MCP Server Boilerplate

🚀 Overview

A production-ready TypeScript boilerplate for building Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. This template provides a solid foundation for creating MCP servers with clean architecture, comprehensive error handling, and extensible tool/resource management.

✨ Features

• 🔧 MCP Protocol Support - Full MCP server implementation with tools and resources
• ⚡ TypeScript - Type-safe development with modern ES features
• 🛠️ Tool System - Easy-to-extend tool architecture with Zod validation
• 📁 Resource Management - File and configuration resource support
• 🎯 Clean Architecture - Dependency injection, handler binding, and service layer separation
• 🚨 Error Handling - Comprehensive error management with proper MCP responses
• 🧪 Testing Ready - Jest configuration for unit and integration tests
• 🐳 Docker Support - Container-ready deployment
• 📝 Code Quality - ESLint + Prettier for consistent code style

🛠️ Technology Stack

• Runtime: Node.js >= 22.0.0
• Language: TypeScript 5.x
• MCP SDK: @modelcontextprotocol/sdk 1.18.2
• Validation: Zod 3.x with JSON Schema generation
• Testing: Jest 30.x
• Linting: ESLint 8.x + Prettier 3.x
• Build: TypeScript compiler with path aliases

🚦 Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js >= 22.0.0
• Git

Installation

# Clone the template
git clone <your-repo-url>
cd mcp-server-template

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build the project
npm run build

# Start the MCP server
npm start

Development Mode

# Start development server with hot reload
npm run dev

📋 Available Scripts

# Development
npm run dev          # Start development server with hot reload
npm run build        # Build TypeScript to JavaScript
npm run start        # Start production server

# Testing
npm test             # Run Jest test suite
npm run test:watch   # Run tests in watch mode

# Code Quality
npm run lint         # Run ESLint
npm run lint:fix     # Fix ESLint issues

🏗️ Project Structure

src/
├── config/               # Configuration management
├── container/            # Dependency injection container
├── handlers/            # MCP request handlers
│   ├── call-tool-handler.ts     # Tool execution handler
│   ├── get-prompt-handler.ts    # Prompt retrieval handler
│   ├── list-prompts-handler.ts  # Prompt listing handler
│   ├── list-resources-handler.ts # Resource listing handler
│   ├── list-tools-handler.ts    # Tool listing handler
│   └── read-resource-handler.ts # Resource reading handler
├── prompts/             # MCP prompts implementation
│   ├── prompt-example.ts # System instructions prompt
│   └── index.ts         # Prompt exports
├── services/            # Business logic services
│   ├── MathService.ts   # Mathematical operations
│   └── ErrorService.ts  # Error handling and formatting
├── tools/               # MCP tools implementation
│   ├── echo.ts          # Echo tool
│   ├── add-two-numbers.ts # Math tool
│   └── get-time.ts      # Time tool
├── __tests__/           # Test suites
│   └── add-two-numbers.test.ts # Comprehensive tool tests
├── types/               # TypeScript type definitions
├── index.ts            # Application entry point & handler binding
└── server.ts           # MCP server setup & protocol configuration

🔧 Available Tools

The boilerplate includes three example tools to demonstrate the architecture:

1. Echo Tool

Name: echo
Description: Echo back the input text
Parameters:

• text (string): Text to echo back

Example Usage:

{
  "name": "echo",
  "arguments": {
    "text": "Hello, MCP!"
  }
}

2. Add Two Numbers Tool

Name: add
Description: Add two numbers together
Parameters:

• a (number): First number
• b (number): Second number

Example Usage:

{
  "name": "add",
  "arguments": {
    "a": 5,
    "b": 3
  }
}

3. Get Time Tool

Name: get_time
Description: Get current timestamp
Parameters:

• random_string (string, optional): Dummy parameter for no-parameter tools

Example Usage:

{
  "name": "get_time",
  "arguments": {
    "random_string": "dummy"
  }
}

📁 Available Resources

The server provides two example resources:

1. Example Text File

URI: file:///example.txt
Type: text/plain
Description: A simple example text resource

2. Server Information

URI: config://server-info
Type: application/json
Description: Information about this MCP server including capabilities and available tools

💬 Available Prompts

The server includes prompt support for system instructions:

System Instructions Prompt

Name: system-instructions
Description: Plain instructions to be used as a future system prompt
Content: Role and policy definitions for AI assistants

Example Usage:

{
  "name": "system-instructions",
  "arguments": {}
}

🛠️ Adding New Tools

1. Create Tool Implementation

Create a new file in src/tools/:

