MCP Key Server

Overview

The MCP Key Server is a purpose‑built Model Context Protocol service that centralizes the storage and retrieval of sensitive API keys while also offering a lightweight NPM package installation gateway. For developers building AI‑enabled applications, this server removes the friction of managing secrets across multiple services and eliminates the need for a separate package registry, enabling rapid prototyping and secure production workflows.

At its core, the server exposes a set of MCP endpoints that allow an AI assistant to authenticate users, fetch stored keys, and trigger package installations on demand. By leveraging PostgreSQL for persistence, Pydantic for data validation, and Docker for containerization, the solution guarantees both reliability and ease of deployment. The integration with AWS further allows seamless scaling in cloud environments, making it suitable for anything from small prototypes to enterprise‑grade deployments.

Key capabilities include:

• Secure key vault – Keys are stored encrypted and can be scoped to specific users or projects, ensuring that only authorized assistants or developers can access them.
• NPM installation service – The server accepts package requests, resolves dependencies via the public NPM registry, and returns installation metadata that can be passed back to an AI workflow for dynamic code generation or execution.
• Authentication & authorization – Built‑in support for user tokens and role checks keeps the system compliant with common security practices.
• Docker & AWS support – Quick spin‑up via Docker Compose and automated deployment scripts simplify the transition from local testing to production.

Typical use cases include:

• AI‑driven code assistants that need to pull in external libraries on the fly while keeping API keys hidden from end users.
• Continuous integration pipelines that rely on AI to generate or modify code, requiring secure access to deployment secrets.
• Rapid experimentation environments where developers can request new NPM packages without manual registry configuration, allowing the AI to suggest or install relevant dependencies instantly.

By embedding the key server within an MCP workflow, developers gain a single source of truth for secrets and dependencies. This reduces attack surface, streamlines CI/CD pipelines, and accelerates the time‑to‑value for AI‑powered applications.