Name: Heroku Platform
Author: heroku

LABSCO SUMMARY

The heroku CLI's pg plugin, and the dashboard tab where you look up what a plan costs.

The Postgres tools are the reason to install it: pg_outliers ranks queries by resource use, pg_locks shows what is blocking what, pg_ps shows what is running, and pg_kill ends it — the same sequence you would run by hand, without the plugin invocations in between. deploy_one_off_dyno is the sharpest tool in the set: it runs your command against the real app with network and filesystem access, which is exactly as useful and as consequential as it sounds.

What it is

Heroku's own server: 33 tools over apps, dynos, add-ons, pipelines and Postgres, including a psql passthrough and a one-off dyno with network and filesystem access.

What you get

App lifecycle: list, create, rename, inspect config and dynos and domains, and switch maintenance mode on and off
Logs filtered by dyno, process type or source
Postgres operations as first-class tools — SQL execution, database status, active queries, lock analysis, resource-heavy query ranking, credentials, process kill, maintenance windows, backups and version upgrades
Dyno management: list the formation, scale quantity and size, restart a dyno, a process type or all of them
Add-ons created and inspected, with the service catalogue and per-service plans including pricing
Pipelines created, listed, described, and apps promoted between stages
Deployment from an app.json, and a one-off dyno that runs a command with a size and a time to live

Requirements

A Heroku account key in HEROKU_API_KEY. deploy_to_heroku additionally needs a valid app.json passed through its appJson parameter.

Setup effort

One command plus a key — npx -y @heroku/mcp-server, then supply credentials

See installation options

USE CASES

01

Chasing a query that is pinning production

Rank the resource-heavy queries, look at what is running and what is blocking what, and end the one that is stuck — the same four steps the pg plugin gives you, in one place.

pg_outlierspg_pspg_lockspg_killpg_info

02

Getting a release out and promoted

Deploy from an app.json, then move the app up the pipeline stages rather than deploying twice.

deploy_to_herokupipelines_listpipelines_infopipelines_promote

03

Riding out a traffic spike

See the current formation, change quantity or dyno size, and restart what needs it — without a second window open on the dashboard.

ps_listps_scaleps_restartget_app_logs

04

Running a migration behind a maintenance page

Put the app into maintenance, run the SQL directly against the database, then take it back out — with the logs available in between.

maintenance_onpg_psqlpg_infomaintenance_off

05

Running a script against real data once

A one-off dyno gets network and filesystem access with a size and a time to live, which is the right shape for a backfill or a data fix you do not want in the codebase.

deploy_one_off_dynoget_app_logsget_app_info

06

Working out what an add-on will cost

List the services, read the plans with their features and pricing, and check what the app is currently on before changing anything.

list_addon_serviceslist_addon_planslist_addonsget_addon_info

33 tools

Counted once with only startup setup. Other versions, modes or optional credentials may expose a different list.

`create_addon`

Create add-on: specify service, plan, custom names

`deploy_one_off_dyno`

Run code/commands in Heroku one-off dyno with network and filesystem access.

Requirements:

Show command output
Use app_info for buildpack detection
Support shell setup commands
Use stdout/stderr

Features:

Network/filesystem access
Environment variables
File operations
Temp directory handling

Usage:

Use Heroku runtime
Proper syntax/imports
Organized code structure
Package management:

Define dependencies
Minimize external deps
Prefer native modules

Example package.json:

{
  "type": "module",
  "dependencies": {
    "axios": "^1.6.0"
  }
}

BEFORE YOU INSTALL

What to know first

Tools you get

33 tools when we connected. transfer_app is documented but did not appear on a live connection. Many tools write without a guard, including create_app, ps_scale, pg_kill, pg_upgrade and deploy_one_off_dyno, which runs code on a one-off dyno.

Requires

Heroku CLI 10.8.1 or later, installed globally (check with heroku --version)
heroku mcp:start setups: logged in to the Heroku CLI — no API key needed
npx setups: Node.js, and HEROKU_API_KEY set to a token from heroku authorizations:create or heroku auth:token

Where it runs

All 14 documented setups run the server on your machine.

