FAQ

FAQ

What is MCP Station, in one line? A self-hosted container that turns folders in mcps/ into remote MCP servers claude.ai can connect to by URL, with OAuth 2.1 built in.

Do I need to know how to code to add an MCP? No. Open ➕ Add MCP, describe what you want or paste an API's docs, and the built-in ✦ assistant writes the module. You can also copy _template and edit two files.

How does claude.ai connect — do I need a public URL? Yes, an HTTPS one (that's what OAuth needs). A Cloudflare Tunnel is the easiest way to expose a home box without port-forwarding. Set PUBLIC_URL to exactly that hostname.

Is it safe to expose to the internet? The admin UI and OAuth consent are gated by APP_PASSWORD (use a strong one, serve over HTTPS). MCP endpoints require a bearer token or a scoped OAuth token. Secrets are AES-256-GCM encrypted at rest. See SECURITY.md.

Where do API keys / module settings live? In the station UI, per module — not in env vars. They're encrypted in /data and mirrored (still encrypted) into the module folder. Keep /data on a persistent volume.

Can I use it with Claude Code / other MCP clients, not just claude.ai? Yes. Add the same /<slug>/mcp URL with an Authorization: Bearer <token> header (the station-wide MCP_TOKEN or a per-module token). Anything that speaks MCP streamable HTTP works.

My connector reaches the password page, then fails. Why? Almost always Cloudflare's AI-bot blocking eating Claude-User requests at the edge. Full fix in docs/CLOUDFLARE.md.

Why did my connectors keep expiring, and how do I stop it? On 1.x the access token lasted an hour and the connection depended on claude.ai refreshing it on time. From 2.4.0 the consent page asks how long to stay signed in, with Unlimited as the default — pick that and the connection lasts until you revoke it. See Connecting Claude.

Which Docker tag should I run? latest (currently v2.4.0), or 2.4.0 if you'd rather pin a version and upgrade on your own schedule. Older tags use the same volumes, so you can roll back. See Versions & Images.

Which AI powers the ✦ assistant? Your choice: OpenAI (the 2.x default), Claude or Gemini — set a key in ⚙ Station or via env vars. See Configuration.

Can I share a module I built? Yes — 📦 Export on the module card gives you a .zip (secrets stripped). The recipient unzips it into their mcps/, hits Reload, and adds their own keys.

Does it run on Unraid / TrueNAS / plain Docker? All three — see the README. It's one container plus two volumes (/data, /app/mcps), and a third (/files) if you use the 📁 Files module. Images are multi-arch (amd64 + arm64).

What are the requirements? Docker (or Node ≥ 20). Three runtime deps, no build step, no database — state is a JSON file in /data.

Can Claude break something with a module? A module does exactly what its index.js does. Money-touching or destructive modules should build in confirmations (the bundled Xero module drafts, never auto-authorises, for example). Only enable modules you trust.

How do I back up? The UI's Backup button (or POST /api/backup) tars /data + /app/mcps. Restore re-imports it. Keep SESSION_SECRET/secret.key stable or encrypted settings won't decrypt after a restore.