# MCP Servers: The Agentic API Layer

Workshop repo for Agentic 101, Washington DC, 2026-09-15.

We build an MCP server over the conference's own agenda, then use it from
Copilot in agent mode, then work out when you should not have bothered.

## Start here

Open this repo in a GitHub Codespace. Dependencies install themselves. Then:

1. Open the Copilot Chat panel and put it in **Agent** mode.
2. VS Code asks you to trust the MCP server this workspace defines. Say yes.
   The server does not start until you do.
3. Ask: *what time is the MCP talk?*

If nothing happens, run **MCP: List Servers** from the command palette and
check the server's output log.

Copilot calls `list_sessions` on the server in `server.py`, which is already
wired up in `.vscode/mcp.json`. That is an MCP server. There isn't more to it.

## What's here

| File | What it is |
|---|---|
| `server.py` | the MCP server, ~15 lines of it |
| `agenda.json` | today's schedule |
| `agenda_direct.py` | the same lookup with no protocol, for comparison |
| `.vscode/mcp.json` | how the editor finds the server |
| `steps/` | finished states, if you fall behind |

## Checkpoints

If your copy stops working, or you want to skip ahead, copy a finished state
over `server.py` and reload the server:

```
cp steps/1-sessions_after.py    server.py
cp steps/2-with-tool-error.py   server.py
cp steps/3-with-description.py  server.py
```

See `steps/README.md` for what each one is.

## Note on the SDK

This uses `mcp` 2.x, where the server class is `MCPServer`:

```python
from mcp.server.mcpserver import MCPServer
```

Most examples you will find online are 1.x and use `FastMCP`. They will not
run against this. The rename is recent :)