Design & Creative Tools · Sideshow MCP + Claude
Sideshow MCP with Claude: Publish Diagrams, Code and Markdown as Clean Shareable Posts
The short answer
Claude works with Sideshow through the Model Context Protocol, an open standard that lets Claude use the tool securely. Once connected, Claude can send generated diagrams, code, markdown and images to Sideshow, which turns them into clean, shareable visual posts. Sign-in uses dynamic client registration with OAuth, and your team controls what is published.
What is Sideshow MCP?
Sideshow MCP is a publishing service for visual surfaces such as diagrams, code, markdown and images. It takes artifacts that have been generated and turns them into clean, shareable posts, so teams do not need to build a custom renderer. It is typically used by product, engineering, design and documentation teams who create visual material and want to share it quickly with colleagues, customers or the wider business.
How Claude connects to Sideshow MCP through MCP
The Model Context Protocol is an open standard that lets Claude securely use other software. Think of it as a universal adapter between Claude and the tool. Through it, Claude can read information and take actions in Sideshow, with permissions your organisation controls.
Once connected, Claude can typically take a diagram, code snippet, markdown document or image it has produced and publish it as a visual post. Teams can describe what they want in plain English, for example asking for an architecture diagram to be shared with a client, and Claude handles the publishing step.
Permissions and approvals keep people in charge. Sign-in uses dynamic client registration with OAuth, so access is granted through a standard sign-in process. We set up least-privilege access, so Claude can only publish where you allow it, and a person can approve posts before they go live. Audit logs record what was shared and when.
What you can automate
Sharing architecture diagrams with stakeholders
Engineering leads often need to show system designs to people outside the team. Claude can generate a diagram from a design discussion and publish it to Sideshow as a clean post, so the link can be shared with product managers, auditors or partners without anyone formatting the image by hand.
Publishing code snippets for documentation
Developers and technical writers can ask Claude to turn a code example into a readable, shareable snippet. This is useful for internal knowledge bases, onboarding guides and customer-facing tutorials, where the code needs to look tidy and consistent every time.
Rendering markdown reports as readable posts
Analysts and project managers often write summaries in markdown. Claude can take a weekly status report and publish it as a formatted post, so executives read a clean page rather than raw text, and the team avoids copying content between tools.
Creating visual summaries for customers
Customer success and sales teams can request a visual summary of a proposal, process or product feature. Claude prepares the content and publishes it as a shareable post, helping staff respond to prospects quickly while keeping the brand presentation consistent.
Distributing internal visual updates
Operations and HR teams can use Claude to share charts, process maps or policy images with staff. Posts are published on request, so updates reach employees in a consistent format, and approvals can be required before anything is released to the wider company.
An end-to-end workflow: Weekly product update with a diagram and release notes
TriggerEvery Friday, the product manager asks Claude to prepare the weekly product update.
Claude reads the completed tickets from the project tracking system and drafts release notes in markdown.
Claude generates a simple diagram showing which features shipped and how they connect.
The product manager reviews the draft and asks for changes in plain English.
After approval, Claude publishes the markdown notes and diagram to Sideshow as a single shareable post.
Claude posts the link to the company Microsoft 365 channel so teams can read the update.
OutcomeTeams receive a clean, visual weekly update without anyone formatting documents by hand. The product manager spends less time on admin, and the update reaches staff in a consistent format every week, with a person approving each release.
How we set it up
Book a free automation audit
We review how your teams create and share visual material today and identify the publishing workflows worth automating. There is no cost and no obligation.
Connect Claude to Sideshow
We connect Claude to Sideshow using its supported sign-in method, dynamic client registration with OAuth, so access follows your organisation's existing sign-in controls. Access is limited to the permissions the workflow needs.
Design the end-to-end workflow
We map how publishing fits with your other systems, such as Microsoft 365, your CRM or your ticketing tool, and decide which actions need a person to approve before anything goes live.
Test against real examples
We run the workflow on past diagrams, code and reports from your team, checking that posts look correct and that approvals and audit logs work as intended.
Launch, monitor and train
We go live with monitoring and audit logs in place, then train your team on requesting posts in plain English and reviewing them. We check results with you over the following weeks.
Who benefits
- Engineering and product leads
- Share diagrams and technical updates with stakeholders in clean, readable posts without manual formatting.
- Technical writers and documentation teams
- Publish code snippets and markdown guides consistently across internal and customer-facing resources.
- Operations and department heads
- Distribute reports and visual updates to staff quickly, with approvals before anything is released.
- Sales and customer success teams
- Prepare shareable visual summaries for prospects and clients in minutes rather than hours.
Security and control
- Least-privilege access, so Claude can only publish to the spaces and actions you approve.
- Sign-in through dynamic client registration with OAuth, using your organisation's existing access controls.
- Human approval before consequential posts are published to wider audiences.
- Audit logs that record what was published, by whom and when.
- Regular review of permissions and workflow performance as your needs change.
For teams in the US, UK, India and the Middle East
Organisations in the United States and the United Kingdom can run this workflow with data handling aligned to their applicable privacy rules. In India, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 shapes how personal data is processed, and we design accordingly. For organisations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, local data protection laws apply, and we help you choose a hosting region in the United States, the United Kingdom, India or the European Union that meets your requirements.
Learn more about Claude and MCP
Anthropic's AI model and assistant.
Secure links between Claude and business tools.
How engineers build and change software with Claude.
Hosted agents that run multi-step work.
The open standard Claude uses to connect to tools.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Sideshow MCP server do?
The Sideshow MCP server lets AI agents and chatbots, including Claude, send visual material to Sideshow through a standard connection. Typically this means publishing diagrams, code, markdown and images as clean, shareable posts, and rendering them without your team building a custom renderer. Access is granted through the tool's supported sign-in method.
Is Sideshow MCP secure to use with Claude?
Security depends on how the connection is set up. Sign-in uses dynamic client registration with OAuth, and we apply least-privilege access so Claude only has the permissions the workflow needs. Human approval and audit logs add further control. We review the setup with your IT team before launch.
What can Claude do with Sideshow once it is connected?
Typically, Claude can take a diagram, code snippet, markdown document or image it has produced and publish it to Sideshow as a visual post. It can also share the resulting link where your team needs it. Exactly which actions are allowed is decided during design, based on your requirements.
How long does setup take?
Timelines vary with the number of workflows and the systems involved. A focused publishing workflow is often set up in a few weeks, including audit, connection, testing and team training. We confirm the timeline during the free automation audit.
Which plan or permissions do I need?
You generally need an active Sideshow account with permission to publish, and an administrator who can approve the OAuth connection. The exact plan requirements depend on Sideshow's current terms, so we confirm these with you during the audit before any connection is made.