANVAS_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

3. Start using Canvas Medical tools!

LM Studio

1. Install LM Studio with MCP support

2. Configure MCP server in settings:

   • Server Path: /path/to/your/mcp-canvas/packages/server/dist/index.js
   • Environment Variables: CARA_CANVAS_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

3. Start using Canvas Medical tools!

Custom Applications

For custom applications that support MCP:

1. Start the server:

   cd packages/server
   CARA_CANVAS_API_KEY="your_api_key" pnpm dev
   

2. Connect via stdio or HTTP mode:

   # HTTP mode for web applications
   STREAMABLE_HTTP=1 CARA_CANVAS_API_KEY="your_api_key" pnpm dev
   

🔑 Getting API Credentials

Need API credentials? Email [email protected] to request access.

Note: Only the API key is required for most users. The server uses public endpoints by default.

🔧 Troubleshooting

Common Issues:

"API key is required" error:

• Make sure CARA_CANVAS_API_KEY is set in your MCP client configuration
• Verify the API key is valid by emailing [email protected]

"Cannot find module" error:

• Make sure you've built the server: pnpm build
• Check that the path to dist/index.js is correct

"Connection refused" error:

• Verify the server is running: pnpm dev
• Check that the MCP client configuration is correct

Tools not appearing:

• Restart your MCP client after configuration changes
• Verify the server is running and accessible

Testing the Server:

# Test the server directly
cd packages/server
CARA_CANVAS_API_KEY="your_api_key" pnpm dev

Getting Help:

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• API Credentials: [email protected]
• Documentation: Check the README.md for detailed examples