arcade-mcp/libs/arcade-mcp-server/docs/advanced/sharing-servers.md

Sharing Your MCP Server

Make your MCP server accessible to others by exposing it through a secure tunnel and registering it with Arcade. This allows remote users and services to interact with your tools without deploying to a cloud platform.

Overview

By default, your MCP server runs locally on localhost:8000. To share it:

1. Run your server with HTTP transport
2. Create a secure tunnel to expose it publicly
3. Register your server in Arcade
4. Share the tools with others

Step 1: Run Your Server

First, start your MCP server with HTTP transport:

# Navigate to your server directory
cd my_server

# Run with HTTP transport (default)
uv run server.py
uv run server.py http

Your server will start on http://localhost:8000. Keep this terminal running.

Step 2: Create a Secure Tunnel

Open a separate terminal and create a tunnel using one of these options:

Option A: ngrok (Recommended for Getting Started)

ngrok is easy to set up and works across all platforms.

1. Install ngrok:

   # macOS
   brew install ngrok
   
   # Or download from https://ngrok.com/download
   

2. Create a tunnel:

   ngrok http 8000
   

3. Copy your URL: Look for the "Forwarding" line in the ngrok output:

   Forwarding  https://abc123.ngrok-free.app -> http://localhost:8000
   

   Copy the https://abc123.ngrok-free.app URL - this is your public URL.

Pros:

• Quick setup, no account required for basic use
• Automatic HTTPS
• Web dashboard to inspect requests

Cons:

• Free tier URLs change on each restart
• May show interstitial page for free tier

Option B: Cloudflare Tunnel

Cloudflare Tunnel provides persistent URLs and advanced features.

1. Install cloudflared:

   # macOS
   brew install cloudflare/cloudflare/cloudflared
   
   # Or download from https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/connections/connect-apps/install-and-setup/
   

2. Create a tunnel:

   cloudflared tunnel --url http://localhost:8000
   

3. Copy your URL: Look for the "Your quick Tunnel has been created" message with your URL.

Pros:

• Free tier includes persistent URLs (with setup)
• Built-in DDoS protection
• Access control features

Cons:

• Requires Cloudflare account for persistent URLs
• More complex setup for advanced features

Option C: Tailscale Funnel

Tailscale Funnel is ideal for sharing within a team or organization.

1. Install Tailscale:

   # macOS
   brew install tailscale
   
   # Or download from https://tailscale.com/download
   

2. Authenticate:

   tailscale up
   

3. Create a funnel:

   tailscale funnel 8000
   

4. Get your URL: Tailscale will display your funnel URL (e.g., https://my-machine.tail-scale.ts.net)

Pros:

• Persistent URLs tied to your machine
• Private by default (only shared with specified users)
• No bandwidth limits

Cons:

• Requires Tailscale account
• Best for team/organization use cases

Step 3: Register Your MCP Server in Arcade

Once you have a public URL, register your MCP server in the Arcade dashboard to make it accessible through the Arcade API.

Register Your Server

1. Navigate to the MCP Servers page in your Arcade dashboard

2. Click "Add Server"

3. Fill in the registration form:

   • ID: Choose a unique identifier (e.g., my-mcp-server)
   • Server Type: Select "HTTP/SSE"
   • URL: Enter your public tunnel URL from Step 2 with /mcp appended
     • Example: https://abc123.ngrok-free.app/mcp
     • Example: https://my-tunnel.trycloudflare.com/mcp
     • Example: https://my-machine.tail-scale.ts.net/mcp
   • Secret: Enter a secret for your server (or use dev for testing)
   • Timeout: Configure request timeout (default: 30s)
   • Retry: Configure retry attempts (default: 3)

4. Click "Create"

Configuration Example

ID: my-mcp-server
Server Type: HTTP/SSE
URL: https://abc123.ngrok-free.app
Secret: my-secure-secret-123
Timeout: 30s
Retry: 3

Step 4: Test Your MCP Server

Verify that your server is accessible and working correctly.

Using the Arcade Playground

1. Go to the Arcade Playground

2. Select your MCP server from the dropdown

3. Choose a tool from your server

4. Execute the tool with test parameters

5. Verify the response:

   • Check that the response is correct
   • View request logs in your local server terminal
   • Inspect the tunnel dashboard for request details