# MCP server for AI agents

> Connect the open-source Bitrise Dev Environments MCP server to your AI agent so it can create and drive Remote Dev Environment sessions on your behalf.

The Bitrise Dev Environments MCP server lets any AI agent that supports the [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) — such as Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, or VS Code — create and drive Remote Dev Environment sessions for you. The server is open source.

## Connection options

There are two ways to connect to the MCP server: 

- **Hosted**: connect your MCP client to `https://mcp-rde.bitrise.io` and sign in with your browser the first time. There's nothing to install, and it's the recommended option.
- **Local**: run the server as a binary on your machine using a personal access token. This exposes the full tool set, including uploading and downloading files between the session and your computer.

## Adding the server to your MCP client

Set up the hosted server in the client you use:

**Claude Code**

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http bitrise-dev-environments https://mcp-rde.bitrise.io
```

Run `/mcp` and authenticate in your browser.

**Cursor**

Add the server to your `mcp.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bitrise-dev-environments": {
      "url": "https://mcp-rde.bitrise.io"
    }
  }
}
```

**VS Code**

Add the server to your MCP configuration:

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "bitrise-dev-environments": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp-rde.bitrise.io"
    }
  }
}
```

## Agent capabilities

Once connected, you can ask your agent in plain language to:

- Create, list, restore, terminate, and delete sessions.
- Boot an iOS simulator or Android emulator with a session, wait until it's ready, and drive it: install a build, tap through the UI, take screenshots, and run tests. See [Device sessions](/bitrise-rde/devices/device-sessions).
- Mint a [device preview link](/bitrise-rde/devices/device-preview-links) that opens an app build on a device in someone else's browser.
- Keep sessions ready in a [warm pool](/bitrise-rde/configuration/warm-pools) and claim one when it needs a machine right away.
- Run shell commands in a session over SSH.
- Take screenshots of, and control, the macOS desktop.
- Open SSH or VNC remote access.
- Report the workspace's active session and resource usage (workspace owners and billing managers only).
- Upload and download files (local server only).

For example: *"Spin up a macOS Xcode session, clone my repo, and run the unit tests."* Or: *"Create a session with an iPhone 16 simulator, build the app, and check the onboarding flow."*

The server also ships the guides an agent needs to drive a virtual device, as MCP resources and as a tool. See [Guides for AI agents](/bitrise-rde/devices/device-sessions#guides-for-ai-agents).

## Authentication

* The hosted server uses browser-based sign-in, so there's no token to manage. 
* The local server authenticates with a Bitrise [personal access token](https://app.bitrise.io/me/account/security) set as the `BITRISE_TOKEN` environment variable. If you belong to more than one workspace, set `BITRISE_WORKSPACE_ID`.

## Learn more

For the local setup, the full list of tools, and per-client install guides, see the open-source repository: [bitrise-io/bitrise-mcp-dev-environments](https://github.com/bitrise-io/bitrise-mcp-dev-environments).