North MCP Python SDK

What is North MCP Python SDK?

It is a Python SDK that builds on the original MCP Python SDK, adding authentication support for the North platform. It provides North‑specific features like user identity validation, OAuth token access, debug mode, OpenTelemetry helpers, and a built‑in health check endpoint. It is aimed at developers building MCP servers that integrate with North.

How to use North MCP Python SDK?

Install with uv pip install git+ssh://[email protected]/cohere-ai/north-mcp-python-sdk.git. Then instantiate a NorthMCPServer with options such as port, trusted_issuers, debug, and telemetry. Example servers are available in the examples/ directory. Local testing without North can be done via the MCP Inspector using stdio or Streamable HTTP transport.

Key features of North MCP Python SDK

• Authentication with North ID tokens and OAuth for third‑party services.
• Debug mode for detailed logging of authentication and token validation.
• OpenTelemetry helpers for custom spans and log‑trace correlation.
• Built‑in health check endpoint (/health) for Kubernetes probes.
• Support for StreamableHTTP transport (SSE deprecated).
• Access to user identity and connector access tokens.

Use cases of North MCP Python SDK

• Build an MCP server that authenticates users through North.
• Access third‑party services (e.g., Google Drive, Slack) on behalf of the North user.
• Develop and test the server locally with the MCP Inspector before connecting to North.
• Deploy the server with health checks and OpenTelemetry observability.

FAQ from North MCP Python SDK

What is North?

North is a custom extension to the original MCP specification. This SDK provides code to enable your server to use authentication with North.

How do I authenticate users?

North sends an X-North-ID-Token with requests. For production, configure trusted_issuers so the server verifies the token was issued by an expected identity provider. For local development, token decoding is done without signature verification.

Can I access the user’s identity and their OAuth tokens?

Yes. Use get_authenticated_user() inside your tool to access user.email and user.connector_access_tokens for third‑party services.

How do I enable debug mode?

Set the environment variable DEBUG=true or pass debug=True to the NorthMCPServer constructor. Debug mode logs request headers, token parsing, and JWT validation details. It should never be enabled in production.

Is OpenTelemetry required?

No. OpenTelemetry is optional. If no TracerProvider is configured, traces become no‑ops. The SDK does not bundle opentelemetry-sdk or OTLP exporters. Pass a TelemetryConfig to opt in.