MCP TypeScript SDK

What is the project about?

The project is a TypeScript SDK for the Model Context Protocol (MCP). MCP is a standardized way for applications to provide context to Large Language Models (LLMs). It separates the concerns of providing context from the actual LLM interaction, acting like a specialized API for LLMs. The SDK allows developers to build both MCP clients and servers.

What problem does it solve?

It solves the problem of inconsistent and non-standardized ways of providing context to LLMs. By using MCP, applications can interact with LLMs in a predictable and interoperable manner. It also simplifies the development of applications that need to provide data and functionality to LLMs. It provides a secure and standardized way to expose data and functionality.

What are the features of the project?

• Build MCP Clients: Connect to any MCP server.
• Build MCP Servers: Expose resources, prompts, and tools.
• Standard Transports: Supports stdio (for command-line tools) and HTTP with Server-Sent Events (SSE) (for remote servers).
• Protocol Handling: Manages all MCP protocol messages and lifecycle events.
• Resources: Expose data to LLMs (like GET requests).
• Tools: Allow LLMs to perform actions and computations (like POST requests).
• Prompts: Provide reusable templates for LLM interactions.
• High-level and Low-level APIs: Offers both simplified and more granular control over server and client implementations.
• Example Implementations: Includes examples like an Echo server and a SQLite Explorer.
• Client-side interaction: Provides a client interface for interacting with MCP servers.

What are the technologies used in the project?

• TypeScript: The primary language.
• Node.js: The runtime environment.
• npm: Package management.
• Zod: Schema validation.
• Express.js: For the HTTP/SSE server example.
• SQLite3: Used in the SQLite Explorer example.
• Server-Sent Events (SSE): For real-time communication between client and server.

What are the benefits of the project?

• Standardization: Provides a consistent way to interact with LLMs.
• Interoperability: Clients and servers built with the SDK can communicate with any other MCP-compliant implementation.
• Simplified Development: Makes it easier to build applications that leverage LLMs.
• Security: MCP is designed with security in mind.
• Extensibility: The protocol and SDK are designed to be extended with new features.
• Separation of Concerns: Clearly separates the context provision from the LLM interaction.

What are the use cases of the project?

• Building LLM-powered applications: Any application that needs to provide context to an LLM.
• Creating command-line tools: Tools that interact with LLMs using stdio.
• Developing web applications: Applications that use LLMs via a remote MCP server.
• Database interaction with LLMs: Exposing database schemas and allowing LLMs to query data (as shown in the SQLite example).
• API integration: Allowing LLMs to interact with external APIs through tools.
• Code review tools: Providing code to an LLM for review (as shown in the prompt example).
• Creating custom LLM assistants: Building specialized assistants that have access to specific data and tools.