MCP · Model Context Protocol

Give your AI agent a real backend

Connect Claude Code, Cursor, Cline, Windsurf, or Claude Desktop to a live Backenly backend in one command. Describe what you need in plain English — your agent creates the database, APIs, auth, storage, and realtime for you.

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Works with: Claude Code · Cursor · Cline · Windsurf
Setup: One command, 5-line config
Tools exposed: 50+ build, read & data tools

Quickstart

Three steps. About two minutes. Works the same in every MCP host.

Generate an MCP key
Open your project on backenly.com and go to the MCP tab. Click Generate key. Copy the key (it starts with mcp_live_) — it’s shown only once.
2
Run the installer
Paste your key when prompted. The installer verifies the key and writes a local config file (~/.backenly/mcp.json, readable only by you).
terminal
```
npx @backenly/mcp-server init
```

Add Backenly to your host & restart

Drop this into your host’s MCP config, then restart the host. Backenly appears as a tool surface your agent can use.

~/.claude/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "backenly": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@backenly/mcp-server"]
    }
  }
}

Prefer to keep the key in the host config instead of the local file? Use an env block:

mcp.json (with inline key)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "backenly": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@backenly/mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "BACKENLY_API_KEY": "mcp_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
      }
    }
  }
}

Where the config lives

The five-line block above goes in the same place for every host — only the file path changes.

Claude Code~/.claude/mcp.json

Cursor~/.cursor/mcp.json

Windsurf~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

Cline (VS Code)Cline → MCP Servers → Configure

Claude Desktopclaude_desktop_config.json

Any MCP-compatible host works — even ones not listed here. The protocol is the same everywhere.

Then just describe your backend

You don’t learn Backenly’s commands. You talk. The agent hands your request to Backenly’s brain, which plans and builds it.

›Add a comments table linked to posts, with an owner-only edit policy and a REST API.

›Give my users profiles with avatars stored in a public bucket.

›Add full-text search over my articles table.

›Create a daily cron job that emails users their unread notifications.

What your agent can do

50+ tools across four tiers, fetched live from your project — new capabilities light up automatically, no package update needed.

chat

backend_chat — the one tool that does everything

Hand a plain-English request to Backenly’s brain. It plans the change, executes it end to end, and returns a summary. Your agent never needs to memorise the full tool vocabulary.

“Add likes and comments to my posts table”“Give users profiles with avatars”

build

Build tools (25+)

Precise, single-purpose operations when the agent wants explicit control.

create_tableadd_columngenerate_apienable_authadd_rlscreate_bucketenable_realtimecreate_triggergenerate_functionenable_vector_searchcreate_cron_jobenable_teams

read

Read tools (21)

Inspect live backend state without changing anything — cheap for the agent to call.

list_tableslist_apisread_backend_stateget_metricsget_errorsget_deploy_statusget_readinesslist_end_users

data

Runtime data CRUD

Read and write real rows in your workspace tables — perfect for seeding and debugging.

db_querydb_insertdb_updatedb_delete

For AI agents

If you are an AI coding agent reading this page, copy the block below into your working context. It tells you exactly how to connect and use Backenly.

agent-instructions.md

# Connecting to Backenly (instructions for the coding agent)

Backenly is the backend. To create or change backend resources
(database tables, REST APIs, auth, storage, realtime, triggers,
functions, cron jobs), use the Backenly MCP server — do NOT write
your own server, migrations, or SQL.

1. Ask the user to open backenly.com -> their project -> the "MCP"
   tab and generate an MCP key (starts with "mcp_live_").
2. Add this to the host's MCP config, then restart the host:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "backenly": {
         "command": "npx",
         "args": ["-y", "@backenly/mcp-server"],
         "env": { "BACKENLY_API_KEY": "<the mcp_live_ key>" }
       }
     }
   }

3. Once connected, prefer the single tool "backend_chat" for any
   build request. Pass the user's request in plain English, e.g.
   "add a comments table linked to posts, with an owner-only RLS
   policy and a REST API". Backenly's brain plans and executes it.
4. Use read tools (list_tables, get_metrics, read_backend_state,
   ...) to inspect state, and db_query / db_insert / db_update /
   db_delete for runtime rows.
5. Destructive operations (drop_table, delete_bucket) are NOT
   available over MCP by design — they stay in the dashboard.

Built to be handed to an agent

Scope-gated keys

MCP keys (mcp_live_…) only work on MCP routes. A leaked SDK key can’t be replayed to reach them.

No destructive tools

drop_table, delete_bucket and friends are never exposed over MCP — they stay behind explicit confirmation in the dashboard.

Every change audited

Each mutation writes an audit-log entry to your project timeline. Rate limits and plan quotas apply per call.

Revoke instantly

Kill any key from the MCP tab. The local config is written user-only (mode 0600).

Frequently asked

What is MCP and why do I need it?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that lets AI coding agents talk to external tools. Connecting Backenly over MCP means your agent can build and run a real backend for you — instead of you copy-pasting API docs into a chat. It is the fastest way for AI-built ("vibe coded") apps to get a production backend.

Which tools and editors are supported?

Any MCP-compatible host: Claude Code, Cursor, Cline, Windsurf, and Claude Desktop today, plus any future MCP host. The setup is the same five-line config for all of them.

Do I need to know Backenly’s commands?

No. Just describe what you want in plain English. The backend_chat tool routes your request to Backenly’s brain, which plans and executes the change. The tool names are optional power-user surface, not something you have to learn.

Is it safe to give an AI agent this access?

Yes. MCP keys are scope-gated (an SDK key can’t be replayed against MCP), destructive operations like dropping tables are never exposed over MCP, every mutation is written to your audit log, and you can revoke any key instantly from the MCP tab. Plan quotas and per-key rate limits apply on every call.

What does it cost?

The MCP server package is free and open source. Usage counts against your normal Backenly plan quota and AI credits — the same as building from the dashboard.

The agent says my key has the wrong scope.

You pasted your SDK/anon key. Generate a dedicated MCP key (it starts with mcp_live_) from your project’s MCP tab and use that instead.

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Point your agent at Backenly

Free to start. No credit card. Generate an MCP key and your AI editor has a production backend in minutes.

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