mcp-nextcloud/docs/running.md

# Running the Server

This guide covers different ways to start and run the Nextcloud MCP server.

## Prerequisites

Before running the server:

1. **Install the server** - See [Installation Guide](installation.md)
2. **Configure environment** - See [Configuration Guide](configuration.md)
3. **Set up authentication** - See [Authentication](authentication.md) (multi-user deployments: see [Login Flow v2](login-flow-v2.md))

---

## Quick Start

Start the server using Docker:

```bash
# OAuth mode (--oauth, recommended for multi-user; required by Login Flow v2)
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth

# BasicAuth mode (single-user or multi-user pass-through)
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest
```

> **Note:** Under `--oauth` the MCP server is an **OIDC relying party of a configurable IdP** (Nextcloud's built-in OIDC by default; Keycloak, AWS Cognito, etc. via `OIDC_DISCOVERY_URL`) and exposes an OAuth facade for MCP clients. Bearer tokens are validated against the IdP's JWKS. The MCP server does **not** forward client OAuth tokens to Nextcloud — Nextcloud is always reached via per-user app passwords ([Login Flow v2](login-flow-v2.md)) or Basic Auth credentials.

The server will start on `http://127.0.0.1:8000` by default.

---

## Running with Docker

### Basic Docker Run

#### OAuth Mode (`--oauth`, recommended for multi-user)

The `--oauth` flag turns on the OAuth/OIDC layer. In this mode the MCP server is an **OIDC relying party of a configurable IdP** — Nextcloud's built-in OIDC by default, or any OIDC-compliant provider (Keycloak, AWS Cognito, Auth0, etc.) selected via `OIDC_DISCOVERY_URL`. The MCP server validates Bearer tokens against that IdP's JWKS and exposes an OAuth facade for MCP clients. [Login Flow v2](login-flow-v2.md) is layered on top to acquire and store per-user Nextcloud app passwords for the data leg.

The MCP server registers itself with the IdP in one of two ways:

- **Static client (preferred)** — set `NEXTCLOUD_OIDC_CLIENT_ID` and `NEXTCLOUD_OIDC_CLIENT_SECRET` in `.env` (matching a client you registered in your IdP — Nextcloud admin → OIDC, Keycloak realm → Clients, etc.). These env-var names predate multi-IdP support; they hold generic OIDC client credentials.
- **Dynamic Client Registration (fallback)** — if the static creds aren't set and the IdP advertises a `registration_endpoint`, the server self-registers via RFC 7591.

```bash
# OAuth with static (pre-registered) client — preferred
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  -e NEXTCLOUD_OIDC_CLIENT_ID=abc123 \
  -e NEXTCLOUD_OIDC_CLIENT_SECRET=xyz789 \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth

# OAuth with auto-registration (DCR) — used when static creds are absent
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth

# OAuth on a custom port
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8080:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth

# OAuth with specific apps only
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth \
  --enable-app notes --enable-app calendar
```

#### BasicAuth Mode

```bash
# BasicAuth (requires NEXTCLOUD_USERNAME/PASSWORD in .env)
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest

# BasicAuth with specific apps
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest \
  --enable-app notes --enable-app webdav
```

### Docker with Persistent Token Storage

```bash
# Mount volume for persistent OAuth token storage
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env \
  -v $(pwd)/data:/app/data \
  --rm ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth
```

### Docker Compose

Create `docker-compose.yml`:

```yaml
services:
  mcp:
    image: ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest
    command: --oauth --enable-app notes --enable-app calendar
    ports:
      - "127.0.0.1:8000:8000"
    env_file:
      - .env
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data  # Persistent token storage
    restart: unless-stopped
```

Start the service:

```bash
# Start in foreground
docker-compose up

# Start in background
docker-compose up -d

# View logs
docker-compose logs -f

# Stop the service
docker-compose down
```

---

## Server Options

### Host and Port

```bash
# Bind to all interfaces (accessible from network)
docker run -p 0.0.0.0:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth

# Bind to localhost only (default, more secure)
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth

# Use a different port (map host port 8080 to container port 8000)
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8080:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth
```

**Security Note:** Binding to `0.0.0.0` exposes the server to your network. Only use this if you understand the security implications.

### Transport Protocols

The server supports multiple MCP transport protocols:

```bash
# Streamable HTTP (default, recommended)
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth \
  --transport streamable-http

# SSE - Server-Sent Events (deprecated)
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth \
  --transport sse

# HTTP
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth \
  --transport http
```

> [!WARNING]
> SSE transport is deprecated and will be removed in a future version of the MCP spec. Please migrate to `streamable-http`.

### Logging

```bash
# Set log level (critical, error, warning, info, debug, trace)
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth \
  --log-level debug

# Production: use warning or error
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth \
  --log-level warning
```

### Selective App Enablement

By default, all supported Nextcloud apps are enabled. You can enable specific apps only:

```bash
# Available apps: notes, tables, webdav, calendar, contacts, cookbook, deck

# Enable all apps (default)
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth

# Enable only Notes
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth \
  --enable-app notes

# Enable multiple apps
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth \
  --enable-app notes --enable-app calendar --enable-app contacts

# Enable only WebDAV for file operations
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth \
  --enable-app webdav
```

**Use cases:**
- Reduce memory usage and startup time
- Limit functionality for security/organizational reasons
- Test specific app integrations
- Run lightweight instances with only needed features

---

## Development Mode

### Running for Development

For active development with auto-reload, mount your source code as a volume:

```bash
# Development mode with source code mounted
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  -v $(pwd):/app \
  -v $(pwd)/data:/app/data \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth \
  --log-level debug
```

