SkillFoxx

PenEcho MCP

PenEcho is a handwriting and diagram canvas that connects to Claude Code and Codex through MCP right beside your work.

  • 2,520 ★ on the repository
  • Last commit
  • AGPL-3.0
MCP serverOfficial

Extended access

Why this level

  • Cloud MCP sends canvas data through PenEcho's own servers under a separate OAuth authorization.
All reasons and checks

penecho/penechoAuthor:penecho

Install

In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI

npx skillfoxx add mcp/penecho

Detects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.

Other ways to install

Access and checks

How we review

Extended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.

  • Cloud MCP sends canvas data through PenEcho's own servers under a separate OAuth authorization.

This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.

What it does

PenEcho is a macOS and Windows desktop app with a canvas where an agent shows its answer as a diagram, document or working widget, not just text in a chat. After turning on MCP for a given canvas in the app's settings, Claude Code, Codex or another MCP client connect locally or through the cloud and send diagrams and handwritten annotations to the canvas without spending PenEcho credits. Local MCP stays on the user's own computer, while cloud MCP runs through a separate OAuth authorization and supports guest drafts without an account. Signing into the app itself is not required: continuing as a guest works by default, and an account is only needed to save to the cloud.

Who it is for. Developers and engineers who want to see an architecture diagram or a calculation beside the agent's conversation, instead of hunting for it in text output.

Good fit when

  • While working in Claude Code, a diagram or calculation needs to show on a side canvas instead of in response text.
  • An architecture review needs handwritten annotations layered over the agent's diagram.
  • MCP needs to connect locally, with no cloud authorization and no remote server access.
  • The client is not one of the main three (Codex, Claude Code, Cursor) but accepts a JSON `mcpServers` configuration.

Not a fit when

  • Only a command-line workflow is wanted, with no desktop app running.
  • The platform is neither macOS nor Windows: the README does not mention a separate Linux release.
  • Results need centralized cloud storage from the very first run, without a guest mode.

Example request

Draw this architecture as a diagram on the PenEcho canvas and leave room for my handwritten annotations.

MCP

Transport
stdio, http
Authentication
OAuth

Limitations

MCP only works while PenEcho is running and only for canvases explicitly turned on in settings: agents see only the canvases that are enabled. Cloud MCP uses a separate OAuth authorization from local MCP, and the authorization page needs opening once on first access. Claude Chat and Cowork connect not through a plain MCP config but by uploading the app's own plugin. The AGPL-3.0 license requires releasing source for a modified version distributed as a network service.

How to disable. Turn off MCP for the canvas in PenEcho's settings, or remove the `penecho` entry from the client's `mcpServers` configuration, then uninstall the app itself if it is no longer needed.

FAQ

How do I connect PenEcho to Claude Code?

In PenEcho, open Settings, then MCP service, turn on the canvas you need, and use auto-configure for a supported client or copy the generated config into Claude Code.

Do I need a PenEcho account?

No, continuing as a guest works by default; an account is only needed to save a canvas to the cloud.

Does MCP spend PenEcho credits?

No, connecting through MCP uses no PenEcho credits, unlike the app's built-in AI.

What is the difference between local and cloud MCP?

Local MCP stays on the user's computer with no sign-in, while cloud MCP goes through separate OAuth authorization and supports guest drafts in a browser.

How do I connect Claude Chat or Cowork?

Through uploading the app's own `.plugin` file in the connector settings, rather than a plain MCP config with mcpServers.

Discussion

No questions or reviews yet.

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README in short

The app describes itself as a tool that shows the AI's answer rather than only telling it: the canvas opens beside Codex's panel, Claude's desktop browser pane, or a default browser window.

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