// src/tools/my-tool.ts
import { zodToJsonSchema } from 'zod-to-json-schema';
import { z } from 'zod';
import { CallToolResult, Tool } from '@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/types.js';
import { IErrorService } from '../services';

export const myToolInputSchema = z.object({
  input: z.string().describe('Input parameter'),
});

export type MyToolParams = z.infer<typeof myToolInputSchema>;

export const MY_TOOL: Tool = {
  name: 'my_tool',
  description: 'Description of what this tool does',
  inputSchema: zodToJsonSchema(myToolInputSchema, {
    target: 'jsonSchema7',
  }) as Tool['inputSchema'],
};

export default function myTool(
  this: { errorService: IErrorService },
  params: MyToolParams,
): CallToolResult {
  try {
    // Your tool logic here
    return {
      content: [
        {
          type: 'text',
          text: `Result: ${params.input}`,
        },
      ],
    };
  } catch (error) {
    return this.errorService.handleError(error, {
      operation: 'myTool',
      params,
      timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
    });
  }
}

2. Register Tool

Update src/tools/index.ts:

export * from './my-tool.js';

3. Add to Tools Handler

Update src/handlers/tools-handler.ts:

import { MY_TOOL } from '../tools';

export async function handleListTools(
  _request: ListToolsRequest,
): Promise<{ tools: Tool[] }> {
  return {
    tools: [ECHO_TOOL, ADD_TWO_NUMBERS_TOOL, GET_TIME_TOOL, MY_TOOL],
  };
}

4. Add to Tool Call Handler

Update src/handlers/tool-call-handler.ts:

import myTool from '../tools/my-tool.js';

export async function handleToolCall(
  this: IContainer,
  request: CallToolRequest,
): Promise<CallToolResult> {
  const { name, arguments: args } = request.params;

  switch (name) {
    case 'my_tool':
      return myTool.call(this, args);
    // ... other cases
  }
}

📁 Adding New Resources

1. Update Resources Handler

Add your resource to src/handlers/list-resources-handler.ts:

export async function handleListResources(
  _request: ListResourcesRequest,
): Promise<{ resources: Resource[] }> {
  return {
    resources: [
      // ... existing resources
      {
        uri: 'my-resource://data',
        name: 'My Resource',
        description: 'Description of my resource',
        mimeType: 'application/json',
      },
    ],
  };
}

2. Update Read Resource Handler

Add handling in src/handlers/read-resource-handler.ts:

export async function handleReadResource(
  request: ReadResourceRequest,
): Promise<{ contents: Resource[] }> {
  const { uri } = request.params;

  switch (uri) {
    case 'my-resource://data':
      return {
        contents: [
          {
            uri,
            mimeType: 'application/json',
            text: JSON.stringify({ data: 'your data here' }),
          },
        ],
      };
    // ... other cases
  }
}

💬 Adding New Prompts

1. Create Prompt Implementation

Create a new file in src/prompts/:

// src/prompts/my-prompt.ts
export const MY_PROMPT = {
  description: 'Description of what this prompt does',
  messages: [
    {
      role: 'assistant',
      content: {
        type: 'text',
        text: 'Your prompt content here',
      },
    },
  ],
};

2. Register Prompt

Update src/prompts/index.ts:

export * from './my-prompt.js';

3. Add to Prompts Handler

Update src/handlers/list-prompts-handler.ts:

export const PROMPTS = {
  'system-instructions': {
    name: 'system-instructions',
    description: 'Plain instructions to be used as a future system prompt',
    arguments: [],
  },
  'my-prompt': {
    name: 'my-prompt',
    description: 'Description of my prompt',
    arguments: [],
  },
};

4. Add to Get Prompt Handler

Update src/handlers/get-prompt-handler.ts:

import { MY_PROMPT } from '../prompts';

export async function handleGetPrompt(
  request: GetPromptRequest,
): Promise<Prompt> {
  const { name, arguments: _args } = request.params;
  const prompt = PROMPTS[name as keyof typeof PROMPTS];
  if (!prompt) throw new Error(`Prompt not found: ${name}`);

  switch (name) {
    case 'system-instructions': {
      return SYSTEM_INSTRUCTIONS;
    }
    case 'my-prompt': {
      return MY_PROMPT;
    }
    default:
      throw new Error('Prompt implementation not found');
  }
}

🧪 Testing

The boilerplate includes comprehensive Jest testing with extensive coverage:

# Run all tests
npm test

# Run tests in watch mode
npm run test:watch

# Run specific test file
npm test add-two-numbers.test.ts

Test Coverage

The project includes comprehensive test suites covering:

