🧱 Turn Any Library Into a Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server

TL;DR: Go to your repo, define what you want to mcp-ify and give the agent this prompt. 👇

# 🧱 Turn Any Library Into a Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server ## Instantly turn any library into a Model Context Protocol server — tools, resources, prompts, and Docker-ready. > **Purpose:** This guide helps you transform *any* function, script, module, or API into an **MCP-compliant server** — making it accessible to LLM-powered clients like Claude, Continue, fast-agent, Genkit, and others. Whether it’s a Python package, a CLI tool, or a business logic module, you’ll learn how to wrap it using the Model Context Protocol so that models can *discover*, *understand*, and *invoke* it using a standard interface. --- ## 🧠 Why MCP? (And Why Wrap Your Library) LLMs don’t operate in a vacuum — they need to: - Access real-world data (`resources`) - Run actions or business logic (`tools`) - Follow workflows or playbooks (`prompts`) But everyone implements this differently. The **Model Context Protocol** solves this by defining **a universal schema and transport layer** to connect models to capabilities and context. > Think of MCP as the *“USB for LLM integrations”* — plug in once, and any compliant AI agent can use it. By wrapping your library as an MCP server, you gain: - ✅ **Standardized interface** for any client - ✅ **Modular reuse** across teams or tools - ✅ **LLM discoverability** and auto-documentation - ✅ **Scoped, secure access** via protocols and URIs --- ## 🔧 What Can You Wrap? | You Have… | Wrap It As… | Example Outcome | |---------------------------|---------------|---------------------------------------------| | A Python/Node function | Tool | Model can call `calculate()` with arguments | | A config or log file | Resource | Model can read and analyze it | | A prompt-based template | Prompt | Model can run “Summarize this bug” flow | | A REST or internal API | Tool + Resource | Model can query or inspect endpoints | | A shell script | Tool | Trigger CLI logic via LLM | --- ## 📦 Step-by-Step: Wrapping Your Code with MCP ### 🥇 Step 1: Choose Your SDK Install your language SDK: ```bash # Python pip install mcp-sdk ``` ```bash # TypeScript npm install @modelcontextprotocol/sdk ``` --- ### 🥈 Step 2: Scaffold Your Server Here's an example in Python: ```python from mcp_sdk.server import Server from mcp_sdk.types import ListToolsRequest, CallToolRequest def calculate_sum(x, y): return x + y server = Server(name="calc-server", version="0.1", capabilities={"tools": {}}) @server.on(ListToolsRequest) async def list_tools(_): return { "tools": [{ "name": "calculate_sum", "description": "Adds two numbers", "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": {"x": {"type": "number"}, "y": {"type": "number"}}, "required": ["x", "y"] } }] } @server.on(CallToolRequest) async def call_tool(req): args = req.params["arguments"] result = calculate_sum(args["x"], args["y"]) return {"content": [{"type": "text", "text": str(result)}]} ``` --- ### 🥉 Step 3: Run the Server (stdio) ```bash python server.py ``` This starts your server over stdin/stdout — which works perfectly with local MCP clients like Claude Desktop, Continue, or fast-agent. --- ### 🧪 Step 4: Inspect with MCP Inspector ```bash npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/inspector python server.py ``` Use this to verify your: - Tool schema - Response shape - Errors, logs, and inputs --- ### 🧩 Step 5: Add to Your Client (Claude, Continue, etc.) For Claude Desktop, in `claude_desktop_config.json`: ```json { "mcpServers": { "calc": { "command": "python", "args": ["C:/Users/yourname/server.py"] } } } ``` For macOS/Linux: ```json { "mcpServers": { "calc": { "command": "python", "args": ["/Users/you/dev/server.py"] } } } ``` --- ## 🐳 Docker + MCP: Clean, Portable Wrapping ### Why Docker? Docker is ideal when: - Your code has native dependencies - You want cross-platform reproducibility - You need to ship remote SSE servers ### Example Dockerfile: ```Dockerfile FROM python:3.11-slim WORKDIR /app COPY server.py . RUN pip install mcp-sdk CMD ["python", "server.py"] ``` ```bash docker build -t mcp-calc . docker run -i mcp-calc ``` > Claude can use this via `"command": "docker", "args": ["run", "-i", "mcp-calc"]` --- ## 💻 OS Differences: macOS / Windows / Linux ### Working Directory | OS | Behavior | Solution | |----------|--------------------------------|-------------------------------| | macOS | GUI apps launch from `/` | Use absolute paths | | Windows | GUI apps or shell may vary | Use full `C:/...