An MCP server is a process: tool names, parameter schemas, and text or structured results. Official docs cover TypeScript and Python SDKs; community wrappers such as FastMCP exist.
Minimum viable: a ping tool plus one read-only query. stdio is the easiest way to attach Cursor or Claude Desktop. Prove connected before you add writes.
Keep tool descriptions short and types explicit. Cap result size so you do not dump a whole log into context. Return readable errors, not only a stack.
This directory lists public projects. Verify your server locally before you publish a repo. Pair this with the MCP security guide for paths and secrets.