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Overview

Vercel provides the simplest deployment option for the WebHelp MCP Server. The project is built with Next.js 15 and requires no additional environment variables or configuration for basic deployment.

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Prerequisites

Before deploying, ensure you have:
  • A GitHub account
  • A Vercel account (sign up at vercel.com)
  • Node.js installed locally for testing

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Deployment Steps

1

Fork and Clone the Repository

Fork the repository to your GitHub account and clone it locally:
git clone https://github.com/your-username/webhelp-mcp.git
cd webhelp-mcp
2

Install Dependencies

Install the required npm packages:
npm install
This installs all dependencies including:
  • Next.js 15.5.9
  • Model Context Protocol SDK
  • mcp-handler for MCP endpoint creation
  • jsdom and turndown for HTML to Markdown conversion
3

Build the Project Locally (Optional)

Test the build process before deploying:
npm run build
This runs the Next.js build process defined in package.json. The build command compiles TypeScript, optimizes assets, and prepares the application for production.
4

Push to GitHub

Commit any changes and push to your GitHub repository:
git add .
git commit -m "Prepare for Vercel deployment"
git push origin main
5

Import to Vercel

  1. Log in to your Vercel dashboard
  2. Click “Add New…” → “Project”
  3. Import your GitHub repository
  4. Vercel will automatically detect the Next.js framework
  5. Use the default settings - no environment variables are required for basic functionality
  6. Click “Deploy”
6

Access Your Server

Once deployed, your server will be available at:
https://<your-vercel-domain>/<site>
For example, to access documentation at docs.example.com:
https://your-app.vercel.app/docs.example.com

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Build Configuration

The project uses standard Next.js build configuration from package.json:
package.json
{
  "scripts": {
    "dev": "next dev",
    "build": "next build",
    "start": "next start",
    "test": "tsx --test lib/*.test.ts"
  }
}

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Build Process

  • npm run build: Compiles the Next.js application for production
  • npm run start: Starts the production server locally
  • npm run dev: Runs the development server with hot reloading

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Environment Variables (Optional)

While no environment variables are required for basic deployment, you can configure optional proxy settings:
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HTTPS_PROXY
string
HTTPS proxy URL for outbound requests. Used when the server needs to access external WebHelp deployments through a corporate proxy.
HTTPS_PROXY=http://proxy.company.com:8080
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HTTP_PROXY
string
HTTP proxy URL for outbound requests (fallback if HTTPS_PROXY is not set).
HTTP_PROXY=http://proxy.company.com:8080
These proxy settings are used in lib/webhelp-search-client.ts:119-123 when performing semantic searches:
lib/webhelp-search-client.ts
const proxyUrl =
  process.env.HTTPS_PROXY ||
  process.env.https_proxy ||
  process.env.HTTP_PROXY ||
  process.env.http_proxy;

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Next.js Configuration

The project uses a minimal Next.js configuration in next.config.ts:
next.config.ts
import type { NextConfig } from "next";

const nextConfig: NextConfig = {};

export default nextConfig;
This default configuration is sufficient for Vercel deployment. All Next.js defaults are used, including:
  • Automatic static optimization
  • Server-side rendering for dynamic routes
  • API route handling for the MCP endpoint

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Verifying Deployment

After deployment, test your MCP server:
  1. Access the endpoint at https://your-domain.vercel.app/docs.example.com
  2. Configure your AI tool to use the endpoint URL
  3. Test the search functionality by querying documentation
The live demo is available at webhelp-mcp.vercel.app for reference.

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Troubleshooting

  • Ensure all dependencies are listed in package.json
  • Check that TypeScript types are correct
  • Review Vercel build logs for specific errors
  • Verify the target WebHelp deployment is publicly accessible
  • Check for CORS issues if accessing private documentation
  • Consider configuring proxy settings if behind a firewall
  • The server fetches and processes WebHelp indexes on-demand
  • Large documentation sites may take longer to initialize
  • Consider implementing caching strategies (see Configuration)

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Next Steps

Configuration

Customize MCP handler options and Next.js settings

Security

Review security considerations for production deployments

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