Anki MCP v0.8.0: One-Command Ngrok Setup for ChatGPT & Claude.ai

We’re excited to announce Anki MCP 0.8.0, which brings integrated ngrok tunneling to the npm package. Now you can start your server with a public tunnel using just one command - no more juggling multiple terminals!

What’s New

🚇 One-Command Tunnel Setup

A new --ngrok flag makes it incredibly simple to expose your local Anki MCP server to web-based AI assistants like ChatGPT or Claude.ai.

Before (Two terminals):

# Terminal 1
npx @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server

# Terminal 2
ngrok http 3000

Now (One command):

npx @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server --ngrok

That’s it! The server automatically starts ngrok, extracts the public URL, and displays it right in the startup banner.

🎯 Clean Display

When you run with --ngrok, you’ll see:

╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║              AnkiMCP HTTP Server v0.8.0                        ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

🚀 Server running on: http://127.0.0.1:3000
🔌 AnkiConnect URL:   http://localhost:8765
🌐 Ngrok tunnel:      https://abc123.ngrok-free.app

Configuration:
  • Port:               3000 (override: --port 8080)
  • Host:               127.0.0.1 (override: --host 0.0.0.0)
  • AnkiConnect:        http://localhost:8765
  • Ngrok tunnel:       https://abc123.ngrok-free.app
  • Ngrok dashboard:    http://localhost:4040

Share this URL with your AI assistant:
  https://abc123.ngrok-free.app

Run 'ankimcp --help' for more options.

Just copy the URL and paste it into your AI assistant’s connector settings!

✨ Smart Cleanup

When you press Ctrl+C, both the server and ngrok tunnel shut down cleanly. No orphaned processes left running in the background.

🔧 Works with All Options

The --ngrok flag works seamlessly with other options:

# Custom port + ngrok
ankimcp --port 8080 --ngrok

# Custom AnkiConnect + ngrok
ankimcp --anki-connect http://192.168.1.100:8765 --ngrok

# All together
ankimcp --port 8080 --anki-connect http://localhost:8765 --ngrok

Why This Matters

Previously, using Anki MCP with web-based AI assistants required:

1. Opening a terminal and starting the server
2. Opening another terminal and starting ngrok
3. Finding the ngrok URL in the output
4. Remembering to close both terminals when done

This was tedious and error-prone. With v0.8.0, it’s:

1. Run one command with --ngrok
2. Copy the URL from the banner
3. Press Ctrl+C when done (everything cleans up automatically)

One command, one terminal, zero hassle! 🎉

Getting Started

Prerequisites

You’ll need ngrok installed globally (one-time setup):

# Install ngrok
npm install -g ngrok

# Get your auth token from https://dashboard.ngrok.com
ngrok config add-authtoken <your-token>

Quick Start

Using npx (no installation):

npx @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server --ngrok

Using global install:

npm install -g @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server@latest
ankimcp --ngrok

Connect to Your AI

Once the server is running, copy the ngrok URL from the banner and add it to your AI assistant:

For Claude.ai: Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector → Paste the ngrok URL

For ChatGPT: Check if your plan supports custom MCP servers and follow OpenAI’s connection instructions

For other AI assistants: Consult your AI provider’s documentation for MCP server integration

Use Cases

Learning on the Go

Use any web-based AI assistant to:

• Review your Anki cards from anywhere (work, coffee shop, library)
• Create flashcards from articles you’re reading online
• Get explanations for difficult concepts on your cards
• Practice with AI-guided study sessions

Example workflow:

You: (On Claude.ai while reading an article)
"Create flashcards about the key concepts in this article"

AI: *Creates Anki cards with summaries and context*

You: "Now let's review my Spanish deck"

AI: *Presents cards and tracks your performance*

Multi-Device Study

With ngrok tunneling:

• Start the server on your main computer (where Anki is installed)
• Access it from your laptop, tablet, or work computer
• Study anywhere while your cards sync back to your main Anki installation

Technical Details

How It Works

The --ngrok integration uses shell execution to spawn your globally installed ngrok binary:

1. Starts your local HTTP server (e.g., port 3000)
2. Spawns ngrok http 3000 as a child process
3. Queries ngrok’s local API (port 4040) to extract the public URL
4. Displays the URL in the startup banner
5. Registers cleanup handlers (SIGINT, SIGTERM, exit)

Security & Legal

This implementation is:

• ✅ Legally safe - No ngrok code distribution (just shell execution)
• ✅ User-controlled - Uses your own ngrok installation and account
• ✅ No dependencies - Zero additional npm packages

Graceful Degradation

If ngrok fails to start (not installed, no auth token, etc.), the server still starts in local mode. You’ll see a helpful error message with instructions to set up ngrok.

Installation Options

You now have three ways to use Anki MCP:

1. MCPB Bundle (Claude Desktop)

→ Download from Releases

One-click install, perfect for Claude Desktop users.

2. NPM Package with STDIO (Desktop MCP Clients)

Using npx (no installation):

npx @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server --stdio

Using global install:

npm install -g @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server
ankimcp --stdio

For Cursor, Cline, Zed, and other STDIO-compatible MCP clients.

3. NPM Package with HTTP + Ngrok (Web-Based AI)

Using npx (no installation):

npx @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server --ngrok

Using global install:

npm install -g @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server
ankimcp --ngrok

For ChatGPT, Claude.ai, and other web-based AI assistants.

Upgrade Now

Update NPM Package

npm install -g @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server@latest

Or use without installing:

npx @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server@latest --ngrok

New Users

Follow our installation guide for web-based AI to get started!

Learn More

Want to dive deeper?

• Web Installation Guide - Step-by-step setup for web-based AI
• GitHub Repository - Source code and documentation
• Full Changelog - Complete list of changes

Happy learning from anywhere! 📚🌐

Full Changelog: v0.8.0 on GitHub