• Schema Validation: Input parameter validation with Zod schemas
• Happy Path Scenarios: Normal operation testing
• Error Handling: Comprehensive error scenario coverage
• Service Integration: Mock service testing
• Return Format Validation: MCP-compliant response testing
• Edge Cases: NaN, Infinity, and boundary value testing
• Context Binding: Proper this context handling

Example Test Structure

The add-two-numbers.test.ts demonstrates comprehensive testing patterns:

// src/__tests__/add-two-numbers.test.ts
import addTwoNumbers from '../tools/add-two-numbers';
import { IMathService, IErrorService } from '../services';

describe('addTwoNumbers', () => {
  // Schema validation tests
  // Happy path tests
  // Error handling tests
  // Service integration tests
  // Return format tests
  // Edge case tests
  // Context binding tests
});

Test Categories

1. Schema Validation Tests: Ensure input parameters are properly validated
2. Happy Path Tests: Verify normal operation scenarios
3. Error Handling Tests: Test error scenarios and proper error responses
4. Service Integration Tests: Mock service interactions
5. Return Format Tests: Ensure MCP-compliant responses
6. Edge Cases: Handle special values like NaN, Infinity
7. Context Binding: Verify proper this context usage

🐳 Docker Support

Build Docker Image

docker build -t mcp-server-template .

Run Container

docker run -it mcp-server-template

Dockerfile

The included Dockerfile creates an optimized production image:

FROM node:22-alpine
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci --only=production
COPY dist ./dist
CMD ["node", "dist/index.js"]

🔧 Configuration

Environment Variables

Create a .env file for configuration:

NODE_ENV=production
LOG_LEVEL=info

TypeScript Configuration

The project uses strict TypeScript configuration with:

• ES2022 target
• Node16 module resolution
• Strict type checking
• Source maps for debugging

🚨 Error Handling

The boilerplate includes comprehensive error handling:

• ErrorService: Centralized error management
• MCP-compliant responses: Proper error flags and messages
• Error categorization: Different handling for TypeError, RangeError, etc.
• Context preservation: Operation context and parameters in error logs

🏛️ Architecture Overview

Handler-Based Architecture

The server uses a clean handler-based architecture with dependency injection:

1. Application Entry Point (index.ts):

   • Creates dependency injection container
   • Binds handlers with container context
   • Passes bound handlers to server

2. Server Setup (server.ts):

   • Focuses purely on MCP protocol configuration
   • Accepts pre-bound handlers as constructor parameters
   • No knowledge of handler implementations

3. Benefits:

   • Single Responsibility: Server only handles MCP protocol
   • Testability: Easy to inject mock handlers for testing
   • Flexibility: Handler composition at application level
   • Type Safety: Full TypeScript support with proper MCP types

Handler Binding Flow

// index.ts - Application wiring
const container = createContainer();
const handlers = {
  toolCall: handleToolCall.bind(container),
  listTools: handleListTools.bind(container),
  // ... other handlers
};
await startServer(handlers);

// server.ts - Protocol setup
export async function startServer(handlers: ServerHandlers) {
  // MCP server configuration only
  server.setRequestHandler(CallToolRequestSchema, handlers.toolCall);
  // ... other request handlers
}

🔌 MCP Protocol Features

Supported Capabilities

• ✅ Tools: Execute custom functions with parameter validation
• ✅ Resources: Read files and configuration data
• ✅ Prompts: Retrieve system instructions and prompt templates
• ✅ Stdio Transport: Standard input/output communication
• ✅ JSON Schema: Automatic schema generation from Zod schemas
• ✅ Type Safety: Full TypeScript support with MCP SDK types

Request/Response Flow

1. List Tools: Client requests available tools
2. Call Tool: Client executes tool with parameters
3. List Resources: Client requests available resources
4. Read Resource: Client reads resource content
5. List Prompts: Client requests available prompts
6. Get Prompt: Client retrieves specific prompt content

🤝 Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-tool)
3. Follow the existing code style (ESLint + Prettier)
4. Add tests for new functionality
5. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing tool')
6. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-tool)
7. Open a Pull Request

Development Guidelines

• Use TypeScript strict mode
• Follow the existing architecture patterns
• Add comprehensive error handling
• Include unit tests for new tools
• Update documentation for new features

📄 License

This project is licensed under the ISC License.

🆘 Support

For support and questions:

• Check the MCP documentation: https://modelcontextprotocol.io/
• Review the example tools and resources
• Check existing issues and discussions

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