MCP Server Configuration: Environment Variables and Settings

MCP Server Configuration

The Xplorr MCP server is configured through environment variables. There are only three, and only one is required.

Environment Variables

Variable	Required	Default	Description
`XPLORR_API_TOKEN`	Yes*	—	Your `xplorr_` prefixed API token
`XPLORR_API_URL`	No	`https://api.xplorr.io`	Override if self-hosting the Xplorr backend
`PORT`	No	`3005`	Port the MCP HTTP server listens on

*Required in single-tenant (self-hosted) mode. In multi-tenant mode (hosted), the token is passed per-request via Authorization: Bearer xplorr_... headers.

Getting an API Token

Log in to console.xplorr.io
Go to Settings > API Tokens
Click Create Token and give it a name
Copy the token (starts with xplorr_)

Example `.env` File

# Required — your Xplorr API token
XPLORR_API_TOKEN=xplorr_sk_a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8i9j0k1l2m3n4o5p6

# Optional — override for on-prem Xplorr deployments
# XPLORR_API_URL=https://api.your-company.com

# Optional — change the listen port (default: 3005)
# PORT=3005

Pointing at a Self-Hosted Backend

If you run the Xplorr platform on your own infrastructure, set XPLORR_API_URL to your backend’s base URL:

XPLORR_API_TOKEN=xplorr_sk_a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8i9j0k1l2m3n4o5p6
XPLORR_API_URL=https://api.your-company.com

The MCP server appends /api/v1/... to this URL for all API calls. Make sure the backend is reachable from the machine running the MCP server.

Health Check Endpoint

The server exposes a health endpoint at GET /health:

curl http://localhost:3005/health

{
  "status": "ok",
  "service": "xplorr-mcp",
  "tools": 26,
  "mode": "single-tenant"
}

Use this for container health checks, load balancer probes, or just verifying the server is running.

Single-Tenant vs Multi-Tenant Mode

Single-tenant mode activates when XPLORR_API_TOKEN is set as an environment variable. All requests use that token. This is how self-hosted deployments work — one token, one org.

Multi-tenant mode activates when XPLORR_API_TOKEN is NOT set. The server expects each incoming request to include an Authorization: Bearer xplorr_... header. This is how the hosted endpoint at https://mcp.xplorr.io/mcp works — each user sends their own token.

	Single-Tenant	Multi-Tenant
`XPLORR_API_TOKEN` env var	Set	Not set
Auth header from client	Not required	Required
Best for	Personal use, on-prem	Hosted endpoint, multi-user

FAQ

Can I run multiple instances with different tokens? Yes. Each instance is independent. Run one per org or per user if needed.

What happens if the token is invalid? The MCP server returns an error on the first tool call. It validates the token during the exchange flow, not at startup.

Can I change the port in the hosted version? No. The hosted endpoint at https://mcp.xplorr.io/mcp is fixed. You only control the port when self-hosting.

MCP Overview — Deployment options and architecture
Hosted MCP — Zero-setup hosted endpoint
Self-Host with Docker — Run in a container
Self-Host with Node.js — Run directly with Node
API Authentication — Token creation and management