spotinfo

spotinfo functions as an MCP server that exposes real-time AWS EC2 Spot Instance data, including placement scores, pricing (static and live fallback), interruption rates, and filtering capabilities. It supports multi-dimensional queries and regional/AZ comparisons, and can output results in human-readable formats as well as machine-readable JSON/CSV for automation. When used with MCP-enabled assistants, you can ask for placement scores, cheapest instance types, or region-specific comparisons, and the server will respond with structured data that suits the request. A representative workflow is to enable MCP mode and query for instance types matching constraints (CPU, memory, price) while leveraging placement scores to assess reliability and region-specific availability.

To use the MCP integration, you typically start the spotinfo server in MCP mode and connect via your MCP client (for example Claude Desktop). A minimal setup is shown in the MCP configuration: a server named spotinfo runs the spotinfo binary with the --mcp flag. You can then ask the assistant to, for instance, find low-cost, high-score instance types or compare prices across regions. The tool supports output options like JSON or CSV for automation, and visual outputs for human consumption when used directly in the CLI.

When querying, you can request regional vs AZ-level scores, enable live price fallback, and apply filters such as --min-score, --cpu, --memory, or --region. Results can be sorted by price, placement score, reliability, or other dimensions, enabling precise cost-optimization and reliability assessments for spot instance strategies.

Prerequisites:

• Go 1.24+ (as used in development and CI)
• Make (optional, for build tooling)
• Docker (optional, for containerized usage)
• Optional: Homebrew (macOS) for convenient installation

Installation options:

Option 1 – Install from prebuilt binaries (preferred for quick start):

1. Download the latest release for your OS/ARCH from the project releases page.
2. Extract the binary (e.g., spotinfo) and place it in a directory in your PATH.
3. Verify installation: spotinfo --version

Option 2 – Build from source (development or custom builds):

1. Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/alexei-led/spotinfo.git cd spotinfo
2. Build the binary using Make (as documented): make all
3. Verify build: ./spotinfo --version

Option 3 – Docker usage (containerized):

1. Build or pull the image if provided by the project: docker pull ghcr.io/alexei-led/spotinfo:latest
2. Run in MCP mode: docker run --rm --name spotinfo -p 8080:8080 ghcr.io/alexei-led/spotinfo:latest --mcp

Option 4 – Quick-start via package managers (macOS):

1. macOS (Homebrew): brew tap alexei-led/tap brew install alexei-led/tap/spotinfo
2. Verify: spotinfo --version

Notes:

• The MCP example config uses the spotinfo binary with the --mcp flag. Adjust paths if you install differently.
• If you enable AWS credentials for full functionality, ensure your environment provides the necessary permissions (DescribeSpotPriceHistory, GetSpotPlacementScores).

Tips and troubleshooting:

• AWS credentials are optional for offline data, but required for live price fallback and real-time placement scores. If missing, spotinfo will show $0 for missing types and gracefully degrade.
• Ensure your environment can access AWS endpoints if you enable live pricing or placement scores (network access and proper IAM permissions).
• The MCP configuration example is minimal; you can extend the mcpServers block with additional servers if needed.
• For debugging, run spotinfo with verbose/debug flags if available, and check logs for any connectivity or data source issues.
• If you’re building from source, keep Go 1.24+ in a stable environment to match the repository’s expectations for modules and toolchain.
• The tool supports output formats like JSON and CSV for automation; use --output json or similar flags as documented in the CLI help.