Create a hosted server | MCP Stack Docs

MCP Stack Host runs generated OpenAPI MCP runtimes for you. Use Host when you want MCP Stack to build, publish, monitor, and route the generated runtime instead of asking your own infrastructure team to operate it.

Host publishes generated MCP runtimes behind a public MCP endpoint and platform-managed routing.

What Host runs#

Host is for generated MCP runtimes created from OpenAPI. The generated runtime owns tool execution: it receives MCP tool calls, calls the upstream API, and returns MCP results.

Host provides:

Hosted MCP URL ending in /mcp.
Optional customer-owned custom domain for the hosted MCP URL.
Automatic build and publish status.
Runtime targets across platform-managed regions.
Health checks.
Publish logs.
Request and tool-call limits.
Smoke tests such as tools/list.

You manage hosting by creating a server and saving configuration changes; Host handles publishing, health, and routing automatically. There are no manual runtime operations for you to run yourself.

Create the server#

Open MCP Servers.
Create a generated server from OpenAPI.
Open the Hosting tab.
Watch the publish stages and logs.
Copy the hosted MCP URL after the runtime is healthy.
Optionally add a custom domain from the Hosting tab after the canonical URL is working.

Saved changes publish automatically

Creation and saved OpenAPI, tool, auth, and Gateway changes publish automatically. The server record is the lifecycle rail.

Hosted runtime shape#

Hosted generated runtimes are designed for MCP over HTTP.

TEXT

Hosted MCP URL: https://<server-or-gateway-host>/mcp
Transport: Streamable HTTP
Generated runtime: TypeScript MCP server
Runtime management: MCP Stack Host (managed)

Host validates runtime health before routing traffic and keeps publish status visible in the dashboard. Teams should use the built-in smoke test before connecting production agents.

Add a custom domain#

Use a custom domain when the server should be reached at your own hostname, such as mcp.example.com.

See Set up a custom MCP domain for the full dashboard, CLI, and API workflow, DNS records, status stages, and troubleshooting. The short version:

Open the server Hosting tab and validate the hostname.
Add the ownership TXT record, then confirm ownership.
Add the returned CNAME and Azure TXT records, then finalize after DNS propagates.
Use the custom /mcp URL only after the status is active.

The canonical MCP Stack URL remains available as a fallback while DNS, managed TLS, or routing is still pending.

Verify the runtime#

Run the built-in dashboard smoke test, or use the CLI:

BASH

mcpstack smoke tools-list support-api

Expected CLI-style output:

TEXT

Smoke test: tools/list
Server: support-api
Transport: streamable-http
Status: passed
Tools discovered: 14

If tools/list fails, do not attach the server to an agent yet. Fix runtime health, URL, auth, or publish state first.

What triggers publishing#

Host publishes automatically after:

Creating a generated OpenAPI server.
Updating the OpenAPI spec.
Changing enabled tools.
Changing generated runtime auth mode.
Updating environment variables.

Gateway changes publish automatically when they affect runtime configuration.

Host vs Gateway#

Host and Gateway are separate layers:

Layer	Owns	Use when
Host	Runtime publishing, health, and the public MCP URL	MCP Stack should run the generated runtime.
Gateway	OAuth edge and discovery metadata in front of the server	OAuth, discovery, grants, logs, and public client access are needed.

Most production OAuth-backed generated servers use both: Host runs the runtime and serves the MCP URL, and Gateway adds the OAuth edge in front of it.

Quick answer#

Confirm the server was generated from OpenAPI, that you have a hosted MCP URL, and that tools/list passes. If any of those fail, troubleshoot publish health before looking at clients or agents.