For AI agents: The documentation index is at https://docs.digitalocean.com/llms.txt. Markdown versions of pages use the same URL with index.html.md in place of the HTML page (for example, append index.html.md to the directory path instead of opening the HTML document).

This content is automatically generated from https://github.com/digitalocean-labs/mcp-digitalocean/blob/main/pkg/registry/microdroplet/README.md.

Lifecycle and one-shot exec tools for DigitalOcean MicroVMs. Arguments use snake_case and mirror the public REST API under /v2/microvms.

Activate with --services microvms (or include microvms in SERVICES). Requires a valid DigitalOcean token (or OAuth via a hosted remote MCP client).

Tool names use the microvm-* prefix (service flag is microvms).

Hosted endpoint: https://microvms.mcp.digitalocean.com/mcp

Tools

Out of scope as MCP tools: interactive console WebSocket (GET …/console), Images API.

Tool reference

microvm-create

Create a MicroVM. source must have exactly one of oci_ref or checkpoint_id. region and size are required with oci_ref (inherited from the checkpoint when restoring).

Example:

{
  "name": "demo-nginx",
  "region": "mkc1",
  "size": { "cpu": 1, "memory": 2048 },
  "source": { "oci_ref": "docker.io/library/nginx:stable" },
  "networking": "public",
  "http_port": 80,
  "ports": [80]
}

microvm-list

microvm-get / microvm-delete / microvm-pause / microvm-resume

microvm-exec

Run a one-shot, non-interactive command in a running MicroVM. Requires the team feature gate exec_pty. There is no stdin; commands that run longer than about 50 seconds may time out. A non-zero exit_code is still a successful tool call (HTTP 200).

Example:

{
  "id": "microvm-uuid",
  "argv": ["echo", "hi"],
  "cwd": "/app",
  "output_encoding": "utf-8"
}

Response fields: stdout, stderr, exit_code, optional truncated / output_encoding.

microvm-file-write

Write a single file into the MicroVM’s workload container, replacing any existing file at path. The parent directory must exist. Requires the team feature gate file_transfer. A paused MicroVM is auto-resumed. The tool sends the SHA-256 of the content, so the API verifies the body before it replaces the target; a corrupted upload returns 422 and leaves the existing file untouched.

Example:

{ "id": "microvm-uuid", "path": "/app/config.json", "content": "{\"debug\":true}", "mode": "0600" }

Response fields: path, size_bytes, sha256, mode, uid, gid.

microvm-file-read

Read a single regular file from the MicroVM’s workload container. Requires the team feature gate file_transfer. A paused MicroVM is auto-resumed. The content is verified against the server’s SHA-256. Files above 4 MiB are refused; use doctl compute microvm download, which streams up to the API’s 64 MiB cap.

Response fields: path, size_bytes, sha256, encoding, content. Check encoding before treating content as text.

Checkpoint tools

Checkpoint create is async — poll microvm-checkpoint-get until status is CHECKPOINT_AVAILABLE or CHECKPOINT_FAILED. Deleting a checkpoint while capture is still in progress returns 400 (that restriction is on the checkpoint delete, not on deleting the MicroVM).

Agent-client walkthrough (Claude Code)

Verified path: add the hosted MicroVM MCP server, create a MicroVM, inspect it, then delete it. Uses OAuth (recommended) so you do not put a PAT in config.

1. Add the remote server

claude mcp add --transport http digitalocean-microvms https://microvms.mcp.digitalocean.com/mcp

On first tool use, Claude opens a browser for DigitalOcean sign-in.

API token alternative (shell expands the token once into Claude’s secure store):

claude mcp add --transport http digitalocean-microvms https://microvms.mcp.digitalocean.com/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer ${DIGITALOCEAN_API_TOKEN}"

2. Create a MicroVM

In Claude Code, ask something like:

Using the DigitalOcean MicroVM tools, create a MicroVM named tmp-mcp-walkthrough in region mkc1 with size cpu=1 memory=2048, image docker.io/library/nginx:stable, public networking, http_port 80.

Expected tool: microvm-create. Poll with microvm-get until state is running (or failed).

3. Optional: run a command

If your team has exec_pty enabled:

Run ["uname", "-a"] in that MicroVM with microvm-exec.

4. Clean up

Delete the MicroVM with microvm-delete.

Confirm with microvm-list that it is gone.

Cursor / VS Code

Add the same URL under MCP settings (OAuth or Bearer token). Tool names and arguments are identical to the table above. See the root README for mcp.json patterns used by other DigitalOcean hosted services.

Action Gateway

Hosted Agents discover these tools via the DigitalOcean Action Gateway catalog (digitalocean_microvm-* names). Registration SoT is digitalocean/tool-registry-manifest (providers/digitalocean/), not local cthulhu seed SQL.