Skip to content
Merged
Changes from all commits
Commits
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension

Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
56 changes: 28 additions & 28 deletions README.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -1,41 +1,41 @@
# PythonAnywhere Model Context Protocol Server

A [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/introduction)
server acts as a bridge between AI-powered tools and your
[PythonAnywhere](https://www.pythonanywhere.com/) account, enabling secure,
programmatic management of files, websites, webapps, and scheduled tasks. By
exposing a standardized interface, it allows language models and automation
clients to perform operations—such as editing files, deploying web apps, or
scheduling jobson your behalf, all while maintaining fine-grained control
A [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/introduction)
server acts as a bridge between AI-powered tools and your
[PythonAnywhere](https://www.pythonanywhere.com/) account, enabling secure,
programmatic management of files, websites, webapps, and scheduled tasks. By
exposing a standardized interface, it allows language models and automation
clients to perform operations—such as editing files, deploying web apps, or
scheduling jobs -- on your behalf, all while maintaining fine-grained control
and auditability.

## Features
- **File management**: Read, upload, delete files and list directory trees.
- **File management**: Read, upload, delete files and list directory trees.
_(also enables debugging with direct access to log files, which are just
files on PythonAnywhere)_
- **ASGI Web app management**: Create, delete, reload, and list.
_(as described in the [PythonAnywhere ASGI
_(as described in the [PythonAnywhere ASGI
documentation](https://help.pythonanywhere.com/pages/ASGICommandLine))_
- **WSGI Web app management**: Reload only _(at the moment)_.
- **Scheduled task management**: List, create, update, and delete.
_(Npote that it enables LLMs to execute arbitrary commands if a task is
scheduled to soon after creation and deleted after execution. For that we
_(Note that this enables LLMs to execute arbitrary commands if a task is
scheduled too soon after creation and deleted after execution. For that we
would suggest running it with [mcp-server-time](https://pypi.org/project/mcp-server-time/)
as models easily get confused about time.)_

## Installation
MCP protocol is well-defined and supported by various clients, but
installation is different depending on the client you are using. We will
The MCP protocol is well-defined and supported by various clients, but
installation is different depending on the client you are using. We will
cover cases that we tried and tested.

In all cases, you need to have `uv` installed and available in your `PATH`.

Have your PythonAnywhere API token and username ready. You can find (or
generate) your API token in the [API section of your PythonAnywhere
Have your PythonAnywhere API token and username ready. You can find (or
generate) your API token in the [API section of your PythonAnywhere
account](https://www.pythonanywhere.com/account/#api_token).

### Desktop Extension - works with Claude Desktop
Probably the most straightforward way to install the MCP server is to use
Probably the most straightforward way to install the MCP server is to use
the [desktop extension](https://github.com/anthropics/dxt/) for Claude Desktop.

1. Open Claude Desktop.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ Add it to your `mcp.json`.
```

### Claude Desktop (manual setup) and Cursor:
Add it to `claude_desktop_config.json` (for Claude Desktop) or (`mcp.json`
Add it to `claude_desktop_config.json` (for Claude Desktop) or (`mcp.json`
for Cursor).

```json
Expand All @@ -94,20 +94,20 @@ for Cursor).

## Caveats

Direct integration of an LLM with your PythonAnywhere account offers
significant capabilities, but also introduces risks. We strongly advise
maintaining human oversight, especially for sensitive actions such as
Direct integration of an LLM with your PythonAnywhere account offers
significant capabilities, but also introduces risks. We strongly advise
maintaining human oversight, especially for sensitive actions such as
modifying or deleting files.

If you are running multiple MCP servers simultaneously, be
cautiousparticularly if any server can access external resources you do not
control, such as GitHub issues. These can become attack vectors. For more
If you are running multiple MCP servers simultaneously, be
cautious -- particularly if any server can access external resources you do not
control, such as GitHub issues. These can become attack vectors. For more
details, see [this story](https://simonwillison.net/2025/Jul/6/supabase-mcp-lethal-trifecta/).

## Implementation

Server uses [python mcp sdk](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/python-sdk)
in connection with [pythonanywhere-core](https://github.com/pythonanywhere/pythonanywhere-core)
package ([docs](https://core.pythonanywhere.com/)) that wraps subset of [PythonAnywhere
API](https://help.pythonanywhere.com/pages/API/) and would be expanded in
the future as needed.
The server uses the [python mcp sdk](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/python-sdk)
in connection with the [pythonanywhere-core](https://github.com/pythonanywhere/pythonanywhere-core)
package ([docs](https://core.pythonanywhere.com/)), which wraps a subset of the [PythonAnywhere
API](https://help.pythonanywhere.com/pages/API/) and may be expanded in
the future as needed.