Design System MCP Server

This is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides access to Appian’s design system documentation through GitHub repositories. It supports both public and internal documentation sources, allowing LLMs like Claude to query and explore design system components, layouts, and patterns with appropriate access controls.

🔗 Related Resources

• Aurora Design System Documentation: appian-design/aurora - The source repository for design system documentation
• Live Documentation Site: https://appian-design.github.io/aurora/ - Browse the design system online

⚡ Quickstart

For technical users who want to get up and running quickly:

1. Clone and setup:

   git clone https://github.com/appian-design/aurora-mcp.git
   cd aurora-mcp
   npm install
   

2. Configure GitHub access:

   cp .env.example .env
   # Edit .env with your GitHub token and repository details
   

3. Build and configure MCP:

   npm run build
   # Add to ~/.aws/amazonq/mcp.json or Claude Desktop config
   

4. Test the connection:

   npm test
   

For detailed setup instructions, see the Installation section below.

Features

• Multi-source support: Access both public and internal documentation repositories
• Source attribution: Clear indication of content source (public/internal)
• Priority-based merging: Internal documentation overrides public when both exist
• Access control: Configurable access to internal documentation
• Browse design system categories (components, layouts, patterns, branding, etc.)
• List components within a category with source information
• Get detailed component information including guidance and code examples
• Search across all components by keyword with source filtering
• Source management: View source status and manually refresh content

Installation

Public Documentation Only

For access to public design system documentation only:

1. Clone this repository (or fork it to your own GitHub account)
2. Copy the environment file and configure it:

   cp .env.example .env
   

3. Edit .env and update the values:
   • GITHUB_TOKEN: Your GitHub personal access token (generate at https://github.com/settings/tokens)
   • GITHUB_OWNER: Your GitHub username (the repository owner)
   • GITHUB_REPO: Your repository name (e.g., “aurora”)
4. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

5. Build the server:

   npm run build
   

Internal Documentation Access

For access to both public and internal documentation:

1. Follow the public documentation setup above
2. Configure internal documentation access in your .env file:

   # Enable internal documentation
   ENABLE_INTERNAL_DOCS=true