How to Build an MCP Server: A Step-by-Step Guide
Blog post from TestMu AI
Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard designed to replace fragile, custom LLM-to-tool integrations with reusable servers that any compatible host, such as Claude Desktop, Cursor, or VS Code, can access. An MCP server exposes three primitives: model-invoked Tools that can perform validated actions, application-controlled Resources that provide data and subscriptions, and user- or application-invoked Prompts that offer reusable workflow templates. Communication occurs through JSON-RPC in ordered handshake, discovery, and operational phases, using STDIO for low-latency, single-client local integrations or Streamable HTTP for scalable remote services with sessions and resumable connections; the older HTTP+SSE transport is deprecated. The guide uses a weather server example to explain choosing Python with FastMCP for rapid prototyping and data-oriented local tools or TypeScript for strict, production-oriented cloud integrations, while emphasizing prerequisites including Node.js 18+, Python 3.10+, ESM configuration for TypeScript projects, isolated Python environments, and MCP Inspector testing before connecting a server to a host.
| Trend | Post Mentions | Total Month Mentions | Posts | Companies | MoM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCP | 119 | 9,311 | 907 | 218 | -22% |
| LLM | 16 | 5,236 | 1,063 | 243 | -33% |
| Real-time | 4 | 4,664 | 1,107 | 232 | -29% |
| AI Agents | 3 | 5,997 | 1,304 | 256 | -18% |
| Developer Experience | 1 | 492 | 247 | 92 | -18% |
| Vector Search | 1 | 2,397 | 384 | 131 | +4% |
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