MCP (Model Context Protocol)
MCP is a protocol so an AI client (Cursor, Claude Desktop, Codex) can list and call tools on a remote server over Streamable HTTP. On NorthernGo it is three Pro surfaces, not one: a remote MCP as a data source for a published app (including hosted Bokio and Gmail adapters), NorthernGo’s official MCP so Cursor can generate_app, and an optional hosted MCP for a Gemini- or MCP-created app’s own collections.
Three different things on one panel
My Projects → More → MCP is a hybrid. Mixing the keys is the failure mode.
1. Remote MCP as a data source. You paste a Streamable HTTP URL, or — for Bokio — a company UUID and a private integration token, or — for Gmail — Connect Gmail (OAuth). NorthernGo hosts those adapters; you do not paste a MCP URL. The published app calls window.NorthernGoMCP.listTools() and .callTool(name, args). On a Pro rebuild the builder reads the live tool list into plan and logic. Local stdio servers (npx …) cannot run from a browser app. The editor preview does not reach that server. Numbered Bokio steps: How do I connect Bokio to my app. Gmail: How do I connect Gmail to my app.
2. NorthernGo as an MCP server for Cursor. URL https://northerngo-backend.onrender.com/api/ng-mcp, key ngmcp_ (shown once). generate_app starts the same cloud Generate as the editor (no NorthernGo credit). create_app lands finished HTML. get_app / save_app iterate. It cannot publish. Do not paste a Firebase login token.
3. This app as an MCP server. Optional, off by default. After a Gemini Generate or MCP create_app / generate_app, NorthernGo’s backend speaks MCP on behalf of that app at /api/app-mcp/{projectId} with a separate ngapp_ key. Tools are list_ / save_ / delete_ for the app’s NorthernGoDB collections. When Gmail, Bokio or a remote MCP is connected to that app, the same tool names as window.NorthernGoMCP.callTool are listed and callable here. Local Ollama and WebGPU apps are not eligible. Anyone with the key reads rows as the owner.
The generated HTML is static. It is not itself a server.
Not a REST API and not a webhook
A REST API is URLs and HTTP verbs your code calls. A webhook is an inbound POST when something happened. MCP is a tool catalog plus JSON-RPC so an agent can discover operations at runtime. The data underneath on NorthernGo is still CRUD against collections.
The misconception
“Connect MCP” does not mean the generated app is an MCP server. That third switch is separate, Pro-only, and uses ngapp_ — never reuse ngmcp_. The honest FAQ is Can my generated app become an MCP server that others connect to.
Frequently asked questions
Is a generated NorthernGo app an MCP server by default?
No. The switch is off until you enable it on Pro, after a Gemini Generate or MCP create_app / generate_app. Local Ollama and WebGPU apps cannot host it. The key is ngapp_, not ngmcp_.
How do I connect Bokio?
Pro. My Projects → More → MCP → Bokio: company UUID plus a private integration token from Settings → API Tokens. Rebuild, then open the live ?app= URL — not the editor preview. Numbered steps: How do I connect Bokio to my app.
How do I connect Gmail?
Pro. My Projects → More → MCP → Connect Gmail. If Google shows an unverified-app warning, click Advanced, then Go to northerngo-backend.onrender.com (unsafe) — do not open the googlegroups.com mail. Rebuild, then open the live ?app= URL or subdomain — not the editor preview. Numbered steps: How do I connect Gmail to my app.
Build it yourself
NorthernGo turns a plain-text description into a working web app with a database, login and a live URL. Local AI generation runs on your own GPU, is unlimited, and is free on every plan.