MCP Mermaid vs Lousa
A side-by-side look at the MCP Mermaid and Lousa MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose MCP Mermaid for data visualization work as a local process; choose Lousa for data visualization as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose MCP Mermaid when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Data Visualization domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
- You want tools like
generate_mermaid_diagram.
Choose Lousa when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Data Visualization domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
PORT, HOST, LOUSA_DATA_DIR, LOUSA_BUCKET, LOUSA_TOKEN, LOUSA_URL, LOUSA_DEFAULT_TTL_HOURS. - You want tools like
create_board, update_board, get_board.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Data Visualization | Data Visualization |
| Quality signal | 65/100 · Great | 51/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | No auth required | Not declared |
| Pricing | Free | Not declared |
| Required env vars | None listed | PORTHOSTLOUSA_DATA_DIRLOUSA_BUCKETLOUSA_TOKENLOUSA_URLLOUSA_DEFAULT_TTL_HOURS |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 646 | 0 |
| Directory activity | 5 views 0 installs 1 upvotes | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 1 | 5 |
| Full listing | View MCP Mermaid | View Lousa |
Tools & capabilities
MCP Mermaid tools 1
generate_mermaid_diagramGenerate mermaid diagram and chart with mermaid syntax dynamically. Mermaid is a JavaScript based diagramming and charting tool that uses Markdown-inspired text definitions and a renderer to create and modify complex diagrams. The main purpose of Mermaid is to help documentation catch up with development.
Lousa tools 5
create_boardCreates a board from a scene, returns `{id, url}update_boardReplaces the scene; unchanged elements stay byte-identical so only changes animateget_boardRead boardsget_selectionWhat the user selected in the viewer (ids + full elements)delete_boardDeletes a board
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
MCP Mermaid
{
"mcpServers": {
"hustcc-mcp-mermaid": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-mermaid"
]
}
}
}
Lousa
{
"mcpServers": {
"lousa": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"lousa"
],
"env": {
"PORT": "YOUR_PORT_HERE",
"HOST": "YOUR_HOST_HERE",
"LOUSA_DATA_DIR": "YOUR_LOUSA_DATA_DIR_HERE",
"LOUSA_BUCKET": "YOUR_LOUSA_BUCKET_HERE",
"LOUSA_TOKEN": "YOUR_LOUSA_TOKEN_HERE",
"LOUSA_URL": "YOUR_LOUSA_URL_HERE",
"LOUSA_DEFAULT_TTL_HOURS": "YOUR_LOUSA_DEFAULT_TTL_HOURS_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
MCP Mermaid is categorized under Data Visualization and uses a local stdio subprocess. Lousa belongs to Data Visualization and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick MCP Mermaid for data visualization work and Lousa for data visualization.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
MCP Mermaid is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. Lousa has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add hustcc-mcp-mermaid and lousa as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, MCP Mermaid has a quality signal of 65/100 (Great) with 5 views, 0 installs and 646 GitHub stars. Lousa has 51/100 (Good) with 0 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.