NextChat ​

NextChat (formerly ChatGPT Next Web) is one of the most starred open-source AI projects on GitHub with 80k+ stars. It is a deploy-anywhere frontend that gives your team a private ChatGPT-like interface. One-click Vercel deploy, Docker, or static hosting. Masks (presets) let you create custom AI personas, and MCP plugins extend them with external tools.

NC
NextChat
★ 80k+ · GitHub
TRANSPORT
Streamable HTTP ✓
PLATFORM
Web · Docker · Vercel · PWA
MCP VIA
Plugin System

Deploy Your Own ChatGPT with MCP ​

NextChat's appeal is deployment flexibility. Click "Deploy to Vercel" and you have a private ChatGPT frontend running on a custom domain in minutes. Add MCP servers, and your team has an AI assistant with access to your internal systems — no vendor lock-in, no per-seat pricing beyond the LLM API costs.

Masks let non-technical users create role-specific AI personas. A "Customer Support" mask with the right system prompt and MCP tools creates a support agent. A "Code Reviewer" mask with code analysis MCP tools creates a review bot. Share masks across your team.

Highlights:

  • 80k+ GitHub stars — one of the most popular AI projects
  • One-click deploy — Vercel, Docker, or static hosting
  • Masks — reusable AI personas with custom prompts and tool configurations
  • PWA — installable as a web app on any device
  • Multi-provider — GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, and more
  • i18n — internationalized UI supporting 20+ languages
  • Local storage — conversations stay in the browser (configurable)

Deployment with MCP ​

1. Create a Token ​

In Vinkius Cloud, go to your server → Connection Tokens → Create. Copy the URL.

2. Configure MCP Plugin ​

In NextChat → Settings → Plugins → MCP → Add Server. Paste your URL.

3. Deploy ​

Deploy via your preferred method. MCP tools are available in all conversations and masks.

FAQ ​

Can I deploy NextChat with MCP on Vercel for free? Yes. NextChat deploys on Vercel's free tier. MCP tool access adds no deployment cost — it uses your Vinkius Cloud token.

How do Masks work with MCP? Create a mask with a specific system prompt and attach MCP tools. The mask becomes a reusable AI persona with tool access.

Is NextChat suitable for team use? Yes. Deploy centrally and share access. Each user's conversations are stored locally in their browser.

Is NextChat free? Open-source under MIT. Host it yourself. LLM API costs are separate.