` paths | | Linux | Launcher sets working dir | Still use absolute paths | ### File Paths - macOS/Linux: `file:///Users/you/path.txt` - Windows: `file:///C:/Users/you/path.txt` Use this to normalize: ```python from urllib.parse import pathname2url from pathlib import Path def to_uri(path): return "file://" + pathname2url(str(Path(path).absolute())) ``` ### Environment Variables Use `"env"` block in your config: ```json { "env": { "API_KEY": "abc123", "ROOT_PATH": "/Users/you/dev" } } ``` ### Docker Quirks | Platform | Quirk | Fix | |----------|-------------------------------|----------------------------------------| | macOS | Docker runs inside VM | Avoid local volume mounts by default | | Windows | Paths inside container = WSL | Use `/mnt/c/...` or use COPY instead | | Linux | Native support | ✅ No changes needed | --- ## 🧠 Prompts & Resources (Optional Features) ### 📄 Expose a Resource (e.g., File or API) ```python @server.on(ListResourcesRequest) async def list_resources(_): return {"resources": [{ "uri": "file:///tmp/output.txt", "name": "Output File", "mimeType": "text/plain" }]} @server.on(ReadResourceRequest) async def read_resource(req): return {"contents": [{ "uri": req.params["uri"], "text": open("/tmp/output.txt").read() }]} ``` ### ✨ Provide a Prompt Template ```python @server.on(ListPromptsRequest) async def list_prompts(_): return {"prompts": [{"name": "summarize", "description": "Summarize text"}]} @server.on(GetPromptRequest) async def get_prompt(req): return { "messages": [{ "role": "user", "content": {"type": "text", "text": f"Summarize: {req.params['arguments']['text']}"} }] } ``` --- ## 🧭 Design Principles | Principle | Why it matters | |------------------------------|----------------| | ✅ Composable | Start with one tool or resource — keep it small | | ✅ Self-describing | Use names, descriptions, schemas clearly | | ✅ Transport-agnostic | stdio for local, SSE for remote | | ✅ Stateless if possible | Easier to scale, test, reuse | | ✅ Validate inputs | Schema required — helps model + safety | | ✅ Log to stderr | stdout is for JSON-RPC only | | ✅ Use Inspector early | Fast feedback loop | --- ## 🔐 Security & Good Practices - Validate tool inputs - Avoid directory traversal in resource URIs - Don’t expose stack traces to clients - Log security-relevant events - Rate limit long-running operations --- ## 🧰 Troubleshooting | Problem | Solution | |--------------------------------|------------------------------------------------| | Claude shows "not responding" | Check stdout isn't polluted with logs | | Tool not showing up | Verify `tools/list` works via Inspector | | Paths break on Windows | Use `file:///C:/...` format | | Server launches but does nothing | Missing `@server.on(...)` or bad entrypoint | | “Tool not found” error | Check `name` matches in `tools/call` | --- ## 🚀 What’s Next? - ✅ Wrap a real-world CLI or API call - ✅ Dockerize it for reuse - ✅ Add it to your Claude, Continue, or fast-agent stack - ✅ Share it on GitHub or submit to Awesome MCP Servers --- ## 📚 References - [📘 MCP Specification](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/spec) - [🛠 Python SDK](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/python) - [🧪 MCP Inspector](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/tools/inspector) - [🎒 Example Servers](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/examples) - [🌍 Awesome MCP Servers](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/awesome-mcp-servers) clarify what the user wants to convert and begin collaberating for a solution.

