---
title: How to Authenticate When Publishing to the Official MCP Registry
sidebarTitle: Authentication
---

<Note>
  The MCP Registry is currently in preview. Breaking changes or data resets may occur before general availability. If you encounter any issues, please report them on [GitHub](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/registry/issues).
</Note>

You must authenticate before publishing to the official MCP Registry. The MCP Registry supports different authentication methods. Which authentication method you choose determines the namespace of your server's name.

If you choose GitHub-based authentication, your server's name in `server.json` **MUST** be of the form `io.github.username/*` (or `io.github.orgname/*`). For example, `io.github.alice/weather-server`.

If you choose domain-based authentication, your server's name in `server.json` **MUST** be of the form `com.example.*/*`, where `com.example` is the reverse-DNS form of your domain name. For example, `io.modelcontextprotocol/everything`.

| Authentication | Name Format                                     | Example Name                         |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| GitHub-based   | `io.github.username/*` or `io.github.orgname/*` | `io.github.alice/weather-server`     |
| domain-based   | `com.example.*/*`                               | `io.modelcontextprotocol/everything` |

## GitHub Authentication

GitHub authentication uses an OAuth flow initiated by the `mcp-publisher` CLI tool.

To perform GitHub authentication, navigate to your server project directory and run:

```bash
mcp-publisher login github
```

You should see output like:

```text Output
Logging in with github...

To authenticate, please:
1. Go to: https://github.com/login/device
2. Enter code: ABCD-1234
3. Authorize this application
Waiting for authorization...
```

Visit the link, follow the prompts, and enter the authorization code that was printed in the terminal (e.g., `ABCD-1234` in the above output). Once complete, go back to the terminal, and you should see output like:

```text Output
Successfully authenticated!
✓ Successfully logged in
```

## DNS Authentication

DNS authentication is a domain-based authentication method that relies on a DNS TXT record.

<Warning>
  The TXT record must be placed on the **apex** of your domain (e.g. `example.com`), **not** under a selector like `_mcp-auth.example.com` or `_mcp-registry.example.com`. MCP DNS auth follows SPF-style placement (apex), not DKIM-style (selector). If you put the record under a selector, the registry will not see it and authentication will fail with a generic signature error.

  If you rotate keys, also remember to remove the previous TXT record from the apex — a stale record left behind will be tried first and cause verification to fail.
</Warning>

To perform DNS authentication using the `mcp-publisher` CLI tool, run the following commands in your server project directory to generate a TXT record based on a public/private key pair:

<Note>
  The Ed25519 codepath requires **OpenSSL 3.0 or later**. macOS ships with LibreSSL by default (the system `openssl` binary), which does not implement Ed25519 in `genpkey` and fails with `Algorithm Ed25519 not found`. On macOS, install OpenSSL 3 (`brew install openssl@3`) and invoke it explicitly — for example, replace `openssl` with `/opt/homebrew/opt/openssl@3/bin/openssl` (Apple Silicon) or `/usr/local/opt/openssl@3/bin/openssl` (Intel) in the commands below. The ECDSA P-384 codepath works on LibreSSL.
</Note>

