dropthehassle

Deploy a Codex-built site to your own domain

Codex builds the site well. Publishing it is a separate step, and Codex turns network access off by default. That applies both in the CLI or IDE on your machine and in Codex cloud. Here is how to allow exactly one deploy and get a live HTTPS link without creating an account. If the side project still has 0 visitors, ship the free link first and buy the domain when it has visitors.

Your AI can publish. It can never spend your money.

Built it with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Cursor, Replit, v0, Windsurf or by hand? Same steps.

Last updated: 30 September 2026. Local sandbox settings are from OpenAI's agent approvals docs. Current cloud internet settings are from cloud environments. The HTTP-method limit is from the legacy internet-access page. MCP is from Codex MCP. The command and the 25 MB cap are from DropTheHassle CLI 0.3.0 and the server.

Made it in ChatGPT instead? Put a ChatGPT website online. The connector details are on the MCP guide.

Which Codex are you using?

Codex on your machine: allow the deploy

By default the workspace-write sandbox keeps network access off, and Codex asks before it runs a command that needs the network. You have three options. A free HTTPS link from one command, no account, is the first.

  1. Approve it once. Ask Codex: "Build the site and deploy it with npx -y dropthehassle deploy." When Codex asks to run the command with network access, approve it. This is the narrower choice.
  2. Allow network in config. In ~/.codex/config.toml:
[sandbox_workspace_write]
network_access = true

This allows network for every sandboxed command, not only the deploy.

  1. Add the MCP server. Run:
codex mcp add dropthehassle --url https://dropthehassle.com/mcp

Or add this to config.toml:

[mcp_servers.dropthehassle]
url = "https://dropthehassle.com/mcp"

Then ask Codex to publish the built files with DropTheHassle and give you the claim link. No token. The remote tool receives the file contents directly. Before the site is claimed, that upload can be at most 25 MB, same as the command. Your AI can find the name. Only you can pay for it.

Every route returns a live address like yourname.dropthehassle.app with HTTPS, plus a claim link. The server publishes index.html, or dist/, build/, out/, or _site/ when that is where the built site is. public/ is used only when the upload is not a JavaScript project.

A re-deploy from the same folder updates the same site, because the command writes .dropthehassle.json there. Keep that file out of git. It holds the site's key. npx dropthehassle status and rollback need the deploy token from --login or --code. After a no-account deploy they do not work: that link file stores a site token, not a deploy token.

Codex cloud: turn on internet for the task

Current Codex cloud and Codex Cloud (Legacy) describe internet access differently. Use the screen your environment actually has.

Current environment. OpenAI's cloud environment docs say you turn on Allow Codex to access internet, then under Allow domains choose Package managers (so npm works) or Custom domains only, and add dropthehassle.com under Additional allowed domains. All (unrestricted) also works, and it is the wider setting. Those docs do not describe an HTTP-method filter.

Legacy environment. The legacy page says setup scripts have internet access and the agent phase does not, until you enable it for that environment. You can restrict requests to GET, HEAD, and OPTIONS. That blocks the upload. Allow POST if that restriction is on.

Then ask Codex to build the site and run npx -y dropthehassle deploy. The same 25 MB cap applies until you claim the site.

Codex's MCP docs list MCP support for the Codex CLI, the IDE extension and the ChatGPT desktop app. They do not list Codex cloud tasks, so in a cloud task use the command.

You do not need a token for this deploy, so you do not need to store one. On the legacy page, secrets are available only during setup and are removed before the agent phase. Current docs describe environment variables as values programs can read, and network secrets as values a proxy substitutes during setup and tasks. Leave the token out of both.

Claim it within 7 days

Ship it on a free link first. Buy the domain when it has visitors. Open the claim link and the site is yours. An unclaimed site is removed after 7 days. From one network you can put 5 new unclaimed sites online per hour, and 20 a day.

A cloud task starts from a fresh container, so it does not have .dropthehassle.json. Without that file, npx -y dropthehassle deploy creates a new site. The CLI has no flag that takes a token and a site name. --login asks you to approve a new address in the browser. It does not look up a site you already claimed.

To update the one you claimed: sign in and drop the new folder on that site, or on that site choose Update and let your AI do it, then run npx dropthehassle deploy --code XXXX-XXXX with the code the dashboard shows (it lasts 15 minutes and fills that site). With the token from Connect your AI, the agent can list your sites and publish with deploy_site and that site_id. The name alone is not the key. The remote connector with no token always starts a new site.

Add your own domain

When it takes off, add a .com without untangling a subdomain. No DNS records to edit: the domain lives with the site.

Codex can look up a free name. It can never pay. The checkout is your click.

Publish your site for free

Questions

Why can't Codex deploy my site?

Codex turns network access off by default: in the CLI workspace-write sandbox, and until you turn on internet access for a Codex cloud environment. Approve the deploy command, enable network access, or allow dropthehassle.com in the cloud environment.

Can I use DropTheHassle as an MCP server in Codex?

Yes, on the CLI, IDE, or desktop app. Run codex mcp add dropthehassle --url https://dropthehassle.com/mcp. No token is needed to publish. You get a live link and a claim link. Codex's MCP docs do not list cloud tasks, so there use the command.

Does this work in Codex cloud?

Yes, with the command, after you allow dropthehassle.com. Current environments use Allow Codex to access internet, then Package managers or Custom domains only. A legacy environment can also restrict HTTP methods. If it allows only GET, HEAD, and OPTIONS, the upload is blocked until POST is allowed.

Do I need an account?

No. You get a free yourname.dropthehassle.app address with HTTPS. Claim it within 7 days to keep it. Before you claim it, the upload can be at most 25 MB.

Can I put my DropTheHassle token in Codex cloud secrets?

You do not need to. The zero-account deploy needs no token. On Codex Cloud (Legacy), OpenAI says secrets are available only during setup and are removed before the agent phase. Current Codex Cloud docs describe environment variables as values programs can read, and network secrets as values a proxy substitutes. Do not put a token in either place for this deploy.

What does a .com cost?

EUR 19 a year including VAT in the EU, or USD 19 elsewhere, the same every year. The agent cannot pay. You check out yourself.

Why did a cloud task create a second site?

Each cloud task starts without .dropthehassle.json. Without that file, npx dropthehassle deploy creates a new site. The CLI has no flag for a token plus a site name. Claim the one you want, then update it while signed in.