NetSendo v1.7.6: Zero-Config MCP & A/B Testing API
As a developer or marketer, you know that the friction between a great idea and a deployed automation can kill momentum. Managing environment variables, testing connections, and wrestling with APIs slows you down. What if your self-hosted marketing platform was truly API-first, with a focus on an elite developer experience?
NetSendo v1.7.6 is here to deliver exactly that. This release introduces the Marketing Control Plane (MCP), a powerful, developer-centric way to manage your entire marketing stack programmatically. We've supercharged our API, eliminated configuration friction for Docker users, and squashed some critical user experience bugs.
.env variables. It adds powerful new APIs for campaigns, A/B testing, and automations. Also includes major UX fixes for image editing and template thumbnail generation.
🚀 What's New in v1.7.6: The Marketing Control Plane (MCP)
The star of this release is the Marketing Control Plane (MCP)—a suite of tools and API endpoints designed for headless, programmatic control over NetSendo. It’s built for developers, agencies, and anyone looking to integrate NetSendo deeply into their ecosystem.
A Zero-Configuration Setup for Developers
We've completely overhauled how NetSendo identifies its master API key for internal and external services. The old way involved setting an MCP_API_KEY in your environment file, which was cumbersome, especially in Docker environments.
Now, it's all handled in the database. Simply create or edit an API key and check the "Use for Marketing Control Plane (MCP)" box. NetSendo automatically encrypts and stores this key, making it instantly available to all services. For local Docker users, this means a true zero-config setup.
ℹ️ Note: This change makes setting up and managing NetSendo instances, particularly for development and testing, faster and more secure than ever.
Zero-Config Docker
No more .env file editing for the MCP key. Just check a box in the UI.
Encrypted Storage
MCP keys are securely encrypted in the database, not stored in plain text.
Smarter Testing
Connection tests automatically work, even inside Docker's network.
⚙️ A Supercharged API: A/B Testing, Campaigns & Automations
The MCP isn't just about easier setup; it's about power. We've added over 25 new tools to our @netsendo/mcp-client and corresponding API endpoints, giving you programmatic control over core features.
- Full Campaign Management: Create, update, schedule, and send email campaigns via the API.
- Comprehensive A/B Testing: Programmatically create and manage A/B tests with multiple variants for subject lines, content, and senders.
- Automation Funnels: Build entire automation sequences with triggers (List Signup) and steps (Email, Delay, Condition) using API calls.
✨ UX and Reliability Boosts
We also fixed two long-standing user experience issues in the visual editor.
- Seamless Image Editing: You can now double-click images directly in the email preview (iframe) to open the editor. All changes to size, alignment, and spacing are now synced in real-time.
- Reliable Thumbnail Generation: Templates with external images that block hotlinking (CORS errors) will now generate thumbnails correctly. We've implemented a secure, server-side image proxy that fetches these images reliably.
💡 Benefits & Use Cases
So, what can you do with the new MCP and API enhancements?
For Agencies: Headless Client Management
Use the MCP API to build a centralized dashboard for managing all your clients. Programmatically create and deploy standard onboarding funnels, A/B test campaign subject lines across accounts, and pull performance data into your own reporting tools.
For SaaS Companies: Deep Application Integration
Trigger NetSendo automations directly from your application's backend. When a user completes an onboarding step, upgrades their plan, or is at risk of churning, make an API call to start a tailored email sequence or add them to a new A/B test.
For Developers: Build Custom Tools & AI Assistants
Build custom marketing tools or an AI assistant that uses NetSendo as its engine. The new /api/mcp/test endpoint allows your external applications to easily verify API keys and connection status before executing commands.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide: Activating the Zero-Config MCP
Ready to get started? Enabling the new MCP is simple.
-
Upgrade NetSendo
Ensure you are running version v1.7.6 or later. Pull the latest Docker image and restart your instance:
docker compose pull && docker compose up -d. -
Navigate to API Keys
In your NetSendo dashboard, go to
Settings→API Keys. -
Designate an MCP Key
You can either create a new API key or edit an existing one. In the modal, you'll see a new checkbox: "Use for Marketing Control Plane (MCP)". Check it.
-
Confirm and Save
If you're editing an existing key, you'll be prompted to re-enter the plain key so it can be securely encrypted. Save your changes, and you'll see a new "MCP" badge next to the key.
-
Test the Connection
Go to
/marketplace/mcp. You'll find a "Test Connection" section with a ready-to-use curl command to verify that everything is working perfectly.
⚠️ Important: Once an API key is designated for MCP, it gains significant privileges. Protect this key as you would any root credential.
🎯 Expert Tips
Store your scripts that use @netsendo/mcp-client in a Git repository. This gives you version control, collaboration capabilities, and a history of your automated campaign and funnel logic.
Don't just run one-off tests. Write a script that automatically creates an A/B test for the subject line of every new campaign you create via the API. This builds continuous optimization into your workflow.
Integrate the /api/mcp/test endpoint into your own monitoring tools. This provides a simple, authenticated health check to ensure your NetSendo instance is reachable and ready to accept commands before running a large job.
Conclusion
NetSendo v1.7.6 marks a major leap forward in our commitment to providing a powerful, flexible, and developer-friendly self-hosted marketing platform. The zero-config MCP, expansive new API, and critical UX fixes empower you to build more sophisticated automations with less friction.
Ready to Supercharge Your Automation?
Upgrade to v1.7.6 today to unlock the full potential of the Marketing Control Plane.
