instabox-mcp

Publish a port

instabox_publish_port

Expose a machine port as a public HTTPS URL so others can reach a running service; this does not start a server. The URL is not secret; anyone with it can access that service until you unpublish it.

Instructions

Give a port of a machine a public HTTPS URL. WARNING: the URL is not secret; anyone who has it can reach the whole service on that port until you unpublish it. It does not start a server. A visit wakes an idle-paused machine. Max 16 per machine, ports 1024-65535. Publishing again keeps the URL and renames it.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "id": "<id>",
      "port": "<port>"
    },
    "name": "instabox_publish_port"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`id`	Yes	Machine ID (m_...) or its unique name
`name`	No	Display name (default 'Port N')
`port`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.1.0Nov 1, 2026

TDQS

A4.4/5.0

Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Goes well past the annotations (readOnlyHint=false, destructiveHint=false) by disclosing the security exposure ('anyone who has it can reach the whole service'), the lifetime scope, the 16-per-machine quota, the port range, and the wake-on-visit side effect. The republish/rename behavior is consistent with idempotentHint=false rather than contradicting it.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded action, then a capitalized warning, then constraints — every sentence carries a distinct, decision-relevant fact with no filler or repetition.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a mutation tool with no output schema, the description covers preconditions, limits and side effects well. The only gap is that it never states what the call returns (presumably the public URL), which the agent must infer.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 67%: id and name are self-documented and port carries min/max bounds, so the 'ports 1024-65535' sentence mostly restates the schema. The republish sentence does add a hint that name drives renaming, but the description never explains name's role or default directly.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Specific verb+resource: 'Give a port of a machine a public HTTPS URL' — an agent immediately knows what happens. It is clearly distinguished from instabox_list_ports and instabox_unpublish_port, the latter referenced by 'until you unpublish it'.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The 'It does not start a server' note preempts a likely wrong assumption about when this tool applies, and the republish rule ('keeps the URL and renames it') tells the agent re-invocation is acceptable. It stops short of naming unpublish_port as the explicit alternative for removal.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.