About Reference
Reference is an MCP server published by authzed in the Data category: reference implementation for an MCP server for use by agents to quickly implement within an existing project.
The repository has 1 stars and 1 forks, with the last commit 9 months ago. Six months or more without a commit doesn't mean the server is broken, but check the open issues before depending on it in production.
Install
git clone https://github.com/authzed/mcp-server-referenceThis server has no ConduID identity, so agent calls to it are not receipted. Pin the version you install and review the source before granting it credentials.
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README
MCP Server Reference Implementations
This repository provides reference implementations for hosted MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers built on open source technologies. These implementations serve as a foundation for continued development and demonstrate different architectural patterns for building production-ready MCP servers.
What is MCP?
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that enables users as well as AI agents to securely connect to data sources and tools. MCP servers expose resources, tools, and prompts that AI models can use to enhance their capabilities.
Repository Overview
This repository contains two complete reference implementations designed for remote hosted MCP servers that can be deployed to the cloud and accessed over HTTP:
📁 basic/
A minimal MCP server implementation that demonstrates the core concepts and basic functionality.
Features:
- Simple Next.js 15 application with App Router
- MCP server endpoints using
mcp-handlerlibrary - Example tool implementation
- Ready for immediate deployment
- Minimal dependencies and configuration
Perfect for:
- Learning MCP fundamentals
- Quick prototyping
- Simple tool implementations
- Educational purposes
📁 with-authorization/
A comprehensive MCP server implementation with full authentication and authorization capabilities.
Features:
- Complete authentication system with user sign-up/sign-in
- Fine-grained authorization using SpiceDB
- OAuth 2.0 compliance for MCP authorization specification
- Session management with better-auth
- Example permission model
- Examples for managing user permissions
Perfect for:
- Foundation for production hosted MCP servers
Open Source Foundation
This project is built entirely on open source solutions to ensure transparency, security, and extensibility:
Core Technologies
- Next.js 15 - Modern React framework with App Router
- TypeScript - Type safety and developer experience
- Node.js - Runtime environment
MCP Implementation
- @modelcontextprotocol/sdk - Official TypeScript SDK for MCP
- mcp-handler - Simplified MCP server creation library
- Zod - Runtime type validation for tool parameters
Authentication & Authorization (with-authorization only)
- better-auth - Modern authentication library with PostgreSQL backend
- SpiceDB - Google Zanzibar-inspired authorization system
- PostgreSQL - Reliable database for user data
UI & Styling (with-authorization only)
- TailwindCSS - Utility-first CSS framework
- shadcn/ui - High-quality accessible UI components
- Radix UI - Primitive components for accessibility
- Lucide React - Beautiful icon library
External Services
Required for with-authorization
- PostgreSQL - Database for user authentication data
- SpiceDB - Authorization service for permission management
- Can run locally for development
- AuthZed Cloud recommended for production
Getting Started
-
Choose your implementation:
- For learning or simple tools: Start with
basic/ - For building production applications: Use
with-authorization/
- For learning or simple tools: Start with
-
Follow the setup guide:
- Each directory contains detailed setup instructions
- Environment configuration examples included
- Development and deployment guides provided
-
Deploy easily:
- One-click Vercel deployment buttons included
- Environment variable guides for cloud deployment
- Starter configurations
Architecture Benefits
- Maintainable: Clean TypeScript code with comprehensive documentation
- Extensible: Open source foundation allows for custom modifications
- Standards Compliant: Full MCP specification compliance including authorization
Contributing
This reference implementation serves as a foundation for the community to build upon. Contributions that improve security, performance, documentation, or add new features are welcome.
Resources
- Model Context Protocol Specification
- MCP Authorization Specification
- Next.js Documentation
- SpiceDB Documentation
- Better Auth Documentation
License
See LICENSE for details.
README copy captured when this server was indexed; it may lag the repository. The original is authoritative.