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Daytona MCP Server

The Daytona Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server enables AI agents to interact with Daytona’s features programmatically. This guide covers how to set up and use the MCP server with various AI agents.

Prerequisites

Before getting started, ensure you have:

  • A Daytona account
  • Daytona CLI installed
  • A compatible AI agent (Claude Desktop App, Claude Code, Cursor, or Windsurf)

Installation and Setup

1. Install Daytona CLI

Terminal window
brew install daytonaio/cli/daytona

2. Authenticate with Daytona

Terminal window
daytona login

3. Initialize MCP Server

Initialize the Daytona MCP server with your preferred AI agent:

Terminal window
daytona mcp init [claude/cursor/windsurf]

4. Open Your AI Agent

After initialization, open your AI agent application to begin using Daytona features.

Integration with Other AI Agents

To integrate Daytona MCP with other AI agents, follow these steps:

  1. Generate the MCP configuration:
Terminal window
daytona mcp config

This command outputs a JSON configuration that you can copy into your agent’s settings:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "daytona-mcp": {
      "command": "daytona",
      "args": ["mcp", "start"],
      "env": {
        "HOME": "${HOME}",
        "PATH": "${HOME}:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/opt/homebrew/bin"
      },
      "logFile": "${HOME}/Library/Logs/daytona/daytona-mcp-server.log"
    }
  }
}
  1. Open or restart your AI agent to apply the configuration.

Available Tools

Sandbox Management

  • Create Sandbox

    • Creates a new Daytona sandbox
    • Parameters:
      • target (default: “us”): Target region
      • image: Sandbox image (optional)
      • auto_stop_interval (default: “15”): Auto-stop interval in minutes (0 disables)

  • Destroy Sandbox

    • Removes an existing Daytona sandbox

File Operations

  • Download File

    • Downloads a file from the Daytona workspace
    • Returns content as text or base64 encoded image
    • Parameters:
      • file_path: Path to the file

  • Upload File

    • Uploads a file to the Daytona sandbox
    • Supports text or base64-encoded binary content
    • Creates necessary parent directories automatically
    • Files persist during the session with appropriate permissions
    • Supports overwrite controls and maintains original file formats
    • Parameters:
      • file_path: Path to the file to upload
      • content: Content of the file to upload
      • encoding: Encoding of the file to upload
      • overwrite: Overwrite the file if it already exists

  • Create Folder

    • Creates a new directory in the workspace
    • Parameters:
      • folder_path: Path to create
      • mode: Directory permissions (default: 0755)

  • Get File Info

    • Retrieves information about a file
    • Parameters:
      • file_path: Path to the file

  • List Files

    • Lists contents of a directory
    • Parameters:
      • path: Directory path (defaults to current directory)

  • Move File

    • Moves or renames a file
    • Parameters:
      • source_path: Source location
      • dest_path: Destination location

  • Delete File

    • Removes a file or directory
    • Parameters:
      • file_path: Path to delete

Preview

  • Preview Link
    • Generates accessible preview URLs for web applications
    • Creates secure tunnels to expose local ports externally
    • Validates server status on specified ports
    • Provides diagnostic information for troubleshooting
    • Supports custom descriptions and metadata for service organization
    • Parameters:
      • port: Port to expose
      • description: Description of the service
      • check_server: Check if a server is running on the port

Git Operations

  • Git Clone
    • Clones a Git repository
    • Parameters:
      • url: Repository URL
      • path: Target directory (defaults to current)
      • branch: Branch to clone
      • commit_id: Specific commit to clone
      • username: Git username
      • password: Git password

Command Execution

  • Execute Command
    • Runs shell commands in the Daytona environment
    • Returns stdout, stderr, and exit code
    • Commands run with sandbox user permissions
    • Parameters:
      • command: Command to execute

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions:

  • Authentication Issues

    • Run daytona login to refresh credentials

  • Connection Errors

    • Verify MCP server configuration
    • Check server status

  • Sandbox Errors

    • Use daytona sandbox list to check sandbox status

Support

For additional assistance: