{"slug":"availengine-mcp-server-launch","title":"AvailEngine MCP Server: 58 AI Agent Tools for Booking, Scheduling & Payments","excerpt":"The AvailEngine MCP server gives any AI coding agent full control over booking, scheduling, payments, and resource management via the Model Context Protocol. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and Codex.","date":"July 21, 2026","category":"Engineering","categoryColor":"bg-brand-50 text-brand-700","keywords":"MCP server, booking API MCP, AI agent tools, Claude Code MCP, Cursor MCP, Windsurf MCP, Model Context Protocol booking, AI scheduling tools, autonomous booking agent","content_html":"<pre>AI coding agents are getting incredibly powerful. Claude Code can scaffold a full Next.js app from a single prompt. Cursor can refactor your entire codebase. Windsurf can build UIs from screenshots.\n\nBut there's one thing they all struggle with: **backend infrastructure that involves real-time state, payment flows, and data consistency.**\n\nBooking systems are a perfect example. An AI agent can generate a beautiful calendar UI in seconds, but it can't actually check real-time availability, create confirmed bookings, hold slots with Stripe deposits, or handle the booking lifecycle state machine.\n\nUntil now.\n\n## Introducing the AvailEngine MCP Server\n\nWe've built a [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) server that exposes the entire AvailEngine booking API as callable tools. **58 tools** across 8 categories — and it works with any MCP-compatible AI agent.\n\n### What Can AI Agents Do Now?\n\nOnce an agent connects to the MCP server, it can:\n\n**Build a complete booking system from scratch:**\n> *\"Create a restaurant business, add 10 tables as resources with capacities, set dinner hours 5pm-11pm Thu-Sun, configure an automatic 25% no-show deposit, and create a test reservation for 4 people at 7pm tomorrow.\"*\n\nThe agent calls:\n1. `availengine_create_business` — creates the restaurant\n2. `availengine_create_resource` × 10 — adds each table\n3. `availengine_set_hours` — sets operating hours\n4. `availengine_update_settings` — configures deposit\n5. `availengine_create_booking` — creates the test booking\n\n**Manage operations in real-time:**\n> *\"Show me today's bookings, mark anyone who hasn't shown up as no-show, and release their held tables.\"*\n\n**Handle payments and billing:**\n> *\"Start Stripe Connect onboarding for this business so deposits go directly to their bank account.\"*\n\n### Hosted Endpoint\n\nConnect any MCP-compatible AI agent — no installation needed:\n\n```\nhttps://api.availengine.com/mcp/sse\n```\n\n**Claude Code** — `.claude/settings.json`:\n```json\n{\n  \"mcpServers\": {\n    \"availengine\": {\n      \"type\": \"sse\",\n      \"url\": \"https://api.availengine.com/mcp/sse\"\n    }\n  }\n}\n```\n\nNo API key needed to start — the sandbox tool (`availengine_sandbox_create_booking`) works immediately without any authentication.\n\n### Full Tool Inventory\n\n**Developer & Account** (10 tools)\nRegister, manage businesses, create/scoped API keys, subscriptions, billing portal\n\n**Booking & Availability** (13 tools)\nCheck availability, create/update bookings, staff booking, no-show management, release holds, dynamic (instant) booking\n\n**Management** (20 tools)\nResources (staff/rooms/tables) CRUD, services CRUD, operating hours, blackout dates, business settings, customer management, stats, audit logs\n\n**Payments** (5 tools)\nStripe Connect onboarding, Connect status, checkout sessions, billing portal, plan details\n\n**Waitlist** (3 tools)\nAdd, list, remove waitlist entries with position tracking\n\n**Integrations** (3 tools)\nGoogle Calendar connect, status check, disconnect\n\n**Blog** (3 tools)\nList posts, get full content, get raw markdown\n\n**Sandbox** (1 tool)\nCreate a test booking with zero authentication\n\n### Why This Matters\n\nThis is a fundamental shift in what AI coding agents can build. Instead of hallucinating fragile booking logic (timezone handling, double-booking prevention, Stripe idempotency), agents now call real endpoints that handle all the complexity.\n\nThe MCP server means an AI agent can:\n\n- **Build a production booking system** in under 60 seconds\n- **Manage live operations** without human oversight\n- **Handle payment flows** that would normally require Stripe expertise\n- **Scale across verticals** — restaurants, salons, clinics, photographers, gyms — each with the right domain model\n\n### Try It Now\n\n```bash\nnpx @availengine/mcp-server\n```\n\nThen ask your AI agent to build a booking system. No account needed for the sandbox demo.\n\n[Get started with the developer portal →](/docs/developer-portal.html)\n[Browse the full API reference →](/docs/api-reference/availability.html)</pre>"}