TL;DR: Go to your repo, define what you want to mcp-ify and give the agent this prompt. 👆

🧱 Turn Any Library Into a Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server

Instantly turn any library into a Model Context Protocol server — tools, resources, prompts, and Docker-ready.

Purpose:
This guide helps you transform any function, script, module, or API into an MCP-compliant server — making it accessible to LLM-powered clients like Claude, Continue, fast-agent, Genkit, and others.

Whether it’s a Python package, a CLI tool, or a business logic module, you’ll learn how to wrap it using the Model Context Protocol so that models can discover, understand, and invoke it using a standard interface.

🧠 Why MCP? (And Why Wrap Your Library)

LLMs don’t operate in a vacuum — they need to:

Access real-world data (resources)
Run actions or business logic (tools)
Follow workflows or playbooks (prompts)

But everyone implements this differently. The Model Context Protocol solves this by defining a universal schema and transport layer to connect models to capabilities and context.

Think of MCP as the “USB for LLM integrations” — plug in once, and any compliant AI agent can use it.

By wrapping your library as an MCP server, you gain:

✅ Standardized interface for any client
✅ Modular reuse across teams or tools
✅ LLM discoverability and auto-documentation
✅ Scoped, secure access via protocols and URIs

🔧 What Can You Wrap?

You Have…	Wrap It As…	Example Outcome
A Python/Node function	Tool	Model can call `calculate()` with arguments
A config or log file	Resource	Model can read and analyze it
A prompt-based template	Prompt	Model can run “Summarize this bug” flow
A REST or internal API	Tool + Resource	Model can query or inspect endpoints
A shell script	Tool	Trigger CLI logic via LLM

📦 Step-by-Step: Wrapping Your Code with MCP

🥇 Step 1: Choose Your SDK

Install your language SDK:

# Python
pip install mcp-sdk

# TypeScript
npm install @modelcontextprotocol/sdk

🥈 Step 2: Scaffold Your Server

Here's an example in Python:

from mcp_sdk.server import Server
from mcp_sdk.types import ListToolsRequest, CallToolRequest

def calculate_sum(x, y):
    return x + y

server = Server(name="calc-server", version="0.1", capabilities={"tools": {}})

@server.on(ListToolsRequest)
async def list_tools(_):
    return {
        "tools": [{
            "name": "calculate_sum",
            "description": "Adds two numbers",
            "inputSchema": {
                "type": "object",
                "properties": {"x": {"type": "number"}, "y": {"type": "number"}},
                "required": ["x", "y"]
            }
        }]
    }

@server.on(CallToolRequest)
async def call_tool(req):
    args = req.params["arguments"]
    result = calculate_sum(args["x"], args["y"])
    return {"content": [{"type": "text", "text": str(result)}]}

🥉 Step 3: Run the Server (stdio)

python server.py

This starts your server over stdin/stdout — which works perfectly with local MCP clients like Claude Desktop, Continue, or fast-agent.

🧪 Step 4: Inspect with MCP Inspector

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/inspector python server.py

Use this to verify your:

Tool schema
Response shape
Errors, logs, and inputs

🧩 Step 5: Add to Your Client (Claude, Continue, etc.)

For Claude Desktop, in claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "calc": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["C:/Users/yourname/server.py"]  // Windows
    }
  }
}

For macOS/Linux:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "calc": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["/Users/you/dev/server.py"]
    }
  }
}

🐳 Docker + MCP: Clean, Portable Wrapping

Why Docker?

Docker is ideal when:

Your code has native dependencies
You want cross-platform reproducibility
You need to ship remote SSE servers

Example Dockerfile:

FROM python:3.11-slim
WORKDIR /app
COPY server.py .
RUN pip install mcp-sdk
CMD ["python", "server.py"]

docker build -t mcp-calc .
docker run -i mcp-calc

Claude can use this via "command": "docker", "args": ["run", "-i", "mcp-calc"]

💻 OS Differences: macOS / Windows / Linux

Working Directory

OS	Behavior	Solution
macOS	GUI apps launch from `/`	Use absolute paths
Windows	GUI apps or shell may vary	Use full `C:/...` paths
Linux	Launcher sets working dir	Still use absolute paths

File Paths

macOS/Linux: file:///Users/you/path.txt
Windows: file:///C:/Users/you/path.txt

Use this to normalize:

from urllib.parse import pathname2url
from pathlib import Path

def to_uri(path):
    return "file://" + pathname2url(str(Path(path).absolute()))

Environment Variables

Use "env" block in your config:

{
  "env": {
    "API_KEY": "abc123",
    "ROOT_PATH": "/Users/you/dev"
  }
}

Docker Quirks

Platform	Quirk	Fix
macOS	Docker runs inside VM	Avoid local volume mounts by default
Windows	Paths inside container = WSL	Use `/mnt/c/...` or use COPY instead
Linux	Native support	✅ No changes needed

