# Getting started with AI deployment

> Connect your AI coding assistant to Ploi Cloud and start deploying applications with natural language.

Getting started with AI deployment
-----------------------------------

Ploi Cloud supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard that lets AI coding assistants interact with external services. Once connected, you can deploy applications, add databases, check logs, and manage your infrastructure using natural language — directly from your editor.

### What is MCP?

MCP is a protocol that allows AI tools to securely connect to services like Ploi Cloud. Think of it as giving your AI assistant permission to manage your apps on your behalf. Your AI tool handles the connection automatically — you just need to add one line of configuration.

### Prerequisites

- A Ploi Cloud account ([sign up free](https://ploi.cloud/register))
- An AI tool that supports MCP (Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, or any MCP-compatible client)

### Quick install

Run this in your terminal to connect Claude Code to Ploi Cloud:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http ploi-cloud https://ploi.cloud/mcp
```

That's it. The first time you use a Ploi Cloud tool, your browser will open to authorize access. Sign in with your Ploi Cloud account and approve the connection — this only happens once.

### Alternative: manual configuration

You can also add this to your project's `.mcp.json` file, or to `~/.claude/.mcp.json` for global access:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ploi-cloud": {
      "url": "https://ploi.cloud/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Connect other tools

For Cursor, Windsurf, and other MCP-compatible tools, add the MCP server URL in your tool's settings:

```
https://ploi.cloud/mcp
```

The exact location varies by tool — check your tool's documentation for where to configure MCP servers.

### Quick example

Once connected, you can have conversations like this:

> **You:** Deploy my Laravel app from github.com/myorg/myapp
>
> **AI:** I'll create an application on Ploi Cloud for your Laravel app. Let me detect the project settings...
>
> I've created "myapp" with:
> - PHP 8.3 with the extensions from your composer.json
> - MySQL database (detected from your dependencies)
> - Redis cache
> - Build command: composer install && npm install && npm run build
>
> Deploying now... Your app is live at https://myapp.ams.preview.ploi.it

### What happens during authorization

When you first connect, your AI tool will:

1. Discover the OAuth endpoints at `https://ploi.cloud/mcp`
2. Open your browser to the Ploi Cloud consent screen
3. You sign in and approve access
4. The token is exchanged and stored locally by your AI tool

Your AI tool can then make API calls to Ploi Cloud on your behalf. You can revoke access at any time from your Ploi Cloud account settings.

### Install the deploy skill

Install the deploy skill for one-command deployments:

```bash
npx skills add ploicloud/skill
```

Or clone it directly for Claude Code:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/ploicloud/skill ~/.claude/skills/pc-deploy
```

Then type `/pc-deploy` from your project directory to deploy it to Ploi Cloud. See [Deploy skill for Claude Code](/documentation/ai/deploy-skill) for details.

### Next steps

- [Available AI tools](/documentation/ai/available-tools) — see everything you can do
- [Deploy skill for Claude Code](/documentation/ai/deploy-skill) — automated deployment workflow