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MCP server for AI agents

The Bitrise Dev Environments MCP server lets any AI assistant that supports the Model Context Protocol — 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 optionsClick to copy link​

There are two ways to connect to the MCP server:

  • Hosted: connect your assistant 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 AI assistantClick to copy link​

Set up the hosted server in the client you use:

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

Run /mcp and authenticate in your browser.

Assistant capabilitiesClick to copy link​

Once connected, you can ask your assistant 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.
  • Mint a device preview link that opens an app build on a device in someone else's browser.
  • Keep sessions ready in a warm pool 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 assistant needs to drive a virtual device, as MCP resources and as a tool. See Guides for AI agents.

AuthenticationClick to copy link​

  • 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 set as the BITRISE_TOKEN environment variable. If you belong to more than one workspace, set BITRISE_WORKSPACE_ID.

Learn moreClick to copy link​

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.

See also