Always on, no cold starts
Always-on containers keep MCP streaming connections alive.
MCP server hosting · Agent Lab Deploy
Host your MCP server.
In one sentence.
Say one sentence in Claude Code, Codex or Cursor and your local MCP server becomes an HTTPS endpoint Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor can reach.
> Deploy this MCP server so Cursor can use it too
sites_build_planDockerfile found · listens on $PORT
sites_createorder-tools → order-tools--acme.hosting.agentlab.run
sites_secrets_generateMCP_TOKEN · generated
sites_deploy_statusBuild passed · secret scan clean
Done: https://order-tools--acme.hosting.agentlab.run/mcp. Add it in Cursor with the header Authorization: Bearer <MCP_TOKEN>.
Why remote
A local MCP server only works on your machine.
Deploy it remote: everyone shares one server, one change updates all.
Secrets on the platform
Passwords, API keys and tokens are project secrets, never in source.
Every release rolls back
Broke something? One action restores the previous release.
A database next door
PostgreSQL in the same workspace, connection written into the environment.
Choosing
Cloudflare Workers vs a VPS vs Agent Lab
The table scrolls sideways.
| What matters to you | Agent Lab Deploy | Cloudflare Workers | Your own VPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it runs | Always-on container, any language | Edge function, mostly JS/TS | Always on, you run it |
| Python (FastMCP) | Runs as is | Limited | Yes |
| Long-lived connections / SSE | Supported | Needs Durable Objects | Supported |
| Database | PostgreSQL in the same workspace | D1 / external | Install your own |
| Setup | One sentence to an AI tool | wrangler deploy | SSH, Docker, reverse proxy, TLS |
How
Connect → one sentence → get the URL → add it to your tools
Connect Agent Lab
One MCP line in Claude Code, Codex or Cursor, then sign in.
Say one sentence
The agent creates the app, generates an auth token and builds.
Get the /mcp URL
The build returns https://<name>--<org>.hosting.agentlab.run/mcp.
Add it to your AI tools
Add it in Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor with the bearer token; Pro for always-on and a custom domain.
Copy and go
The Dockerfile and the sentence
Any language: serve HTTP on $PORT, expose /mcp, run as non-root (example: Python FastMCP).
Dockerfile
FROM python:3.12-slim
WORKDIR /app
COPY requirements.txt .
RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt # fastmcp
COPY server.py .
USER 1000
EXPOSE 8080
CMD ["python", "server.py"]
# server.py
# from fastmcp import FastMCP
# import os
# mcp = FastMCP("my-tools")
# @mcp.tool
# def lookup_order(order_id: str) -> dict: ...
# mcp.run(transport="http", host="0.0.0.0", port=int(os.environ["PORT"]))PORTthe port to listen onMCP_TOKENfrom sites_secrets_generate; no bearer, 401DATABASE_URLwritten by databases_connect_app
Say this to your AI tool
Read https://app.agentlab.cresclab.com/agent/deploy.md and deploy this MCP server to Agent Lab with the Dockerfile at agentlab.cresclab.com/en/deploy/mcp-server: listen on $PORT at /mcp, generate MCP_TOKEN with sites_secrets_generate for bearer auth. Give me the URL and how to add it to Claude and Cursor.FAQ
Before you host an MCP server
How do I deploy an MCP server remotely?
Use streamable HTTP, listen on $PORT, expose /mcp, write a Dockerfile and ask Claude Code, Codex or Cursor to deploy it to Agent Lab. Add the https URL it returns as a remote MCP server in Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor.
How much does it cost to host an MCP server?
Free runs one size-S MCP server that sleeps after 15 idle minutes, at no charge. Pro is US$29 a month before tax for always-on and a custom domain, with US$14 of monthly usage credit, enough for one size-S app all month.
How do I add auth to an MCP server?
Simplest: generate an MCP_TOKEN with sites_secrets_generate and check the Authorization header. For outside users with their own consent, implement OAuth 2.1.
Can I host Python and TypeScript MCP servers?
Both. FastMCP (Python), the official TypeScript SDK, Go or anything with a Dockerfile serving HTTP on $PORT deploys.
How is this different from Cloudflare Workers?
Workers are edge functions for light TypeScript tools. Agent Lab runs always-on containers, so Python, long-lived connections and database tools run as is, and every release can roll back.