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MCP Canvas Feature: Visual MCP Management

The MCP Canvas interface in ELITEA serves as an integrated MCP management system accessible directly from the chat interface. This feature enables you to create, configure, and manage Model Context Protocol connections without leaving your conversation context.

Integrated Chat Experience

Access MCP management directly from the PARTICIPANTS section in chat, maintaining conversation context while configuring integrations.

Real-time Validation

Configuration fields are validated in real-time, ensuring correct setup before the MCP is created.

Instant Integration

Created MCPs are immediately available for use in the current conversation and appear in the PARTICIPANTS panel.

Dynamic Tool Discovery

MCP tools are automatically discovered from connected MCP servers via the Elitea MCP Client..

Two Connection Types

Connect to Local MCP servers discovered from your running Elitea MCP Client, or configure a Remote MCP connection to any HTTP-based MCP server.
Before creating MCPs from canvas, ensure the Elitea MCP Client is installed and running with at least one MCP server configured. See the MCP Client integration guide for setup instructions.

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Creating MCPs via Canvas Interface

1

Access the MCP Creation Canvas

  1. Navigate to the Chat page (main sidebar menu).
  2. In the PARTICIPANTS section, locate the MCPs accordion.
  3. Click the +Add MCP icon in the MCPs accordion header.
  4. Click + Create new MCP from the dropdown.
The MCP Editor slides open, displaying the “Choose the MCP type” selector.Canvas MCP Access
2

Select an MCP Type

The type selector displays all available MCP types grouped into two categories:To find an MCP type:
  • Browse by category — Scroll through the Local and Remote groups and click an MCP type.
  • Search — Type in the “Search MCPs” field to filter by name. Results update in real-time.
Local MCP types are MCP servers that you have configured and connected via the Elitea MCP Client running on your machine. Any MCP server connected through the client (e.g., Playwright, GitHub, Figma, or other stdio/http-based MCP servers) automatically appears here.Canvas MCP Type Selection
If no Local MCP types appear, ensure the Elitea MCP Client is running and has connected MCP servers. The UI automatically discovers available MCP servers via real-time updates.
Clicking an MCP type immediately loads its configuration form.
3

Configure the MCP

After selecting the MCP type, the Create MCP canvas interface slides in with the available configuration fields.
Local MCP configuration is minimal — the server’s tools and schema are automatically discovered from your connected Elitea MCP Client. Fill in the following fields:
FieldRequiredDescription
MCP NameYesA clear, descriptive name for this MCP instance
DescriptionNoBrief description of the MCP’s purpose and usage
TOOLSNoSelect which tools to enable — all discovered tools are selected by default
Make Tools Available by MCPNoEnable this option to make the selected tools accessible through external MCP clients
The available tools in the TOOLS section are automatically populated from the connected MCP server. No additional connection configuration is required for Local MCPs.
Canvas Local MCP Configuration
4

Create the MCP

Once you have completed configuring your MCP:
  1. Click the Create button to save the configuration.
  2. Click the × button to close the canvas interface.
Your newly created MCP will appear in the PARTICIPANTS section under MCPs and becomes immediately available for use in conversations.Canvas MCP Created

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Editing MCPs via Canvas Interface

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Accessing MCP Edit Mode

  1. Navigate to the Chat page where the MCP is listed as a participant.
  2. In the PARTICIPANTS section, locate the MCPs group.
  3. Hover over the MCP you want to edit to reveal the action icons.
  4. Click the pencil Edit MCP icon.
Canvas MCP Edit The MCP Editor opens with all current settings pre-populated.

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Modifying MCP Configuration

Once in edit mode you can modify any of the following:

Description

Update the MCP’s description. Note that the MCP name cannot be changed via the canvas interface.

Configuration Fields

Update type-specific parameters such as server URL, authentication headers, timeout, and caching settings.

Selected Tools

Toggle individual tools on or off in the TOOLS section to control which capabilities are exposed to the AI.

