[Template] MCP Server

What is [Template] MCP Server?

It is a template project for building Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. It provides a starting structure for adding custom tool definitions, configuring environment variables, and publishing the server as an npm package. It is intended for developers who want to create new MCP-compatible integrations.

How to use [Template] MCP Server?

Developers add tool definitions in src/index.ts, update the placeholder information in package.json, and build the server with npm run build. They can test the server locally using the @modelcontextprotocol/inspector library. After testing, they publish the package to npm with npm login and npm publish --access public. To run the server, users set an API key as an environment variable (API_KEY_ENV_VAR) and add the MCP configuration to their client (e.g., VS Code or Claude).

Key features of [Template] MCP Server

• Template for creating custom MCP servers
• Instructions for setup with VS Code and Claude
• Environment variable configuration for API keys
• Built with TypeScript and the MCP framework
• Tool definitions added in a single file (src/index.ts)
• Supports publishing to npm

Use cases of [Template] MCP Server

• Creating a private MCP server for a specific API or data source
• Prototyping new MCP tools before integrating them into production
• Learning how to build and package MCP servers
• Sharing custom MCP tools with the community via npm

FAQ from [Template] MCP Server

What does this server do out of the box?

This server is a template with no pre‑defined tools. Developers must add their own tool implementations to make it functional.

How do I add tools to this server?

Add tool definitions and implementations in src/index.ts. The file is the single entry point for all tool logic.

What are the runtime requirements?

You need Node.js and npx (to run the server via npm). The server is built with TypeScript and uses the MCP SDK.

How can I test the server before publishing?

Run npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector npx tsx src/index.ts to start the inspector and test tools locally.

How is the API key provided to the server?

The API key must be set as the environment variable API_KEY_ENV_VAR, either in the MCP client’s configuration or directly in the shell. The exact name of this variable is defined in the template’s configuration.