andreaswasita/copilot-agents-dojo/building-mcp-servers

Building MCP Servers Skill

Authors a Model Context Protocol server in TypeScript or Python using the official SDKs (@modelcontextprotocol/sdk, mcp), with deliberate tool/resource/prompt design, both stdio and Streamable HTTP transports, OAuth 2.1 auth, and a test fixture. Does NOT roll its own JSON-RPC framing and does NOT ship without registry + config snippet.

When to Use

• A required system is not in mcp/registry.yaml.
• An existing MCP server is too broad; you need a domain-specific facade.
• User says "build", "write", "author", "create" + "MCP server".
• Wrapping internal APIs so an agent can call them without bespoke skills.

Prerequisites

• Node 20+ (TypeScript) or Python 3.11+.
• The official SDK installed (@modelcontextprotocol/sdk or mcp).
• An auth strategy decided upfront (CLI inheritance for local, OAuth 2.1 + PKCE for hosted).
• mcp/registry.yaml and mcp/configs/ writable.
• @modelcontextprotocol/inspector for handshake debugging.

How to Run

1. Pick primitives: tools / resources / prompts. Default to tools.
2. Design tool names (verb_object) and JSON Schema inputs.
3. Scaffold the server with the official SDK + stdio transport.
4. Add Streamable HTTP transport if the server is hosted.
5. Implement auth — CLI inheritance (local) or OAuth 2.1 + PKCE (hosted).
6. Add tests: in-memory transport unit tests + a real stdio smoke test.
7. Register in `mcp/registry.yaml` and add a `mcp/configs/` snippet.

Quick Reference

Procedure

Step 1: Choose Primitives

Default to tools. Use resources only when the data is naturally addressable by URI. Use prompts only when the user invokes them explicitly (slash commands).

Step 2: Design Tool Surface

For each tool:

• Name: verb_object snake_case.
• Description: answer "when do I call this?", not "what does it do internally". Lead with the trigger context.
• Input: JSON Schema with required, every property has a human-readable description.
• Output: text summary first; machine-readable JSON in a second content block if the agent will chain calls.

Step 3: Stdio Scaffold (TypeScript)

import { Server } from "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/index.js";
import { StdioServerTransport } from "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/stdio.js";
const server = new Server(
  { name: "my-server", version: "1.0.0" },
  { capabilities: { tools: {} } }
);
server.setRequestHandler(/* tools/list */, async () => ({ tools: [...] }));
server.setRequestHandler(/* tools/call */, async (req) => { /* ... */ });
await server.connect(new StdioServerTransport());

Step 4: Streamable HTTP (Hosted)

• Use StreamableHTTPServerTransport.
• Mount behind a real auth provider (Entra ID, Auth0, custom OAuth 2.1).
• Implement /mcp POST + GET (SSE streaming). Do not invent endpoints.
• Add protected resource metadata so clients can discover the auth server.

Step 5: Stdout Discipline

The single most common failure: a console.log or stray print before the JSON-RPC handshake corrupts the stream. The client silently dies.

• TypeScript: route logs to console.error.
• Python: configure logging to sys.stderr, never print.

Step 6: Auth Without Inline Secrets

• Local dev: inherit from az, gh, kubectl, gcloud.
• Hosted: OAuth 2.1 + PKCE. Map Authorization: Bearer … to your resource server.
• Never accept tokens via tool arguments — that places them in the agent's context window and chat history.

Step 7: Tests

• Unit-test handlers with the SDK's in-memory transport.
• Smoke test: spawn the server, call tools/list then one representative tools/call.
• Ship an auth_status tool for diagnostics.
• Provide a --inspect mode wired to @modelcontextprotocol/inspector.

Step 8: Register and Document

After the server works:

1. Add an entry to mcp/registry.yaml (transport, scopes, auth model).
2. Add a config snippet under mcp/configs/.
3. Cross-link from the relevant consumer skill.

Pitfalls

• DO NOT log to stdout in a stdio server.
• DO NOT build a mega-tool with a mode enum that switches behavior. One job per tool.
• DO NOT write tool descriptions that explain implementation. Lead with the trigger context.
• DO NOT return unbounded result sets. Every list tool has limit and cursor.
• DO NOT accept credentials as tool arguments. They will end up in chat history.
• DO NOT re-implement JSON-RPC framing. Use the SDK.
• DO NOT ship a server without an auth_status / health tool.

Verification

• [ ] Built with @modelcontextprotocol/sdk (TS) or mcp (Python) — no custom framing.
• [ ] All tools have JSON Schema input with required set and per-property description.
• [ ] Stdout is reserved for JSON-RPC; all logs go to stderr.
• [ ] Auth uses CLI inheritance (local) or OAuth 2.1 + PKCE (hosted).
• [ ] auth_status tool exists.
• [ ] Smoke test covers tools/list and one tools/call over real stdio.
• [ ] Registry entry and mcp/configs/ snippet exist.
• [ ] serverInfo.version set and bumped on every schema change.