Powerduck Cloud
Powerduck Cloud is how an OpenAPI file becomes something you can share. Add a specification, choose what to expose, and hand people stable links for rendered documentation and a managed MCP server — without hosting or running anything yourself.
It is the same contract-first, AI-assisted workflow as the desktop client, taken online for teams and consumers.
The journey
- Add a specification by uploading a file, pointing at a Git repository, or pasting a URL. You can even start the flow on the website and sign in only when you are ready — you will not have to upload it twice.
- Choose what to expose. Switch individual operations on or off; your original file is never modified.
- Open the documentation link immediately — rendered API docs are enabled by default. The managed MCP endpoint is one switch away and stays off until you choose to expose tools to agents.
- Control access. Add a documentation view password and expiry, and a separate MCP access key for agents.
- Publish and share. Publish a ready artifact for the current version so the links resolve; advanced controls stay one click away.
- Keep it current. Every change creates a new version you can diff or roll back, and Git sources can sync on update.
- Manage the lifecycle. Pause, resume, or archive a document; inspect its status, versions, and source at a glance.
What you get
- Stable documentation links that stay readable as you publish new versions;
- A managed MCP endpoint so other people's AI agents can discover and call the operations you chose;
- Per-operation exposure, so internal or unfinished endpoints stay off the public surface;
- Access control with view passwords, expiry, and MCP access keys;
- Version history with diff and rollback — the original is never overwritten;
- Git sync, so a repository update flows into a new hosted version;
- Custom domains, including sub-path setups, for a branded experience.
One document, many versions
Each edit creates a new version rather than overwriting the original, so you can compare versions, roll back, and republish documentation and MCP against a known state. Documentation and MCP are always tied to a specific document and version, never to an ambiguous "latest".
Why a link might not open
A documentation or MCP link resolves when three things line up, and the document workspace shows each one with the first unmet requirement highlighted:
- The document is active — pausing it takes documentation and MCP offline together;
- The surface you are sharing is enabled — documentation and MCP each have their own switch (documentation is on by default, MCP off);
- A current artifact is published — it builds automatically after you add a version or change the exposed operations, so you normally do nothing; a manual publish is available as a backstop.
Access checks — a view password, an expiry, or an MCP access key — apply on top of those three.
Sign in and ownership
Sign in with Google or GitHub. After the OAuth handshake, Powerduck issues its own session as a secure, HttpOnly cookie — the provider's token is never used as your long-term identity. Everything belongs to an organization; a personal organization is created automatically, and teams can share one later without a redesign.
The console
- Dashboard — add a specification and see recent documents with quick links and start/stop actions;
- Projects — organize documents;
- Document workspace — status, documentation, MCP, exposed operations, versions, source, and domains in clear, labeled sections;
- Billing — subscription status and orders, kept separate;
- Hub — publish and browse public documentation and MCP servers;
- Settings and Activity — profile, preferences, and an audit log.
Public readers use a dedicated documentation viewer and need no account unless the document requires a password.
Cloud versus the desktop client
| Desktop Client | Cloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs | On your machine | Hosted |
| Model | One-time perpetual license | Monthly subscription |
| Output | A license key (shown once) | Membership, no key |
| Best for | Local, offline, full workspace | Sharing and publishing online |
The two are complementary and sold separately. See Billing.