Markmap MCP Server MCP — Use Cases, Install & Live Demo

Why use it

Key features

Single markdown-to-mindmap tool — drop Markdown in, get a rendered tree
Interactive output: zoom, pan, expand/collapse nodes
Export to PNG / JPG / SVG from the rendered page
Auto-open in default browser (optional)
MARKMAP_DIR env var to control where outputs land

Live Demo

What it looks like in practice

markmap-mcp-server.replay ▶ ready

0/0

Install

Pick your client

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json · Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "markmap-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@jinzcdev/markmap-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MARKMAP_DIR": "/path/to/output"
      }
    }
  }
}

Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config. Restart after saving.

~/.cursor/mcp.json · .cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "markmap-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@jinzcdev/markmap-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MARKMAP_DIR": "/path/to/output"
      }
    }
  }
}

Cursor uses the same mcpServers schema as Claude Desktop. Project config wins over global.

VS Code → Cline → MCP Servers → Edit

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "markmap-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@jinzcdev/markmap-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MARKMAP_DIR": "/path/to/output"
      }
    }
  }
}

Click the MCP Servers icon in the Cline sidebar, then "Edit Configuration".

~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "markmap-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@jinzcdev/markmap-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MARKMAP_DIR": "/path/to/output"
      }
    }
  }
}

Same shape as Claude Desktop. Restart Windsurf to pick up changes.

~/.continue/config.json

{
  "mcpServers": [
    {
      "name": "markmap-mcp-server",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@jinzcdev/markmap-mcp-server"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Continue uses an array of server objects rather than a map.

~/.config/zed/settings.json

{
  "context_servers": {
    "markmap-mcp-server": {
      "command": {
        "path": "npx",
        "args": [
          "-y",
          "@jinzcdev/markmap-mcp-server"
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to context_servers. Zed hot-reloads on save.

claude mcp add markmap-mcp-server -- npx -y @jinzcdev/markmap-mcp-server

One-liner. Verify with claude mcp list. Remove with claude mcp remove.

Use Cases

Real-world ways to use Markmap MCP Server

Turn meeting notes into a mind map for quick sharing

👤 PMs, team leads running notes-heavy syncs ⏱ ~10 min beginner

When to use: After a meeting when a flat bullet list hides the shape of the discussion.

Prerequisites

Node 18+ — nvm install 18

Flow

Have the agent draft Markdown

Summarize today's planning meeting as a nested Markdown outline with top-level themes.✓ Copied

→ Outline has 3–5 top themes, nested sub-points
Render

Run markdown-to-mindmap on that outline, open in browser.✓ Copied

→ Interactive mind map opens; nodes collapse/expand
Export

Export the map to SVG and drop the file into the team doc.✓ Copied

→ SVG saved under MARKMAP_DIR

Outcome: A shareable mind map that encodes the meeting's shape, not just its words.

Pitfalls

Outline too shallow — everything becomes a top-level node — Force nesting: ask for themes → subpoints → supporting facts

Combine with: filesystem

Build a study map from a textbook chapter

👤 Students and lifelong learners ⏱ ~20 min beginner

When to use: You've read a chapter and want a single-image visual you can review before an exam.

Flow

Summarize the chapter

Summarize chapter 4 of <book> as a hierarchical Markdown outline.✓ Copied

→ Clear topic tree
Render and export

Produce a mind map and save as PNG in ~/study/.✓ Copied

→ PNG file ready for review

Outcome: A visual study aid that takes seconds to scan.

Combine with: paper-fetch-skill

Draft an informal architecture map before writing a full diagram

👤 Engineers sketching before committing to draw.io/figma ⏱ ~15 min intermediate

When to use: You want a 2-minute 'talk-track' diagram, not a polished architecture doc.

Flow

List services in Markdown

Outline the services in this repo as a nested Markdown tree grouped by domain.✓ Copied

→ Grouped outline reflects codebase structure
Render

Turn it into a mind map and export SVG.✓ Copied

→ SVG you can drop into the design doc

Outcome: A talk-track diagram in minutes; upgrade to a real architecture diagram later only if needed.

Pitfalls

Treating it as the final artifact — Use it as a thinking tool; replace with a formal diagram before publishing

Combine with: mermaid-skill

Combinations

Pair with other MCPs for X10 leverage

markmap-mcp-server + filesystem

Read a long doc, summarize to Markdown outline, render as mind map

Read ./notes/long-doc.md, produce a nested outline, then render it as a mind map.✓ Copied

markmap-mcp-server + mermaid-skill

Pick the right visual — mermaid for flows, markmap for hierarchies

Decide whether this is a flow (mermaid) or a hierarchy (markmap) and render accordingly.✓ Copied

markmap-mcp-server + paper-fetch-skill

Fetch a paper's abstract/sections, map the argument structure

Fetch the paper, extract section headings and key points, render the argument as a mind map.✓ Copied

Tools

What this MCP exposes

Tool	Inputs	When to call	Cost
markdown-to-mindmap	markdown: str, open?: bool	Convert a nested Markdown outline into an interactive mind map	0

Cost & Limits

What this costs to run

API quota: None — renders locally
Tokens per call: Small: outline size
Monetary: Free
Tip: Keep outlines to ~100 nodes for readability; larger maps are slow to pan/export.

Security

Permissions, secrets, blast radius

Credential storage: No credentials — offline rendering

Data egress: No network egress. Fonts and JS bundled locally.

If you set MARKMAP_DIR inside a git repo, the generated HTML/PNG files may end up committed; add the output dir to .gitignore.

Troubleshooting

Common errors and fixes

Browser didn't open

Set open=false and open the returned HTML path manually; confirm a default browser is registered.

Verify: open $(returned_path) on macOS

Exported PNG is blank

Wait a second for the map to fully render before exporting. Increase delay in config or run export twice.

Verify: Open the HTML in a browser and check it renders before export

Permission denied writing to MARKMAP_DIR

Point MARKMAP_DIR at a writable path in your home directory.

Verify: touch $MARKMAP_DIR/.probe && rm $MARKMAP_DIR/.probe

Alternatives

Markmap MCP Server vs others

Alternative	When to use it instead	Tradeoff
mermaid-skill	Your data is a flow or sequence, not a hierarchy	Different diagram paradigm
excalidraw-skill	You want hand-drawn sketchy visuals	No auto-layout; manual positioning
antv-chart	You need statistical charts, not mind maps	Different output class

More

Resources

📖 Read the official README on GitHub

🐙 Browse open issues

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