Paper MCP

Use this skill for direct Paper board work. The local Paper desktop app exposes an MCP server at:

http://127.0.0.1:29979/mcp

The reusable CLI wrapper is:

"$HOME/.codex/tools/paper_mcp.py"

Required Workflow

1. Load the Paper guide once per session:

"$HOME/.codex/tools/paper_mcp.py" call get_guide '{"topic":"paper-mcp-instructions"}'

2. Inspect the current board:

"$HOME/.codex/tools/paper_mcp.py" call get_basic_info '{}'
"$HOME/.codex/tools/paper_mcp.py" call get_selection '{}'

3. For image placement, use write_html with absolute local image paths through paper-asset://:

"$HOME/.codex/tools/paper_mcp.py" call write_html '{"targetNodeId":"root_node_1-0","mode":"insert-children","html":"<img layer-name=\"Example\" src=\"paper-asset:///[ABSOLUTE_IMAGE_PATH]\" style=\"position:absolute; left:0px; top:0px; width:320px; height:180px; object-fit:cover;\" />"}'

4. Verify meaningful changes with get_screenshot.

5. Always finish:

"$HOME/.codex/tools/paper_mcp.py" call finish_working_on_nodes '{}'

Notes

• Do not use Computer Use for Paper board edits when this MCP server is reachable.
• Do not expose raw node IDs in final user-facing replies.
• Deleting Paper nodes changes board data; confirm with the user immediately before deletion.

Portability Notes

• Specific to the author's current workflow: the Paper desktop app exposes a local MCP server at http://127.0.0.1:29979/mcp, and the wrapper lives under $HOME/.codex/tools/.
• Reusable: prefer structured MCP operations over fragile UI automation, inspect board state before edits, verify with screenshots, and finish node work explicitly.
• Adapt before reuse: update the local server URL, wrapper path, asset URL convention, board-selection workflow, and deletion-confirmation policy for the target Paper setup.