CONTEXT COST

Moderate Standing cost

Rated by the size of the 33 tool definitions that ride along on every turn, not by how many there are

INSTALLATION

Connect your client

Server setup

TERMINAL

npx -y @heroku/mcp-server

MCP Clients

Claude Desktop — Heroku CLI, Cursor — Heroku CLI, Windsurf — Heroku CLI, Cline — Heroku CLI, Trae — Heroku CLI

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "heroku": {
      "command": "heroku mcp:start"
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop — API key, Windsurf — API key, Cline — API key, Trae — API key

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "heroku": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@heroku/mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "HEROKU_API_KEY": "<YOUR_HEROKU_AUTH_TOKEN>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Zed — Heroku CLI

ZED — HEROKU CLI · JSON

{
  "context_servers": {
    "heroku": {
      "command": {
        "path": "heroku",
        "args": [
          "mcp:start"
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

Zed — API key

ZED — API KEY · JSON

{
  "context_servers": {
    "heroku": {
      "command": {
        "path": "npx",
        "args": [
          "-y",
          "@heroku/mcp-server"
        ],
        "env": {
          "HEROKU_API_KEY": "<YOUR_HEROKU_AUTH_TOKEN>"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Cursor — API key

CURSOR — API KEY · JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "heroku": {
      "command": "npx -y @heroku/mcp-server",
      "env": {
        "HEROKU_API_KEY": "<YOUR_HEROKU_AUTH_TOKEN>"
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code — Heroku CLI

VS CODE — HEROKU CLI · JSON

{
  "servers": {
    "heroku": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "heroku",
      "args": [
        "mcp:start"
      ]
    }
  }
}

VS Code — API key

VS CODE — API KEY · JSON

{
  "servers": {
    "heroku": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@heroku/mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "HEROKU_API_KEY": "<YOUR_HEROKU_AUTH_TOKEN>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Heroku Platform

The heroku CLI's pg plugin, and the dashboard tab where you look up what a plan costs.

What it is

What you get

Requirements

Setup effort

Chasing a query that is pinning production

Getting a release out and promoted

Riding out a traffic spike

Running a migration behind a maintenance page

Running a script against real data once

Working out what an add-on will cost

33 tools

create_addon

create_app

deploy_one_off_dyno

deploy_to_heroku

get_addon_info

get_app_info

get_app_logs

list_addon_plans

list_addon_services

list_addons

list_apps

list_private_spaces

list_teams

maintenance_off

maintenance_on

pg_backups

pg_credentials

pg_info

pg_kill

pg_locks

pg_maintenance

pg_outliers

pg_ps

pg_psql

pg_upgrade

pipelines_create

pipelines_info

pipelines_list

pipelines_promote

ps_list

ps_restart

ps_scale

rename_app

What to know first

Tools you get

Requires

Where it runs

Moderate Standing cost

Connect your client

Server setup

MCP Clients

Claude Desktop — Heroku CLI, Cursor — Heroku CLI, Windsurf — Heroku CLI, Cline — Heroku CLI, Trae — Heroku CLI

Claude Desktop — API key, Windsurf — API key, Cline — API key, Trae — API key

Zed — Heroku CLI

Zed — API key

Cursor — API key

VS Code — Heroku CLI

VS Code — API key

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`create_addon`

`create_app`

`deploy_one_off_dyno`

`deploy_to_heroku`

`get_addon_info`

`get_app_info`

`get_app_logs`

`list_addon_plans`

`list_addon_services`

`list_addons`

`list_apps`

`list_private_spaces`

`list_teams`

`maintenance_off`

`maintenance_on`

`pg_backups`

`pg_credentials`

`pg_info`

`pg_kill`

`pg_locks`

`pg_maintenance`

`pg_outliers`

`pg_ps`

`pg_psql`

`pg_upgrade`

`pipelines_create`

`pipelines_info`

`pipelines_list`

`pipelines_promote`

`ps_list`

`ps_restart`

`ps_scale`

`rename_app`