For local development without Docker:

```bash
# Load environment variables
export $(grep -v '^#' .env | xargs)

# Run the server with auto-reload
uv run nextcloud-mcp-server run --oauth --log-level debug
```

### CLI Subcommands

The `nextcloud-mcp-server` CLI has two main subcommands:

1. **`run`** - Start the MCP server (default command in Docker)
   ```bash
   uv run nextcloud-mcp-server run --oauth --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8000
   ```

2. **`db`** - Database migration management (Alembic)
   ```bash
   # Show current migration revision
   uv run nextcloud-mcp-server db current

   # Upgrade to latest migration
   uv run nextcloud-mcp-server db upgrade

   # Show migration history
   uv run nextcloud-mcp-server db history

   # Create new migration (developers only)
   uv run nextcloud-mcp-server db migrate "description of changes"
   ```

### Database Migrations

Token storage uses **Alembic** for schema management:

- **Automatic migrations**: Database is upgraded automatically on server startup
- **Backward compatibility**: Pre-Alembic databases are automatically stamped with the initial revision
- **Migration files**: Located in `alembic/versions/`
- **For developers**: When changing the schema:
  1. Create a migration: `uv run nextcloud-mcp-server db migrate "add new column"`
  2. Edit the generated file in `alembic/versions/` to add SQL statements
  3. Test upgrade: `uv run nextcloud-mcp-server db upgrade`
  4. Test downgrade: `uv run nextcloud-mcp-server db downgrade`

See [Database Migrations Guide](database-migrations.md) for detailed information.

---

## Connecting to the Server

### Using MCP Inspector

MCP Inspector is a browser-based tool for testing MCP servers:

1. Start your MCP server using Docker (see above)
2. Start MCP Inspector:
   ```bash
   npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector
   ```
3. In the browser:
   - Enter server URL: `http://localhost:8000`
   - Complete OAuth flow (if using OAuth)
   - Explore tools and resources

### Using MCP Clients

MCP clients (like Claude Desktop, LLM IDEs) can connect to your server:

1. Configure the client with your server URL
2. Complete OAuth authentication (if enabled)
3. Start interacting with Nextcloud through the LLM

---

## Verifying Server Status

### Check Server Health

The server exposes two Kubernetes-style probe endpoints:

```bash
# Liveness — server process is up (always 200 if running)
curl http://localhost:8000/health/live

# Readiness — server can reach Nextcloud and (if enabled) Qdrant
curl http://localhost:8000/health/ready
```

`/health/live` returns `200 OK` as long as the process is running. `/health/ready`
returns `200 OK` with a JSON body describing each dependency check, or `503` with
the same JSON body listing which checks failed — use the readiness probe when
troubleshooting connectivity to Nextcloud or Qdrant.

### Check Deployment Mode

The server logs the detected deployment mode on startup. Look for these
messages in the container logs:

**At server boot (all modes):**
```
INFO     ✅ Configuration validated successfully for <mode> mode
INFO     Configuring MCP server for <mode> mode
INFO     Health check endpoints enabled: /health/live, /health/ready
```

`<mode>` is one of `single_user_basic`, `multi_user_basic`, or `login_flow`,
matching the `MCP_DEPLOYMENT_MODE` setting.

**Additional OAuth-mode messages (at server boot):**
```
INFO     OAuth client ready: <client-id>...
INFO     OAuth configuration complete
```

**Additional single-user BasicAuth messages (per MCP session):**

These fire when the first MCP client connects, not at server boot — if you
have just started the container and no client has connected yet, you will not
see them in the logs:
```
INFO     Starting MCP session in single-user BasicAuth mode
INFO     Creating shared Nextcloud client with BasicAuth
INFO     Client initialization complete
```

---

## Process Management

### Running as a Background Service

Use Docker Compose with `restart: unless-stopped` (see [Docker Compose section](#docker-compose) above).

### Monitoring Logs

```bash
# Docker (find container name first)
docker ps
docker logs -f <container-name>

# Docker Compose
docker-compose logs -f mcp
```

---

## Performance Tuning

### Production Settings

For production deployments, use Docker Compose with the recommended settings:

```yaml
services:
  mcp:
    image: ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest
    command: --oauth --log-level warning --transport streamable-http
    ports:
      - "127.0.0.1:8000:8000"
    env_file:
      - .env
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped
    deploy:
      resources:
        limits:
          cpus: '2'
          memory: 1G
        reservations:
          cpus: '0.5'
          memory: 512M
```

### Scaling with Multiple Replicas

For higher load, use Docker Swarm or Kubernetes. See the [Helm chart](https://github.com/cbcoutinho/helm-charts) for Kubernetes deployments.

---

## Troubleshooting

### Server won't start

Check logs for errors:
```bash
# View container logs
docker logs <container-name>

# Or run with debug logging
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000 --env-file .env --rm \
  ghcr.io/cbcoutinho/nextcloud-mcp-server:latest --oauth \
  --log-level debug
```

Common issues:
- Environment variables not loaded - Check your `.env` file
- Port already in use - Use a different host port (e.g., `-p 127.0.0.1:8080:8000`)
- OAuth configuration errors - See [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting.md)

### Can't connect to server

1. Verify server is running: `curl http://localhost:8000/health/live`
2. Check firewall settings
3. Verify host binding (use `0.0.0.0` to allow network access)
4. Check OAuth authentication if enabled

### OAuth authentication fails

See [Troubleshooting OAuth](troubleshooting.md) for detailed OAuth troubleshooting.

---

## See Also

- [Configuration Guide](configuration.md) - Environment variables
- [Authentication](authentication.md) - Authentication modes
- [Login Flow v2](login-flow-v2.md) - Recommended multi-user setup
- [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting.md) - Common issues and solutions
- [Installation](installation.md) - Installing the server