BuildWithHQ
Canonical knowledge unit · extensibility

Four MCP surfaces

BuildWithHQ’s MCP strategy separates Builder Account, Developer VM, SaaS Application, and End-Customer MCP surfaces while reusing common capability, permission, and audit primitives.

ID: BWHQ-EXT-003Status: specifiedAuthority: medium-highmcpai-toolspermissionscontrol-surfaces

Four MCP surfaces

1. Builder Account MCP

Operates on the builder’s BuildWithHQ account and SaaS portfolio: account administration, app portfolio, resource state, deployments, catalog interactions, and other builder-authorized capabilities.

2. Developer VM MCP

Assists development inside the isolated developer environment using only approved tools/gateways. It can help edit/build/test code and interact with the controlled development surface without turning unrestricted internet or production secrets into default capabilities.

3. SaaS Application MCP

Builds/operates one SaaS application using that app’s authorized records, modules, workflows, APIs, AI, and management capabilities.

4. End-Customer MCP

Exposes only the tools/actions the end customer is permitted to use inside the SaaS. Tool discovery itself should be filtered so unauthorized capabilities are not advertised.

Product model

The builder may package customer-facing MCP access and skills as part of the SaaS offering. All four surfaces should reuse one capability/security/audit model rather than becoming four separate authorization systems.

Related knowledge

Security invariantsSecurity is designed as a shared structural layer: server-derived identity, one authorization path, explicit tenant/application/location scope, and separate permissions for read, AI, export, and sensitive disclosure.Isolated Developer VMEach developer can work in an isolated no-unrestricted-internet VM with a local PostgreSQL instance; BuildWithHQ-controlled gateways mediate external AI, packages, MCP, integrations, artifacts, and deployment.API-first custom service boundaryDeveloper custom code runs behind declared, schema-validated API endpoints so BuildWithHQ can bind custom logic into pages, workflows, AI, and external APIs without exposing platform core IP or direct unrestricted SQL.
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