<CodeGroup>

```bash Ed25519
MY_DOMAIN="example.com"

# Generate public/private key pair using Ed25519
openssl genpkey -algorithm Ed25519 -out key.pem

# Generate TXT record
PUBLIC_KEY="$(openssl pkey -in key.pem -pubout -outform DER | tail -c 32 | base64)"
echo "${MY_DOMAIN}. IN TXT \"v=MCPv1; k=ed25519; p=${PUBLIC_KEY}\""
```

```bash ECDSA P-384
MY_DOMAIN="example.com"

# Generate public/private key pair using ECDSA P-384
openssl genpkey -algorithm EC -pkeyopt ec_paramgen_curve:secp384r1 -out key.pem

# Generate TXT record
PUBLIC_KEY="$(openssl ec -in key.pem -text -noout -conv_form compressed | grep -A4 "pub:" | tail -n +2 | tr -d ' :\n' | xxd -r -p | base64)"
echo "${MY_DOMAIN}. IN TXT \"v=MCPv1; k=ecdsap384; p=${PUBLIC_KEY}\""
```

```bash Google KMS
MY_DOMAIN="example.com"
MY_PROJECT="myproject"
MY_KEYRING="mykeyring"
MY_KEY_NAME="mykey"

# Log in using gcloud CLI (https://cloud.google.com/sdk/docs/install)
gcloud auth login

# Set default project
gcloud config set project "${MY_PROJECT}"

# Create a keyring in your project
gcloud kms keyrings create "${MY_KEYRING}" --location global

# Create an Ed25519 signing key
gcloud kms keys create "${MY_KEY_NAME}" --default-algorithm=ec-sign-ed25519 --purpose=asymmetric-signing --keyring="${MY_KEYRING}" --location=global

# Enable Application Default Credentials (ADC) so the publisher tool can sign
gcloud auth application-default login

# Attempt login to show the public key
mcp-publisher login dns google-kms --domain="${MY_DOMAIN}" --resource="projects/${MY_PROJECT}/locations/global/keyRings/${MY_KEYRING}/cryptoKeys/${MY_KEY_NAME}/cryptoKeyVersions/1"

# Copy the "Expected proof record":
# ${MY_DOMAIN}. IN TXT "v=MCPv1; k=ed25519; p=${PUBLIC_KEY}"
```

```bash Azure Key Vault
MY_DOMAIN="example.com"
MY_SUBSCRIPTION="subscription name or ID"
MY_RESOURCE_GROUP="MyResourceGroup"
MY_KEY_VAULT="MyKeyVault"
MY_KEY_NAME="MyKey"

# Log in using Azure CLI (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cli/azure/install-azure-cli)
az login

# Set default subscription
az account set --subscription "${MY_SUBSCRIPTION}"

# Create a resource group
az group create --location westus --resource-group "${MY_RESOURCE_GROUP}"

# Create a key vault
az keyvault create --name "${MY_KEY_VAULT}" --location westus --resource-group "${MY_RESOURCE_GROUP}"

# Create an ECDSA P-384 signing key
az keyvault key create --name "${MY_KEY_NAME}" --vault-name "${MY_KEY_VAULT}" --curve P-384

# Attempt login to show the public key
mcp-publisher login dns azure-key-vault --domain="${MY_DOMAIN}" --vault "${MY_KEY_VAULT}" --key "${MY_KEY_NAME}"

# Copy the "Expected proof record":
# ${MY_DOMAIN}. IN TXT "v=MCPv1; k=ecdsap384; p=${PUBLIC_KEY}"
```

</CodeGroup>

Then add the TXT record using your DNS provider's control panel. It may take several minutes for the TXT record to propagate. After the TXT record has propagated, log in using the `mcp-publisher login` command:

<CodeGroup>

```bash Ed25519
MY_DOMAIN="example.com"

PRIVATE_KEY="$(openssl pkey -in key.pem -noout -text | grep -A3 "priv:" | tail -n +2 | tr -d ' :\n')"
mcp-publisher login dns --domain "${MY_DOMAIN}" --private-key "${PRIVATE_KEY}"
```

```bash ECDSA P-384
MY_DOMAIN="example.com"

PRIVATE_KEY="$(openssl ec -in key.pem -noout -text | grep -A4 "priv:" | tail -n +2 | tr -d ' :\n')"
mcp-publisher login dns --domain "${MY_DOMAIN}" --private-key "${PRIVATE_KEY}"
```

```bash Google KMS
MY_DOMAIN="example.com"
MY_PROJECT="myproject"
MY_KEYRING="mykeyring"
MY_KEY_NAME="mykey"

mcp-publisher login dns google-kms --domain="${MY_DOMAIN}" --resource="projects/${MY_PROJECT}/locations/global/keyRings/${MY_KEYRING}/cryptoKeys/${MY_KEY_NAME}/cryptoKeyVersions/1"
```

```bash Azure Key Vault
MY_DOMAIN="example.com"
MY_KEY_VAULT="MyKeyVault"
MY_KEY_NAME="MyKey"

mcp-publisher login dns azure-key-vault --domain="${MY_DOMAIN}" --vault "${MY_KEY_VAULT}" --key "${MY_KEY_NAME}"
```

</CodeGroup>

## HTTP Authentication

HTTP authentication is a domain-based authentication method that relies on a `/.well-known/mcp-registry-auth` file hosted on your domain. For example, `https://example.com/.well-known/mcp-registry-auth`.

To perform HTTP authentication using the `mcp-publisher` CLI tool, run the following commands in your server project directory to generate an `mcp-registry-auth` file based on a public/private key pair:

<Note>
  As with DNS authentication, the Ed25519 codepath requires **OpenSSL 3.0 or later**. macOS's system LibreSSL does not support Ed25519 in `genpkey`. See the note in the [DNS Authentication](#dns-authentication) section for the macOS workaround.
</Note>

