Server2MCP Spring Boot Starter

What is Server2MCP Spring Boot Starter?

Server2MCP Spring Boot Starter is a zero-to-low code library that automatically scans your existing Spring Boot @RestController and @Service beans and exposes their methods as MCP (Model Context Protocol) tools without requiring @Tool annotations or business logic changes. It is designed for Spring Boot developers who want to turn existing REST APIs into AI-callable tools quickly.

How to use Server2MCP Spring Boot Starter?

Add the dependency (currently not on Maven Central, so build from source via mvn clean install), then enable the plugin in application.yml with plugin.mcp.enabled: true and configure parser combinators and scope (interface or custom). Optionally set up Javadoc parsing by copying source files during packaging. Start your application; the MCP endpoint is ready at /mcp (configurable).

Key features of Server2MCP Spring Boot Starter

• Non‑intrusive — no changes needed to existing business code
• Auto‑discovers controllers and services as MCP tools
• Combines descriptions and parameters from Swagger, Javadoc, Spring MVC, Jackson, and more
• Custom annotations (@ToolScan, @ResourceScan, @PromptScan) for fine‑grained control
• Full compatibility with the latest MCP Java SDK (callbacks, resources, prompts)
• Easy debugging with any MCP client (Cursor, Continue, etc.)

Use cases of Server2MCP Spring Boot Starter

• Expose internal management system APIs to AI agents rapidly
• Build multi‑agent systems by turning microservices into MCP tools
• Prototype AI features on top of existing production REST services
• Avoid duplicating logic between REST and MCP endpoints

FAQ from Server2MCP Spring Boot Starter

How does Server2MCP Spring Boot Starter differ from manually adding @Tool annotations?

It requires minimal configuration only — no annotation spreading or code duplication. The starter automatically discovers existing REST methods and enriches them with descriptions from Swagger, Javadoc, and other sources.

What are the runtime dependencies?

Java 17+ and Spring Boot 3.x are required. The project uses the MCP Java SDK and is not yet published to Maven Central; you must build from source.

How do I enable Javadoc parsing for production?

Since bytecode lacks comments, you must configure the maven-resources-plugin to copy your .java source files into the output directory during packaging.

What transport and authentication are supported?

The server exposes a standard MCP endpoint (default /mcp). Authentication details are not covered in the README.

Can I control which methods are exposed as tools?

Yes. Set the scope to custom and use the @ToolScan annotation, or use the default interface scope to automatically register all controller methods (excluding @Deprecated ones).