StockSpark MCP Server

# MCP Server POC Best Practices Implement these practices in priority order for a successful POC. ## 1. Core MCP Protocol Implementation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ **Critical for POC** - Initialize server with name and version - Implement `ListToolsRequestSchema` handler to expose available tools - Implement `CallToolRequestSchema` handler to execute tool calls - Set up basic stdio transport for client communication - Ensure server can start and accept connections ## 2. Tool Definition & Validation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ **Critical for POC** - Define clear, descriptive tool names (use underscores, not hyphens) - Write concise tool descriptions explaining what each tool does - Create input schemas using JSON Schema format - Implement basic parameter validation - Return structured error responses for invalid inputs ## 3. Basic Error Handling ⭐⭐⭐⭐ **Important for POC** - Wrap all tool handlers in try-catch blocks - Return meaningful error messages to help debug issues - Prevent server crashes from malformed inputs - Log errors with context for troubleshooting - Handle async errors properly ## 4. Simple Documentation ⭐⭐⭐⭐ **Important for POC** - Create README with setup and run instructions - Document all available tools with parameter descriptions - Provide example usage for each tool - List required environment variables - Include basic troubleshooting section ## 5. Minimal Viable Logging ⭐⭐⭐ **Helpful for POC** - Use console.log for debugging during development - Log each tool invocation with parameters - Log errors with full stack traces - Log server startup and connection events - Consider request/response logging for complex tools ## 6. Configuration Management ⭐⭐⭐ **Helpful for POC** - Use environment variables for API keys and endpoints - Create .env.example file with all required variables - Never hardcode credentials or secrets - Create simple config object to centralize settings - Document which configs are required vs optional ## 7. Development Workflow ⭐⭐ **Nice to have for POC** - Add npm scripts: "start" for production, "dev" for development - Use nodemon for auto-restart during development - Set up basic debugging configuration - Create simple test script to verify tools work ## 8. Code Organization ⭐⭐ **Nice to have for POC** - Group related functionality together - Keep file structure simple and logical - Avoid over-engineering or premature abstraction - Separate concerns but don't overdo it ## 9. TypeScript Setup ⭐ **Optional for POC** - Can use plain JavaScript for faster iteration - If using JS, add JSDoc comments for better IDE support - Focus on working functionality over type safety - Can migrate to TypeScript after POC validates approach ## 10. Testing ⭐ **Optional for POC** - Manual testing is sufficient for POC phase - Document test scenarios and expected outcomes - Create simple test client to verify integration - Automated tests can be added post-POC ## Not Needed for POC Skip these during POC phase: - Production error handling and monitoring - Performance optimization - Complex middleware systems - Multi-transport support (SSE, WebSocket) - Comprehensive type definitions - Unit and integration test suites - CI/CD pipeline - Advanced logging (structured logs, log aggregation) - Rate limiting or authentication - Caching layers ## Success Criteria for POC Your POC is successful when: 1. MCP clients can connect to your server 2. Tools appear in the client's tool list 3. Tools can be invoked with parameters 4. Tools return expected results 5. Errors are handled gracefully 6. Another developer can run your server using the README