MCP Server Patterns

MCP Server Patterns

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) lets AI assistants call tools, read resources, and use prompts from your server. Use this skill when building or maintaining MCP servers. The SDK API evolves; check Context7 (query-docs for "MCP") or the official MCP documentation for current method names and signatures.

When to Use

Use when: implementing a new MCP server, adding tools or resources, choosing stdio vs HTTP, upgrading the SDK, or debugging MCP registration and transport issues.

How It Works

Core concepts

• Tools: Actions the model can invoke (e.g. search, run a command). Register with registerTool() or tool() depending on SDK version.
• Resources: Read-only data the model can fetch (e.g. file contents, API responses). Register with registerResource() or resource(). Handlers typically receive a uri argument.
• Prompts: Reusable, parameterised prompt templates the client can surface (e.g. in Claude Desktop). Register with registerPrompt() or equivalent.
• Transport: stdio for local clients (e.g. Claude Desktop); Streamable HTTP is preferred for remote (Cursor, cloud). Legacy HTTP/SSE is for backward compatibility.

The Node/TypeScript SDK may expose tool() / resource() or registerTool() / registerResource(); the official SDK has changed over time. Always verify against the current MCP docs or Context7.

Connecting with stdio

For local clients, create a stdio transport and pass it to your server’s connect method. The exact API varies by SDK version (e.g. constructor vs factory). See the official MCP documentation or query Context7 for "MCP stdio server" for the current pattern.

Keep server logic (tools + resources) independent of transport so you can plug in stdio or HTTP in the entrypoint.

Remote (Streamable HTTP)

For Cursor, cloud, or other remote clients, use Streamable HTTP (single MCP HTTP endpoint per current spec). Support legacy HTTP/SSE only when backward compatibility is required.

Examples

Install and server setup

npm install @modelcontextprotocol/sdk zod

import { McpServer } from "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/mcp.js";
import { z } from "zod";