- mermaid-live-mcp - From prompt to diagram in seconds
mermaid-live-mcp - From prompt to diagram in seconds
mermaid-live-mcp
MCP server for generating Mermaid diagrams with live browser preview. Renders diagrams in real-time and supports SVG/PNG export.
Install
Claude Desktop
Add to your Claude Desktop config (~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json on macOS):
{
"mcpServers": {
"mermaid": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mermaid-live-mcp"]
}
}
}
Cursor
Add to .cursor/mcp.json in your project root:
{
"mcpServers": {
"mermaid": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mermaid-live-mcp"]
}
}
}
Claude Code
claude mcp add mermaid -- npx -y mermaid-live-mcp
Windsurf
Add to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"mermaid": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mermaid-live-mcp"]
}
}
}
Tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
generate_mermaid | Generate a diagram from Mermaid syntax and open a live preview in the browser |
update_diagram | Replace a diagram's Mermaid syntax and re-render the live preview |
list_diagrams | List all diagrams generated in the current session |
export_diagram | Write a diagram's SVG to disk |
How it works
When you ask your AI assistant to create a diagram, mermaid-live-mcp will:
- Parse the Mermaid syntax
- Open a browser tab with a live preview
- Render the diagram as SVG in real-time via WebSocket
- Provide download buttons for SVG and PNG export
Updates to a diagram are pushed instantly to the browser — no page refresh needed.
Supported diagram types
All Mermaid diagram types are supported, including flowcharts, sequence diagrams, class diagrams, state diagrams, ER diagrams, Gantt charts, pie charts, git graphs, mindmaps, timelines, and more.
Development
pnpm install
pnpm build
Project structure
| Package | Description |
|---|---|
packages/mcp-server | MCP server (published as mermaid-live-mcp) |
packages/preview | Live browser preview via WebSocket |
packages/core | Diagram parsing, layout, and SVG rendering |
packages/cli | Command-line interface |
License
MIT