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crontap-quickstart

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Crontap quickstart

Crontap 快速入门

Crontap provides three related resources:
  • A schedule sends an HTTP request on a cron or plain-English cadence.
  • An uptime monitor probes a URL and records availability.
  • A heartbeat expects an existing job to ping after it runs.
MCP lets the current agent manage these resources. Crontap owns HTTP scheduling and observability, not the lifecycle of the MCP client.
Crontap 提供三种相关资源：
  • Schedule 按 cron 或简单英文节奏发送 HTTP 请求。
  • Uptime monitor 探测 URL 并记录可用性。
  • Heartbeat 期望现有任务在运行后进行 ping。
MCP 允许当前 Agent 管理这些资源。Crontap 负责 HTTP 调度和可观测性，但不负责 MCP client 的生命周期。

Prerequisites

前置条件

Before using the required tools, check whether they are available. If any are missing, stop and offer the user exactly two choices:
  1. Connect Crontap MCP at 
    https://mcp.crontap.com/mcp
    . MCP access works on every Crontap tier.
  2. Configure 
    $CRONTAP_CLIENT_ID
    and 
    $CRONTAP_API_KEY
    for the raw API. Raw API access requires Ultra.
Do not silently choose a path or continue until the user selects one.
  • Connect the remote MCP server at 
    https://mcp.crontap.com/mcp
    and complete OAuth in the target Crontap account.
  • Know the intended endpoint, local timezone, and desired failure signal.
  • Treat endpoint authorization values and heartbeat ping URLs as secrets.
使用所需工具之前，检查这些工具是否可用。如果缺少任何工具，请停止操作，并准确向用户提供以下两个选项：
  1. 在 
    https://mcp.crontap.com/mcp
    连接 Crontap MCP。所有 Crontap 套餐均支持 MCP 访问。
  2. 为原始 API 配置 
    $CRONTAP_CLIENT_ID
    和 
    $CRONTAP_API_KEY
    。原始 API 访问需要 Ultra 套餐。
不要擅自选择路径，也不要在用户选择之前继续操作。
  • 在目标 Crontap 账户中连接远程 MCP server：
    https://mcp.crontap.com/mcp
    ，并完成 OAuth。
  • 了解目标 endpoint、本地时区以及期望的故障信号。
  • 将 endpoint 授权值和 heartbeat ping URL 视为机密。

Workflow

工作流

  1. Call 
    get_account_usage
    before creating resources when capacity is uncertain.
  2. Compare 
    usage.combined
    with 
    caps.combined
    and inspect feature flags.
  3. Choose a schedule for outbound execution, a monitor for endpoint availability, or a heartbeat for missed check-ins.
  4. Call 
    list_timezones
    when the exact IANA timezone is uncertain.
  5. Hand off to the focused skill for creation and verification.
  1. 当资源容量不确定时，在创建资源之前调用 
    get_account_usage
    。
  2. 比较 
    usage.combined
    与 
    caps.combined
    ，并检查 feature flags。
  3. 对出站执行选择 schedule，对 endpoint 可用性选择 monitor，对错过签到选择 heartbeat。
  4. 当确切 IANA 时区不明确时，调用 
    list_timezones
    。
  5. 将后续操作移交给专门的 skill，以完成创建和验证。

MCP examples

MCP 示例

Inspect the active tier, usage, caps, features, and plan options:
json
{
  "tool": "get_account_usage",
  "arguments": {}
}
Find accepted timezone names:
json
{
  "tool": "list_timezones",
  "arguments": {
    "query": "Copenhagen"
  }
}
Use the exact returned timezone, such as 
Europe/Copenhagen
. Do not substitute a fixed UTC offset for a local-time business schedule.
查看当前套餐、用量、上限、功能和套餐选项：
json
{
  "tool": "get_account_usage",
  "arguments": {}
}
查找可接受的时区名称：
json
{
  "tool": "list_timezones",
  "arguments": {
    "query": "Copenhagen"
  }
}
使用返回的确切时区，例如 
Europe/Copenhagen
。对于按本地时间运行的业务 schedule，不要使用固定的 UTC offset 代替。

REST fallback

REST 备用方案

The public API is a fallback only for accounts with Ultra API access. MCP is not Ultra-only.
bash
curl --fail-with-body https://api.crontap.com/v1/account \
  -H "ClientId: $CRONTAP_CLIENT_ID" \
  -H "ApiKey: $CRONTAP_API_KEY"
Keep both values in environment variables or a secret manager. Never put them in a repository, agent transcript, URL, or example output.
公共 API 仅作为具有 Ultra API 访问权限的账户的备用方案。MCP 并非仅限 Ultra 套餐。
bash
curl --fail-with-body https://api.crontap.com/v1/account \
  -H "ClientId: $CRONTAP_CLIENT_ID" \
  -H "ApiKey: $CRONTAP_API_KEY"
将两个值保存在环境变量或 secret manager 中。切勿将其放入 repository、Agent transcript、URL 或示例输出中。

Safety and plan limits

安全与套餐限制

  • Starter, Pro, and Ultra use one combined cap for schedules, monitors, and heartbeats. Some resource-specific caps and cadence floors also apply.
  • Treat the returned account object as authoritative. Do not hard-code prices or assume a feature from the tier name.
  • If a tool returns a structured plan-limit error, present its ordered four-option ladder and identify the smallest viable option. Do not invent a fifth option or hide the all-plans URL.
  • Confirm the target account before any write operation.
  • Starter、Pro 和 Ultra 对 schedules、monitors 和 heartbeats 使用一个综合上限。某些资源还有各自的专用上限和执行频率下限。
  • 以返回的 account object 为准。不要硬编码价格，也不要根据套餐名称推断功能。
  • 如果工具返回结构化的套餐限制错误，请展示其有序的四选项阶梯，并确定其中最小可行选项。不要虚构第五个选项，也不要隐藏全套餐 URL。
  • 执行任何写操作之前，确认目标账户。

Troubleshooting

故障排查

  • If OAuth fails, reconnect the MCP server in the client and retry once.
  • If a timezone search returns no match, try a city or region substring.
  • If REST returns 
    API_REQUIRES_ULTRA
    , continue through MCP or let the user choose an Ultra option.
  • If 
    MAX_ITEMS_REACHED
    appears, do not retry the same create call unchanged.
  • 如果 OAuth 失败，请在 client 中重新连接 MCP server，然后重试一次。
  • 如果时区搜索没有匹配结果，请尝试使用城市或地区的子字符串。
  • 如果 REST 返回 
    API_REQUIRES_ULTRA
    ，请继续通过 MCP 操作，或让用户选择一个 Ultra 选项。
  • 如果出现 
    MAX_ITEMS_REACHED
    ，不要使用未修改的参数重试相同的创建调用。

References

参考资料