🧠 Prompts & Resources (Optional Features)

📄 Expose a Resource (e.g., File or API)

@server.on(ListResourcesRequest)
async def list_resources(_):
    return {"resources": [{
        "uri": "file:///tmp/output.txt",
        "name": "Output File",
        "mimeType": "text/plain"
    }]}

@server.on(ReadResourceRequest)
async def read_resource(req):
    return {"contents": [{
        "uri": req.params["uri"],
        "text": open("/tmp/output.txt").read()
    }]}

✨ Provide a Prompt Template

@server.on(ListPromptsRequest)
async def list_prompts(_):
    return {"prompts": [{"name": "summarize", "description": "Summarize text"}]}

@server.on(GetPromptRequest)
async def get_prompt(req):
    return {
        "messages": [{
            "role": "user",
            "content": {"type": "text", "text": f"Summarize: {req.params['arguments']['text']}"}
        }]
    }

🧭 Design Principles

Principle	Why it matters
✅ Composable	Start with one tool or resource — keep it small
✅ Self-describing	Use names, descriptions, schemas clearly
✅ Transport-agnostic	stdio for local, SSE for remote
✅ Stateless if possible	Easier to scale, test, reuse
✅ Validate inputs	Schema required — helps model + safety
✅ Log to stderr	stdout is for JSON-RPC only
✅ Use Inspector early	Fast feedback loop

🔐 Security & Good Practices

Validate tool inputs
Avoid directory traversal in resource URIs
Don’t expose stack traces to clients
Log security-relevant events
Rate limit long-running operations

🧰 Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
Claude shows "not responding"	Check stdout isn't polluted with logs
Tool not showing up	Verify `tools/list` works via Inspector
Paths break on Windows	Use `file:///C:/...` format
Server launches but does nothing	Missing `@server.on(...)` or bad entrypoint
“Tool not found” error	Check `name` matches in `tools/call`

🚀 What’s Next?

✅ Wrap a real-world CLI or API call
✅ Dockerize it for reuse
✅ Add it to your Claude, Continue, or fast-agent stack
✅ Share it on GitHub or submit to Awesome MCP Servers

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🧱 Turn Any Library Into a Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server

Instantly turn any library into a Model Context Protocol server — tools, resources, prompts, and Docker-ready.

🧠 Why MCP? (And Why Wrap Your Library)

🔧 What Can You Wrap?

📦 Step-by-Step: Wrapping Your Code with MCP

🥇 Step 1: Choose Your SDK

🥈 Step 2: Scaffold Your Server

🥉 Step 3: Run the Server (stdio)

🧪 Step 4: Inspect with MCP Inspector

🧩 Step 5: Add to Your Client (Claude, Continue, etc.)

🐳 Docker + MCP: Clean, Portable Wrapping

Why Docker?

Example Dockerfile:

💻 OS Differences: macOS / Windows / Linux

Working Directory

File Paths

Environment Variables

Docker Quirks

🧠 Prompts & Resources (Optional Features)

📄 Expose a Resource (e.g., File or API)

✨ Provide a Prompt Template

🧭 Design Principles

🔐 Security & Good Practices

🧰 Troubleshooting

🚀 What’s Next?

📚 References

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🧱 Turn Any Library Into a Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server

Instantly turn any library into a Model Context Protocol server — tools, resources, prompts, and Docker-ready.

🧠 Why MCP? (And Why Wrap Your Library)

🔧 What Can You Wrap?

📦 Step-by-Step: Wrapping Your Code with MCP

🥇 Step 1: Choose Your SDK

🥈 Step 2: Scaffold Your Server

🥉 Step 3: Run the Server (stdio)

🧪 Step 4: Inspect with MCP Inspector

🧩 Step 5: Add to Your Client (Claude, Continue, etc.)

🐳 Docker + MCP: Clean, Portable Wrapping

Why Docker?

Example Dockerfile:

💻 OS Differences: macOS / Windows / Linux

Working Directory

File Paths

Environment Variables

Docker Quirks

🧠 Prompts & Resources (Optional Features)

📄 Expose a Resource (e.g., File or API)

✨ Provide a Prompt Template

🧭 Design Principles

🔐 Security & Good Practices

🧰 Troubleshooting

🚀 What’s Next?

📚 References

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