rustunnel

name	rustunnel
description	Expose local services via secure tunnels using rustunnel MCP server. Create public URLs for local HTTP/TCP services for testing, webhooks, and deployment.
version	1.0.0
author	rustunnel
tags	["tunnel","ngrok","expose","devops","deployment","testing","webhooks"]

Rustunnel - Secure Tunnel Management

Expose local services (HTTP/TCP) through public URLs using rustunnel. Perfect for testing webhooks, sharing local development, and deployment workflows.

When to Use

• Webhook testing - Expose local server to receive webhooks from external services
• Demo sharing - Share local development with stakeholders
• CI/CD integration - Expose preview environments
• Database access - Expose local TCP services (PostgreSQL, Redis, etc.)
• Mobile testing - Test mobile apps against local backend

IMPORTANT: Use MCP Tools, Not CLI

Always use MCP tools for tunnel management. They handle lifecycle automatically.

Method	Lifecycle	Recommended
MCP tools (create_tunnel, close_tunnel)	Automatic cleanup	Yes
CLI (rustunnel http 3000)	Manual process management	Only for cloud sandboxes

Why MCP tools?

• Automatic cleanup when closed
• No orphaned processes
• Proper tunnel lifecycle management
• Returns tunnel_id for tracking

---

Token

The API token is configured when the plugin is enabled and is available via the RUSTUNNEL_TOKEN environment variable. Read it from there when making tool calls — do not ask the user for their token.

token = env("RUSTUNNEL_TOKEN")

---

MCP Tools

create_tunnel

Expose a local port and get a public URL.

Parameters:

Param	Type	Required	Description
token	string	yes	API token (read from RUSTUNNEL_TOKEN env var)
local_port	integer	yes	Local port to expose
protocol	"http" | "tcp"	yes	Tunnel type
subdomain	string	no	Custom subdomain (HTTP only)
region	string	no	Region ID (e.g. "eu", "us", "ap"). Omit to auto-select. Use list_regions to see options.

Returns:

{
  "public_url": "https://abc123.edge.rustunnel.com",
  "tunnel_id": "a1b2c3d4-...",
  "protocol": "http"
}

Lifecycle: Tunnel stays open until close_tunnel is called or MCP server exits.

close_tunnel

Close a tunnel by ID. Public URL stops working immediately.

Parameters:

Param	Type	Required	Description
token	string	yes	API token
tunnel_id	string	yes	UUID from create_tunnel

This is the proper way to close tunnels. No orphaned processes.

list_tunnels

List all currently active tunnels.

Parameters:

Param	Type	Required	Description
token	string	yes	API token

Returns: JSON array of tunnel objects.

get_tunnel_history

Retrieve history of past tunnels.

Parameters:

Param	Type	Required	Description
token	string	yes	API token
protocol	"http" | "tcp"	no	Filter by protocol
limit	integer	no	Max entries (default: 25)

list_regions

List available tunnel server regions. No authentication required.

Parameters: None

Returns: JSON array of region objects:

[
  { "id": "eu", "name": "Europe", "location": "Helsinki, FI", "host": "eu.edge.rustunnel.com", "control_port": 4040, "active": true }
]

get_connection_info

Returns the CLI command string without spawning anything. Use when MCP can't spawn subprocesses (cloud sandboxes, containers) or you prefer running the CLI yourself.

Parameters:

Param	Type	Required	Description
token	string	yes	API token
local_port	integer	yes	Local port to expose
protocol	"http" | "tcp"	yes	Tunnel type
region	string	no	Region ID (e.g. "eu"). Omit to auto-select.

Returns:

{
  "cli_command": "rustunnel http 3000 --server edge.rustunnel.com:4040 --token abc123",
  "server": "edge.rustunnel.com:4040",
  "install_url": "https://github.com/joaoh82/rustunnel/releases/latest"
}

---

Common Workflows

1. Expose Local API

1. Read token from RUSTUNNEL_TOKEN env var
2. Create tunnel: create_tunnel(token, local_port=3000, protocol="http")
3. Store tunnel_id for later cleanup
4. Return public_url to user
5. When done: close_tunnel(token, tunnel_id)

2. Custom Subdomain

1. Read token from RUSTUNNEL_TOKEN env var
2. create_tunnel(token, local_port=5173, protocol="http", subdomain="myapp-preview")
3. Return URL: https://myapp-preview.edge.rustunnel.com
4. close_tunnel(token, tunnel_id) when done

3. TCP Tunnel (Database)

1. Read token from RUSTUNNEL_TOKEN env var
2. create_tunnel(token, local_port=5432, protocol="tcp")
3. Return tcp://host:port for connection
4. close_tunnel(token, tunnel_id) when done

4. Cloud Sandbox (CLI Fallback)

1. Read token from RUSTUNNEL_TOKEN env var
2. get_connection_info(token, local_port=3000, protocol="http")
3. Output CLI command for user to run locally
4. User runs command
5. list_tunnels(token) to verify and get public_url
6. When done, user Ctrl+C the CLI process

---

Architecture

Internet ──── :443 ────▶ rustunnel-server ────▶ WebSocket ────▶ rustunnel-client ────▶ localhost:PORT
                              │
                        Dashboard (:8443)
                        REST API

Security Notes

• Tokens are sent over HTTPS (use --insecure only in local dev)
• MCP tools handle process cleanup automatically
• Tunnels are closed when MCP server exits
• Token is stored securely by Claude Code plugin system

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Resources

• GitHub Repository
• MCP Server Documentation
• Plugin Documentation