<CodeGroup>

```bash Ed25519
# Generate public/private key pair using Ed25519
openssl genpkey -algorithm Ed25519 -out key.pem

# Generate mcp-registry-auth file
PUBLIC_KEY="$(openssl pkey -in key.pem -pubout -outform DER | tail -c 32 | base64)"
echo "v=MCPv1; k=ed25519; p=${PUBLIC_KEY}" > mcp-registry-auth
```

```bash ECDSA P-384
# Generate public/private key pair using ECDSA P-384
openssl genpkey -algorithm EC -pkeyopt ec_paramgen_curve:secp384r1 -out key.pem

# Generate mcp-registry-auth file
PUBLIC_KEY="$(openssl ec -in key.pem -text -noout -conv_form compressed | grep -A4 "pub:" | tail -n +2 | tr -d ' :\n' | xxd -r -p | base64)"
echo "v=MCPv1; k=ecdsap384; p=${PUBLIC_KEY}" > mcp-registry-auth
```

```bash Google KMS
MY_DOMAIN="example.com"
MY_PROJECT="myproject"
MY_KEYRING="mykeyring"
MY_KEY_NAME="mykey"

# Log in using gcloud CLI (https://cloud.google.com/sdk/docs/install)
gcloud auth login

# Set default project
gcloud config set project "${MY_PROJECT}"

# Create a keyring in your project
gcloud kms keyrings create "${MY_KEYRING}" --location global

# Create an Ed25519 signing key
gcloud kms keys create "${MY_KEY_NAME}" --default-algorithm=ec-sign-ed25519 --purpose=asymmetric-signing --keyring="${MY_KEYRING}" --location=global

# Enable Application Default Credentials (ADC) so the publisher tool can sign
gcloud auth application-default login

# Attempt login to show the public key
mcp-publisher login http google-kms --domain="${MY_DOMAIN}" --resource="projects/${MY_PROJECT}/locations/global/keyRings/${MY_KEYRING}/cryptoKeys/${MY_KEY_NAME}/cryptoKeyVersions/1"

# Copy the "Expected proof record" to `./mcp-registry-auth`:
# v=MCPv1; k=ed25519; p=${PUBLIC_KEY}
```

```bash Azure Key Vault
MY_DOMAIN="example.com"
MY_SUBSCRIPTION="subscription name or ID"
MY_RESOURCE_GROUP="MyResourceGroup"
MY_KEY_VAULT="MyKeyVault"
MY_KEY_NAME="MyKey"

# Log in using Azure CLI (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cli/azure/install-azure-cli)
az login

# Set default subscription
az account set --subscription "${MY_SUBSCRIPTION}"

# Create a resource group
az group create --location westus --resource-group "${MY_RESOURCE_GROUP}"

# Create a key vault
az keyvault create --name "${MY_KEY_VAULT}" --location westus --resource-group "${MY_RESOURCE_GROUP}"

# Create an ECDSA P-384 signing key
az keyvault key create --name "${MY_KEY_NAME}" --vault-name "${MY_KEY_VAULT}" --curve P-384

# Attempt login to show the public key
mcp-publisher login http azure-key-vault --domain="${MY_DOMAIN}" --vault "${MY_KEY_VAULT}" --key "${MY_KEY_NAME}"

# Copy the "Expected proof record" to `./mcp-registry-auth`:
# v=MCPv1; k=ecdsap384; p=${PUBLIC_KEY}
```

</CodeGroup>

Then host the `mcp-registry-auth` file at `/.well-known/mcp-registry-auth` on your domain. After the file is hosted, log in using the `mcp-publisher login` command:

<CodeGroup>

```bash Ed25519
MY_DOMAIN="example.com"
PRIVATE_KEY="$(openssl pkey -in key.pem -noout -text | grep -A3 "priv:" | tail -n +2 | tr -d ' :\n')"
mcp-publisher login http --domain "${MY_DOMAIN}" --private-key "${PRIVATE_KEY}"
```

```bash ECDSA P-384
MY_DOMAIN="example.com"
PRIVATE_KEY="$(openssl ec -in key.pem -noout -text | grep -A4 "priv:" | tail -n +2 | tr -d ' :\n')"
mcp-publisher login http --domain "${MY_DOMAIN}" --private-key "${PRIVATE_KEY}"
```

```bash Google KMS
MY_DOMAIN="example.com"
MY_PROJECT="myproject"
MY_KEYRING="mykeyring"
MY_KEY_NAME="mykey"

mcp-publisher login http google-kms --domain="${MY_DOMAIN}" --resource="projects/${MY_PROJECT}/locations/global/keyRings/${MY_KEYRING}/cryptoKeys/${MY_KEY_NAME}/cryptoKeyVersions/1"
```

```bash Azure Key Vault
MY_DOMAIN="example.com"
MY_KEY_VAULT="MyKeyVault"
MY_KEY_NAME="MyKey"

mcp-publisher login http azure-key-vault --domain="${MY_DOMAIN}" --vault "${MY_KEY_VAULT}" --key "${MY_KEY_NAME}"
```

</CodeGroup>
