Understanding MCP Architecture

The Model Context Protocol defines a standardized way for AI assistants to communicate with external services, enabling:

• Dynamic tool integration
• Resource access and management
• Stateful communication handling
• Cross-platform compatibility

MCP Server Types

MCP supports two primary server types:

Implementing MCP in Roo Code

Server Configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "weather-service": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/weather-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "API_KEY": "your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Tool Implementation

class WeatherServer {
  private server: Server;

  constructor() {
    this.server = new Server(
      {
        name: "weather-service",
        version: "1.0.0"
      },
      {
        capabilities: {
          tools: {
            getForecast: {
              description: "Get weather forecast",
              inputSchema: {
                type: "object",
                properties: {
                  location: { type: "string" }
                }
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    );
  }
}

Cline Integration

Cline supports MCP through its configuration system:

1. Global Configuration:

{
  "mcp": {
    "servers": {
      "custom-tools": {
        "command": "node",
        "args": ["./tools-server.js"],
        "timeout": 30
      }
    }
  }
}

2. Workspace-specific Configuration:

{
  "mcp": {
    "allowedServers": ["custom-tools"],
    "serverConfig": {
      "custom-tools": {
        "env": {
          "WORKSPACE_PATH": "${workspaceFolder}"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Cursor Implementation

While Cursor doesn't natively support MCP, you can implement compatible servers:

import { Server } from '@modelcontextprotocol/sdk';

class CursorCompatibleServer {
  constructor() {
    this.server = new Server({
      name: "cursor-tools",
      version: "1.0.0",
      transport: "stdio"
    });
    
    this.setupHandlers();
  }

  private setupHandlers() {
    this.server.onRequest("execute", async (params) => {
      // Implementation
    });
  }
}

Best Practices

Security Considerations

1. Credential Management

   • Use environment variables for sensitive data
   • Implement proper token rotation
   • Follow principle of least privilege

2. Error Handling

   • Implement proper error boundaries
   • Provide meaningful error messages
   • Handle timeout scenarios

3. Performance Optimization

   • Implement connection pooling
   • Use proper caching strategies
   • Handle concurrent requests efficiently

Example: Creating a Custom MCP Server

Here's a complete example of a custom MCP server that provides git operations:

import { Server } from '@modelcontextprotocol/sdk';
import { exec } from 'child_process';

class GitServer {
  private server: Server;

  constructor() {
    this.server = new Server({
      name: "git-tools",
      version: "1.0.0"
    });

    this.server.setRequestHandler("git-status", async () => {
      return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
        exec('git status', (error, stdout, stderr) => {
          if (error) reject(error);
          resolve({ output: stdout });
        });
      });
    });
  }

  async start() {
    await this.server.connect(new StdioTransport());
    console.log("Git MCP server running");
  }
}

new GitServer().start().catch(console.error);