# nod-mcp-server

This is how AI agents will interact with businesses — not by scraping, but by reading structured manifests. This reference MCP server teaches any MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, agent frameworks, IDEs) to read a business's [`nod.json`](https://opennod.ai/protocol) manifest at `https://{domain}/.well-known/nod.json` and answer real questions about what the business can do: order food, book an appointment, search products, check pricing, and more.

It exposes two tools — `lookup_nod` and `check_capability` — and bundles four demo manifests served locally so the demo works out of the box with zero external dependencies.

## Install

```bash
git clone <this repo> nod-mcp-server
cd nod-mcp-server
npm install
npm run build
```

Requires Node.js 20+.

## Run the demo manifest server

Almost no real sites publish `nod.json` yet, so this repo bundles four example manifests (restaurant, e-commerce, SaaS, healthcare) and serves them locally.

```bash
npm run demo:manifests
```

You should see:

```
NOD demo manifest server listening on http://localhost:3456
  http://localhost:3456/demo-restaurant.localhost/nod.json
  http://localhost:3456/demo-shop.localhost/nod.json
  http://localhost:3456/demo-saas.localhost/nod.json
  http://localhost:3456/demo-health.localhost/nod.json
```

Leave this terminal running during the demo. The MCP server automatically routes any `*.localhost` domain to this server.

## Configure Claude Desktop

Open (or create) `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` on macOS (or `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json` on Windows) and add:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nod": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/nod-mcp-server/dist/index.js"]
    }
  }
}
```

Replace `/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/nod-mcp-server` with the full path to this checkout (e.g. `/Users/you/projects/nod-mcp-server`). Restart Claude Desktop. You should now see the `nod` server listed in Claude's tool picker with two tools: `lookup_nod` and `check_capability`.

## 60-second demo script

With the demo manifest server running in one terminal and Claude Desktop configured, paste these prompts into Claude one after another.

### 1. "Look up the NOD manifest for demo-restaurant.localhost"

Claude calls `lookup_nod({ domain: "demo-restaurant.localhost" })` and returns something like:

```
# Pike Place Noodle House  (restaurant)
Hand-pulled noodles, dumplings, and regional Chinese classics...

- URL: https://demo-restaurant.localhost
- Manifest: http://localhost:3456/demo-restaurant.localhost/nod.json

## Declared capabilities
  - purchase
  - booking
  - view_menu
  - order_food
  - book_table

## Supported actions
  - purchase → https://demo-restaurant.localhost/api/orders [auth: api_key]
  - booking  → https://demo-restaurant.localhost/api/reservations [auth: api_key]
  - search   → https://demo-restaurant.localhost/api/menu/search [auth: none]
```

### 2. "Can I order food from demo-restaurant.localhost?"

Claude calls `check_capability({ domain: "demo-restaurant.localhost", action: "order_food" })`:

```
YES — demo-restaurant.localhost supports "order_food".
Manifest declares "order_food" under discovery.mcp_server.capabilities.

Endpoint: POST https://demo-restaurant.localhost/api/orders
Authentication: api_key
Matched via: discovery.mcp_server.capabilities

Constraints:
{ "require_human_confirmation": { "purchases_above": 150, ... },
  "rate_limits": { "transactions": { "requests": 10, "period": "minute" } },
  "allow_automated_purchases": true }
```

### 3. "What actions does demo-shop.localhost support?"

Claude calls `lookup_nod({ domain: "demo-shop.localhost" })` and summarizes: product search, pricing, inventory checks, and OAuth2-protected order placement — with a human-confirmation threshold at $500 and a 60-day returns policy.

### Bonus prompts

- `"Book an appointment at demo-health.localhost — what does that flow require?"` → returns the booking endpoint, required fields (patient_name, DOB, reason, provider_id, preferred_date), OAuth2 scopes, and the cancellation policy.
- `"Does demo-saas.localhost allow automated purchases?"` → returns NO with the human-fallback URL, because the manifest sets `allow_automated_purchases: false`.

## Tool reference

### `lookup_nod`

| Input | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `domain` | string | Domain only (no scheme, no path). `*.localhost` domains are routed to the bundled demo server. |

Fetches `https://{domain}/.well-known/nod.json`, falling back to `https://{domain}/nod.json`. Returns a structured summary: business identity, declared capabilities, supported actions (with endpoints + auth), API endpoints, and contact methods. Returns a clear "no manifest found" message on failure.

### `check_capability`

| Input | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `domain` | string | Domain only. |
| `action` | string | Common values: `order_food`, `place_order`, `view_menu`, `book_table`, `book_appointment`, `search_products`, `find_provider`, `get_pricing`, `check_inventory`, `check_status`, `create_account`, `get_docs`, `contact_support`. |

Fetches the manifest and checks the action against `transactions.capabilities`, `discovery.mcp_server.capabilities`, `support.contact.mcp_server.capabilities`, and the structural endpoints (`transactions.purchase`, `discovery.search`, `information.pricing`, etc.). Returns a yes/no verdict, the endpoint URL, authentication method, and policy constraints (rate limits, human-confirmation thresholds).

## How `*.localhost` routing works

When the MCP server receives a domain ending in `.localhost`, it fetches from `http://localhost:3456/{domain}/nod.json` instead of the normal well-known URL. This makes the demo self-contained — you can point Claude at `demo-restaurant.localhost` and get real results without any DNS or HTTPS setup.

Env vars:

- `NOD_LOCAL_PORT` — port the demo manifest server listens on (default `3456`)
- `NOD_LOCAL_MANIFEST_SERVER` — base URL the MCP server uses for `.localhost` lookups (default `http://localhost:3456`)
- `NOD_FORCE_LOCAL=1` — route *every* domain through the local manifest server (useful for contributors testing new example manifests)

## What's next

Publish a `nod.json` for your own business using the NOD Protocol spec at [opennod.ai/protocol](https://opennod.ai/protocol). A minimal, valid manifest takes about 30 minutes to write — and once it's live at `https://yourdomain.com/.well-known/nod.json`, any agent using this MCP server (or any other NOD-aware client) will be able to discover your business and act on its capabilities.

## License

MIT