What is an MCP server?

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server is a middle layer that provides a consistent interface for LLMs to call external resources and tools.

Minimal setup flow

1. Tool design: Define input and output schemas.
2. Resource design: Define access to files, databases, and HTTP resources.
3. Prompt design: Build safe system prompt templates.
4. Server runtime: Add request routing and observability (logs/metrics).

Operational tips

• Monitor tool call failure rates and latency.
• Version prompts explicitly.
• Run regression tests before changing models.

Checklist

• Are tool input/output schemas documented?
• Is sensitive data prevented from leaking into prompts?
• Are retry/timeout policies defined for failures?
• Are minimal audit logs retained?

Recommended structure

server/
  tools/
  resources/
  prompts/
  middleware/
  telemetry/

Separating Tools/Resources/Prompts and centralizing logging/error handling in middleware makes operations easier.

Handle authentication and authorization centrally so tool implementations do not repeat security logic.

Set input/output size limits and rate limits on all calls to prevent cost spikes or abuse.

This post is a quickstart overview that will serve as the basis for a deeper tutorial.