MCP Server Starter
A minimal TypeScript starter template for building Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers with auto-loading architecture for tools, resources, and prompts. Includes code generators, dual transport support (stdio/HTTP), and production-ready structure.
What is MCP Server Starter?
MCP Server Starter is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to minimal typescript starter template for building model context protocol (mcp) servers with auto-loading architecture for tools, resources, and prompts. includes code generators, dual transport support...
A minimal TypeScript starter template for building Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers with auto-loading architecture for tools, resources, and prompts. Includes code generators, dual transport support (stdio/HTTP), and production-ready structure.
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- A minimal TypeScript starter template for building Model Con
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx mcp-server-starterConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use MCP Server Starter
MCP Server Starter is a minimal TypeScript template designed to bootstrap production-ready Model Context Protocol servers in minutes. It uses an auto-loading architecture that automatically discovers and registers tools, resources, and prompts placed in their respective directories, eliminating repetitive boilerplate. The template ships with Bun for fast testing, Biome for linting, code generators to scaffold new tools, and supports both stdio and HTTP transports out of the box.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18 or later (for building the output bundle)
- Bun runtime installed (https://bun.sh) for development commands
- An MCP client such as Claude Desktop or the Claude Code CLI to test the server
- Basic TypeScript knowledge to implement your tool logic
- Git to clone or fork the template repository
Clone the starter template
Clone the repository from GitHub to get the full project structure including generators, test setup, and configuration files.
git clone https://github.com/StevenStavrakis/mcp-starter-template.git my-mcp-server
cd my-mcp-serverInstall dependencies
Install all project dependencies using Bun. This pulls in the MCP SDK, TypeScript, Biome, and other dev dependencies.
bun installGenerate a new tool
Use the built-in code generator to scaffold a new tool. This creates the implementation file, JSON schema, and test file, then updates the tools index automatically.
bun run scripts/create-tool.ts my-tool-nameImplement your tool logic
Open the generated file in src/tools/my-tool-name/ and fill in the handler function. The auto-loader will pick it up without any additional registration.
Build the project
Compile TypeScript to JavaScript. The output lands in dist/ and is what Claude Desktop will execute.
bun run buildRegister with Claude Desktop
Add the compiled server to Claude Desktop's MCP configuration file, pointing to the absolute path of the built output.
{
"mcpServers": {
"my-mcp-server": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/absolute/path/to/my-mcp-server/dist/main.js"]
}
}
}Run tests
Execute the test suite with Bun to verify all tools behave correctly before shipping.
bun testMCP Server Starter Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop configuration for a locally built MCP server from this template.
{
"mcpServers": {
"my-mcp-server": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/absolute/path/to/my-mcp-server/dist/main.js"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Once your tools are implemented, you can invoke them through Claude.
- "List all available tools in my MCP server"
- "Run the [your-tool-name] tool with input X"
- "What resources does this MCP server expose?"Troubleshooting MCP Server Starter
Server fails to start — 'bun' not found
Install Bun from https://bun.sh by running: curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash. Restart your terminal and try again.
New tool not appearing in Claude after build
Ensure you ran 'bun run build' after adding the tool and that the dist/main.js path in claude_desktop_config.json is the absolute path. Restart Claude Desktop after any config change.
TypeScript compilation errors on build
Run 'bun run lint' first to catch formatting issues, then check the generated tool file for type mismatches between your handler return type and the JSON schema definition.
Frequently Asked Questions about MCP Server Starter
What is MCP Server Starter?
MCP Server Starter is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that minimal typescript starter template for building model context protocol (mcp) servers with auto-loading architecture for tools, resources, and prompts. includes code generators, dual transport support (stdio/http), and production-ready structure. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install MCP Server Starter?
Follow the installation instructions on the MCP Server Starter GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with MCP Server Starter?
MCP Server Starter works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is MCP Server Starter free to use?
Yes, MCP Server Starter is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Quick Config Preview
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