---
type: decision
id: ADR-0001
title: FastMCP foundation for GDAL MCP (Python)
tags: [adr, fastmcp, python, mcp, server]
status: accepted
date: 2025-09-17
---
# ADR-0001: FastMCP foundation for GDAL MCP (Python)
## Context
We need a compliant MCP server to expose GDAL capabilities. Python offers mature GDAL bindings and the `mcp.server.fastmcp` SDK for rapid, type-annotated tool definition and stdio transport. Alternatives (TypeScript/Go) increase integration cost with GDAL.
## Decision
- Use Python and `mcp.server.fastmcp` to implement the server.
- Default transport: stdio; optional HTTP transport may be added later.
- Follow `docs/mcp-guidelines.md` for compliance (init/versioning, capabilities, stderr logging).
## Consequences
- Pros: Fast iteration, strong GDAL ecosystem, simpler packaging with uv/uvx.
- Cons: Python runtime in Docker; require careful perf tuning for large rasters.
## Status
Accepted for Phase 1.
## Links
- `docs/MCP-COMPLIANCE.md`
- `docs/ROADMAP.md`
