Mindmap MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for converting Markdown content to interactive mindmaps.

Installation

pip install mindmap-mcp-server

Or using uvx:

uvx mindmap-mcp-server

Or using docker safer and easier.

Prerequisites

This package requires Node.js to be installed when using command python or uvx to run the server.

Usage

With Claude Desktop or other MCP clients

Add this server to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mindmap": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["mindmap-mcp-server", "--return-type", "html"]
    }
  }
}

or

recommended:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mindmap": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["mindmap-mcp-server", "--return-type", "filePath"]
    }
  }
}

we use --return-type to specify the return type of the mindmap content, you can choose html or filePath according to your needs.
html will return the entire HTML content of the mindmap, which you can preview in your AI client's artifact;

filePath will save the mindmap to a file and return the file path,which you can open in your browser. It can save your tokens !

Using a specific Python file in this repository:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mindmap": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["/path/to/your/mindmap_mcp_server/server.py", "--return-type", "html"]
    }
  }
}

or

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mindmap": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["/path/to/your/mindmap_mcp_server/server.py", "--return-type", "filePath"]
    }
  }
}

we use --return-type to specify the return type of the mindmap content, you can choose html or filePath according to your needs. see using `uvx` for more details.

First, you pull the image:

docker pull ychen94/mindmap-converter-mcp

Second, set the server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mindmap-converter": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": ["run", "--rm", "-i", "-v", "/path/to/output/folder:/output", "ychen94/mindmap-converter-mcp:latest"]
    }
  }
}

⚠️ Replace /path/to/output/folder with an actual path on your system where you want to save mind maps, such as /Users/username/Downloads on macOS or C:\\Users\\username\\Downloads on Windows.

Tools Provided in the docker container The server provides the following MCP tools:

1. markdown-to-mindmap-content
   Converts Markdown to an HTML mind map and returns the entire HTML content.
   You don't use the args: -v and /path/to/output/folder:/output in the command docker.
   Parameters:
   • markdown (string, required): The Markdown content to convert
   • toolbar (boolean, optional): Whether to show the toolbar (default: true)
   Best for: Simple mind maps where the HTML content size isn't a concern. And you can use artifact in your AI client to preview the mindmap.
2. markdown-to-mindmap-file
   Converts Markdown to an HTML mind map and saves it to a file in the mounted directory.
   Parameters:
   • markdown (string, required): The Markdown content to convert
   • filename (string, optional): Custom filename (default: auto-generated timestamp name)
   • toolbar (boolean, optional): Whether to show the toolbar (default: true)
   Best for: Complex mind maps or when you want to save the tokens for later use.
   you can open the html file in your browser to view the mindmap. Also you can use the iterm-mcp-server or other terminals' mcp servers to open the file in your browser without interrupting your workflow.

Troubleshooting

File Not Found
If your mind map file isn't accessible:
1 Check that you've correctly mounted a volume to the Docker container
2 Ensure the path format is correct for your operating system
3 Make sure Docker has permission to access the directory

Docker Command Not Found
1 Verify Docker is installed and in your PATH
2 Try using the absolute path to Docker

Server Not Appearing in Claude
1 Restart Claude for Desktop after configuration changes
2 Check Claude logs for connection errors
3 Verify Docker is running

Advanced Usage
Using with Other MCP Clients
This server works with any MCP-compatible client, not just Claude for Desktop. The server implements the Model Context Protocol (MCP) version 1.0 specification.

Attention

Three installation methods have been successfully tested on macOS and Linux.

For Windows users experiencing issues with npx for this MCP, consider using the Docker method. Alternatively, if you use Visual Studio Code, the "Markmap" extension offers a potentially simpler solution than navigating command-line tools.

Features

This server provides a tool for converting Markdown content to mindmaps using the markmap-cli library:

• Convert Markdown to interactive mindmap HTML
• Option to create offline-capable mindmaps
• Option to hide the toolbar
• Return either HTML content or file path

Example

In Claude, you can ask:

"give a mindmap for the following markdown code, using a mindmap tool:

# Project Planning
## Research
### Market Analysis
### Competitor Review
## Design
### Wireframes
### Mockups
## Development
### Frontend
### Backend
## Testing
### Unit Tests
### User Testing

"

if you want to save the mindmap to a file, and then open it in your browser using the iTerm MCP server:

"give a mindmap for the following markdown input_code using a mindmap tool, after that,use iterm to open the generated html file. input_code:

markdown content

"

"Think about the process of putting an elephant into a refrigerator, and provide a mind map. Open it with a terminal."

and more

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. For more details, please see the LICENSE file in this project repository

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