OpenFlowKit MCP Server: Setup for Claude, Cursor and Other Apps

• Draws a diagram from text or Mermaid

  Generates a diagram from OpenFlow text or Mermaid and places it on the open canvas or in the open file document.

  Try: “Draw the architecture of this repository.”

  Write · create_diagram

• Regenerates a diagram you already have

  Rebuilds an existing diagram frame from new text and reports anything from your manual edits that it had to drop.

  Try: “Add a cache in front of the API in the diagram.”

  Write · update_diagram

• Reads a diagram back as text

  Returns the text behind a diagram, including the text that keeps any moves, styles or renames you made by hand.

  Try: “Show me the text for the checkout diagram.”

  Read · get_diagram

• Lists the diagrams in the document

  Returns the diagram frames on the current page.

  Try: “What diagrams are on this page?”

  Read · list_diagrams

• Gives the full diagram grammar

  Returns the reference for the OpenFlow text grammar so the assistant writes valid diagrams.

  Try: “Show me the diagram syntax.”

  Read · get_syntax

• Searches the icon library by keyword

  Looks up icons, including cloud provider icons, by name.

  Try: “Find an icon for Postgres.”

  Read · search_icons

• Suggests icons for a concept

  Returns icons that fit a described concept rather than an exact name.

  Try: “Which icons fit a message queue?”

  Read · find_icons_for

• Moves or nudges shapes

  Changes the position of the shapes you name or have selected.

  Try: “Move the selected boxes 40 pixels to the right.”

  Write · move

• Changes fill, stroke, width, dash and opacity

  Restyles shapes you name or have selected.

  Try: “Make the selected boxes red.”

  Write · style

• Deletes the selected shapes

  Removes the selection from the document. In the app each agent change is one undo step.

  Try: “Delete the selected shapes.”

  Delete · delete

• Adds a rectangle, ellipse or text

  Creates a basic shape on the canvas.

  Try: “Add a text label that says Legacy next to the database.”

  Write · add_shape

• Exports a diagram as SVG, PNG, PDF or JSON

  Produces a file of the diagram in the chosen format, saved to a path you give.

  Try: “Export the architecture page as a PNG.”

  Write · export

• Takes an image of the diagram for the model

  Returns a real image of a diagram so the assistant can check its own result.

  Try: “Look at the diagram and tell me if anything overlaps.”

  Read · screenshot

• Zooms to fit the diagram or selection

  Changes the zoom and position of the view.

  Try: “Zoom to fit everything.”

  Write · fit_view

• Reads the document, page and selection

  Returns the pages, the text behind the diagrams and what you currently selected.

  Try: “What do I have selected?”

  Read · get_document

• Lists the pages of the document

  Returns the names and IDs of the pages.

  Try: “List the pages in this document.”

  Read · list_pages

• Creates an empty document in memory

  Starts a new, empty document for file mode. Nothing is written until you save.

  Try: “Start a new document called Billing flow.”

  Write · openflow_create

• Opens a .openflow.json file

  Loads a diagram document from disk and returns an ID to use in later calls.

  Try: “Open docs/architecture.openflow.json.”

  Files · openflow_open

• Saves the document to a file

  Writes the document to a .openflow.json, .ofk or .json path inside the server's working folder, and can write an SVG beside it. Other file types are refused.

  Try: “Save this as docs/architecture.openflow.json with an SVG.”

  Write · openflow_save

• Shows whether the app is connected

  Reports whether an editor is paired and which documents the server holds. It runs locally.

  Try: “Is the OpenFlowKit app connected?”

  Read · whoami

• Shows the server version and what it offers

  Returns the version plus the tools, resources and prompts the server serves.

  Try: “What version of the server is running?”

  Read · server_info

• Checks diagram text for errors

  Parses OpenFlow text, or Mermaid, Structurizr or D2 converted first, and returns diagnostics with line and column.

  Try: “Validate this diagram text before you draw it.”

  Read · validate_openflow_dsl

• Lists the shape and arrow vocabulary

  Gives a quick reference of family names, shape words, edge arrows and wireframe controls.

  Try: “What shapes can I use?”

  Read · list_diagram_node_types

• Lists built-in starter diagrams

  Returns names, titles, categories and one-line summaries of the templates that need no AI call.

  Try: “What starter templates are there?”

  Read · list_starter_templates

• Returns the text of a starter template

  Gets the OpenFlow text for a named template.

  Try: “Load the three-tier web app template.”

  Read · get_starter_template

• Scans a folder for platform, services and languages

  Walks a directory on your disk and reports the detected cloud platform, services, structure and language mix. The description says it makes no network calls.

  Try: “Analyze this folder and tell me what cloud it targets.”

  Files · analyze_codebase

• Proposes an architecture model from your repo

  Reads compose files, Dockerfiles, Kubernetes, Terraform and package manifests and returns a proposed C4 model with evidence. It runs offline and the output needs review.

  Try: “Propose an architecture diagram for this repo.”

  Files · discover_architecture

• Compares a model with the code

  Lists parts in the repo missing from the model, parts in the model with no repo evidence, and parts that changed.

  Try: “Compare architecture.ofk with the code and tell me what drifted.”

  Files · drift_report

• Explains one element of the model

  Returns the model entry, its relations, repo evidence and the linked ADR markdown files.

  Try: “Explain the payments service in the model.”

  Files · explain_element

Watch out for

• The delete tool removes only diagram shapes

  delete removes the selected shapes from the open diagram document and nothing else. In the app each agent change is one undo step, but files that are saved over are not recoverable. Keep diagram files in git. github.com

• It writes files in the server's working folder

  openflow_save writes .openflow.json, .ofk or .json files and an optional SVG, and export writes image or document files. The assistant can overwrite a diagram file of the same name. github.com

• It reads your repository

  analyze_codebase, discover_architecture, drift_report and explain_element read files in the folder you point them at. Their descriptions say they run offline. github.com

• A local port connects the app to the server

  The bridge binds to 127.0.0.1, checks the request origin, and can require a token. Set the token if other users share your machine. github.com

Security advisories