Connection Status (Remote MCP)

For Remote MCPs that use OAuth, a Log In / Log Out button appears in the PARTICIPANTS panel. Click Log In to complete the OAuth authorization flow, or Log Out to revoke the active session.
After making changes, click Save to apply them. On success: “The toolkit has been updated successfully.” The Save button is disabled if no changes have been made. Click Discard to revert the form to the last saved state.
If an MCP loses its connection, the participant item in the PARTICIPANTS panel displays a disconnection warning:
  • Local MCP — Displays: “The <server-name> mcp server is disconnected. Reconnect it to use.” No Log in button is shown. To resolve, ensure the Elitea MCP Client is running and the MCP server is active.
  • Remote MCP — Displays: “Server is disconnected! Reconnect it to use.” with a Log in link. Click Log in to re-authenticate and restore the connection.
The MCP cannot be used in the conversation until the connection is restored.Disconnected MCP Warning

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Troubleshooting

Problem: The Create button is greyed out and cannot be clicked.The Create button is enabled only when all of the following conditions are met:
  • An MCP type has been selected from the type selector.
  • At least one field in the form has been filled in (the form has changes).
  • The MCP is not currently being saved.
Ensure you have selected an MCP type first, then begin filling in the configuration fields.
Problem: A toast message appears — “Please fill in all required fields before creating the toolkit.”
  • Review all fields marked with an asterisk * and ensure they are completed.
  • Inline red borders and error text below individual fields indicate exactly which fields need attention.
  • Check that the MCP Name field is filled in — it is required for all MCP types.
  • For Remote MCP, verify that the URL field is filled in and uses http:// or https://.
Problem: The Save button is greyed out when editing an existing MCP.
  • The Save button is only enabled when the form has unsaved changes. If you have not yet modified any field, the button remains disabled.
  • Make at least one change to any field (e.g., update the description or toggle a tool) before attempting to save.
Problem: The Local category in the type selector is empty.
  • Local MCP types are discovered from your Elitea MCP Client. If none appear, ensure the MCP Client is installed, running, and has at least one MCP server connected.
  • Verify the MCP Client is active and connected to the ELITEA platform — the UI discovers available servers via real-time updates.
  • See the MCP Client integration guide for setup instructions.
  • You can still use Remote MCP to connect directly to any HTTP-based MCP server without the client.
Problem: The pencil edit icon is not visible or clicking it does nothing.
  • Hover directly over the MCP row in the PARTICIPANTS panel — the action icons appear only on hover.
  • If the MCP belongs to a public project, the form fields will be read-only and editing is not permitted.
  • Verify you have the Edit permission for this project. Users without edit permissions cannot modify MCPs.
Problem: The MCP was created successfully but is not visible in the PARTICIPANTS panel.
  • After creation, the MCP is added to the available MCPs list but is not automatically set as an active participant. Locate it in the +Add MCP dropdown and select it to add it to the current conversation.
  • Verify the MCP was created in the correct project — check that you are viewing the right project in the sidebar.
  • If you still cannot find it, refresh the page and check again.
Problem: A Remote MCP participant displays “Server is disconnected! Reconnect it to use.” with a Log in link in the PARTICIPANTS panel.
  • The Remote MCP’s OAuth token has expired or was never set. The MCP cannot be used until re-authenticated.
  • Click the Log in link on the participant item. An OAuth authorization modal will open automatically.
  • Complete the authorization flow in the modal. After a successful login, the MCP reconnects and retries automatically.
  • If the modal shows a 403 error after login, the OAuth token may have insufficient scopes — re-authorize and ensure all required scopes are granted.
Problem: Clicking Load Tools returns an error or discovers no tools.
  • Ensure the URL field is filled in before clicking Load Tools — if it is empty, the error “MCP server URL is required” will appear.
  • If a 401 Unauthorized error appears (“Authorization failed. Please try logging in again.”), the OAuth token is invalid or expired. The OAuth modal will open automatically — complete the login flow and Load Tools will retry automatically.
  • If a 403 Forbidden error appears (“Access denied. The OAuth token may have insufficient permissions…”), re-authorize using the OAuth modal and ensure all required scopes are included.
  • If the server URL is correct and authentication succeeds but no tools are returned, verify that the remote MCP server exposes tools and is reachable from the ELITEA platform.
For additional information and related functionality, refer to these helpful resources: