HTMLvault MCP Server: Let Claude Create and Manage Secure Links Directly

The Problem: Context-Switching Kills Momentum

You're deep in a Claude conversation, refining a sales proposal or building a lead-scoring dashboard. The HTML is ready. Now you need to publish it as a secure, trackable link—which means opening another tab, logging into HTMLvault, pasting the code, configuring expiry and password settings, copying the link back, and resuming your conversation.

That workflow works, but it fragments your attention. For teams using AI assistants as their primary workspace—Chip Bellfort has been known to draft, revise, and send three proposals without ever leaving a Claude chat—every context switch adds friction. The MCP server eliminates it.

What MCP Is (and Why It Matters)

MCP stands for Model Context Protocol, an open standard that lets AI assistants call external tools directly. Instead of describing what you want and then doing it yourself, you can ask Claude to actually do it—create a link, check analytics, delete an expired page—within the same conversation.

HTMLvault's MCP server exposes seven tools to any MCP-compatible client:

• create_link — publish HTML and receive a secure URL
• scan_html — run PII and secrets detection without publishing
• list_links — retrieve your recent links with metadata
• get_link — fetch details for a specific link
• update_link — change expiry, password, or HTML content
• delete_link — permanently remove a link
• get_analytics — pull view counts, unique visitors, geo, device, scroll depth, and time-on-page

Who This Is For

The MCP integration is designed for sales, marketing, and RevOps professionals who already use Claude Desktop or Claude Code as part of their daily workflow. If you're generating proposals, one-pagers, competitive battlecards, or internal dashboards with AI assistance, this feature lets you publish and track them without leaving the conversation.

It's also useful for technical teams building automations. Because MCP is a standardized protocol, the same server that powers Claude can integrate with other MCP-compatible agents as the ecosystem grows.

How to Enable the MCP Server

The MCP server requires a Pro or Enterprise API key. Free-tier users can upgrade from the HTMLvault dashboard under Settings → Billing.

Step 1: Generate an API Key

Navigate to Settings → API Keys in your HTMLvault dashboard. Click Create Key, give it a descriptive name (e.g., "Claude Desktop - MCP"), and copy the key. You won't see it again.

Step 2: Install the MCP Server

The HTMLvault MCP server is distributed as an npm package. In your terminal:

npm install -g @htmlvault/mcp-server

Step 3: Configure Claude Desktop or Claude Code

Add the server to your MCP configuration file. For Claude Desktop on macOS, edit ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "htmlvault": {
      "command": "htmlvault-mcp",
      "env": {
        "HTMLVAULT_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop. You'll see HTMLvault tools available in the tool picker.

Worked Example: Publishing a Proposal from Claude

Imagine you've just finished iterating on a sales proposal with Claude. The HTML is in the conversation. You can now say:

Publish this proposal as an HTMLvault link. Set it to expire in 14 days, require a password "acme2025", and scan for PII before publishing.

Claude calls scan_html first. If the scan detects exposed email addresses or API keys, it reports back so you can redact. Once clean, it calls create_link with your expiry and password settings, then returns the secure URL directly in the chat.

A week later, before your follow-up call, you ask Claude:

How many times has that Acme proposal been viewed?

Claude calls get_analytics and returns: 4 views, 2 unique visitors, average time-on-page of 3 minutes 12 seconds, and scroll depth indicating both visitors reached the pricing section. You now know the deal is warm and exactly which content resonated.

Limits and Caveats

• Pro or Enterprise API key required. Free-tier keys will receive an authentication error.
• Rate limits apply. The MCP server inherits your plan's API rate limits (Pro: 100 requests/minute; Enterprise: custom).
• BYOK AI scanning. If you use AI-powered PII scanning via scan_html, you must configure your own Anthropic, OpenAI, or Google API key in the HTMLvault dashboard. HTMLvault does not fund inference tokens.
• MCP client compatibility. Currently tested with Claude Desktop and Claude Code. Other MCP clients may work but are not officially supported.
• No file uploads via MCP. The create_link tool accepts raw HTML strings only. For file-based workflows, use the REST API or web dashboard.

Why This Matters

For the sales rep drafting proposals in Claude, this means secure, trackable links without ever leaving the chat window. For the RevOps lead building dashboards, it means publishing and checking performance in a single command. And for the IT team evaluating tools, it means the same security posture—PII scanning, auto-expiry, password protection, zero indexing—enforced whether links are created from the dashboard, the API, or an AI assistant.

The MCP server doesn't change what HTMLvault does. It changes where you can do it: anywhere Claude is already part of your workflow.