Use ReadOnlyMemory<byte> for binary data to eliminate UTF-16 transcoding (#1070)

Co-authored-by: copilot-swe-agent[bot] <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: stephentoub <2642209+stephentoub@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: ericstj <8918108+ericstj@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Eric StJohn <ericstj@microsoft.com>

src/ModelContextProtocol.Core/AIContentExtensions.cs

@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 using Microsoft.Extensions.AI;
 using ModelContextProtocol.Client;
 using ModelContextProtocol.Protocol;
-#if !NET
-using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
-#endif
+using System.Text;
 using System.Text.Json;
 using System.Text.Json.Nodes;
 
@@ -281,9 +279,9 @@ public static class AIContentExtensions
         {
             TextContentBlock textContent => new TextContent(textContent.Text),
             
-            ImageContentBlock imageContent => new DataContent(Convert.FromBase64String(imageContent.Data), imageContent.MimeType),
+            ImageContentBlock imageContent => new DataContent(imageContent.DecodedData, imageContent.MimeType),
             
-            AudioContentBlock audioContent => new DataContent(Convert.FromBase64String(audioContent.Data), audioContent.MimeType),
+            AudioContentBlock audioContent => new DataContent(audioContent.DecodedData, audioContent.MimeType),
             
             EmbeddedResourceBlock resourceContent => resourceContent.Resource.ToAIContent(),
             
@@ -324,7 +322,7 @@ public static class AIContentExtensions
 
         AIContent ac = content switch
         {
-            BlobResourceContents blobResource => new DataContent(Convert.FromBase64String(blobResource.Blob), blobResource.MimeType ?? "application/octet-stream"),
+            BlobResourceContents blobResource => new DataContent(blobResource.DecodedData, blobResource.MimeType ?? "application/octet-stream"),
             TextResourceContents textResource => new TextContent(textResource.Text),
             _ => throw new NotSupportedException($"Resource type '{content.GetType().Name}' is not supported.")
         };
@@ -401,13 +399,13 @@ public static class AIContentExtensions
 
             DataContent dataContent when dataContent.HasTopLevelMediaType("image") => new ImageContentBlock
             {
-                Data = dataContent.Base64Data.ToString(),
+                Data = EncodingUtilities.GetUtf8Bytes(dataContent.Base64Data.Span),
                 MimeType = dataContent.MediaType,
             },
 
             DataContent dataContent when dataContent.HasTopLevelMediaType("audio") => new AudioContentBlock
             {
-                Data = dataContent.Base64Data.ToString(),
+                Data = EncodingUtilities.GetUtf8Bytes(dataContent.Base64Data.Span),
                 MimeType = dataContent.MediaType,
             },
 
@@ -415,7 +413,7 @@ public static class AIContentExtensions
             {
                 Resource = new BlobResourceContents
                 {
-                    Blob = dataContent.Base64Data.ToString(),
+                    Blob = EncodingUtilities.GetUtf8Bytes(dataContent.Base64Data.Span),
                     MimeType = dataContent.MediaType,
                     Uri = string.Empty,
                 }

src/ModelContextProtocol.Core/ModelContextProtocol.Core.csproj

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
     <Compile Include="..\Common\Throw.cs" Link="Throw.cs" />
     <Compile Include="..\Common\Obsoletions.cs" Link="Obsoletions.cs" />
     <Compile Include="..\Common\Experimentals.cs" Link="Experimentals.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="..\Common\EncodingUtilities.cs" Link="EncodingUtilities.cs" />
     <Compile Include="..\Common\HttpResponseMessageExtensions.cs" Link="HttpResponseMessageExtensions.cs" />
     <Compile Include="..\Common\ServerSentEvents\**\*.cs" Link="ServerSentEvents\%(RecursiveDir)%(FileName)%(Extension)" />
   </ItemGroup>

src/ModelContextProtocol.Core/Protocol/BlobResourceContents.cs

@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
+using System.Buffers;
+using System.Buffers.Text;
 using System.Diagnostics;
+using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
 using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
 
 namespace ModelContextProtocol.Protocol;
@@ -9,7 +12,7 @@ namespace ModelContextProtocol.Protocol;
 /// <remarks>
 /// <para>
 /// <see cref="BlobResourceContents"/> is used when binary data needs to be exchanged through
-/// the Model Context Protocol. The binary data is represented as a base64-encoded string
+/// the Model Context Protocol. The binary data is represented as base64-encoded UTF-8 bytes
 /// in the <see cref="Blob"/> property.
 /// </para>
 /// <para>
@@ -24,18 +27,76 @@ namespace ModelContextProtocol.Protocol;
 [DebuggerDisplay("{DebuggerDisplay,nq}")]
 public sealed class BlobResourceContents : ResourceContents
 {
+    private ReadOnlyMemory<byte>? _decodedData;
+    private ReadOnlyMemory<byte> _blob;
+
     /// <summary>
-    /// Gets or sets the base64-encoded string representing the binary data of the item.
+    /// Creates an <see cref="BlobResourceContents"/> from raw data.
     /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="bytes">The raw unencoded data.</param>
+    /// <param name="uri">The URI of the blob resource.</param>
+    /// <param name="mimeType">The optional MIME type of the data.</param>
+    /// <returns>A new <see cref="BlobResourceContents"/> instance.</returns>
+    /// <exception cref="InvalidOperationException"></exception>
+    public static BlobResourceContents FromBytes(ReadOnlyMemory<byte> bytes, string uri, string? mimeType = null)
+    {
+        ReadOnlyMemory<byte> blob = EncodingUtilities.EncodeToBase64Utf8(bytes);
+        
+        return new()
+        {
+            _decodedData = bytes,
+            Blob = blob,
+            MimeType = mimeType,
+            Uri = uri
+        };
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets or sets the base64-encoded UTF-8 bytes representing the binary data of the item.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// Setting this value will invalidate any cached value of <see cref="DecodedData"/>.
+    /// </remarks>
     [JsonPropertyName("blob")]
-    public required string Blob { get; set; }
+    public required ReadOnlyMemory<byte> Blob
+    {
+        get => _blob;
+        set
+        {
+            _blob = value;
+            _decodedData = null; // Invalidate cache
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets the decoded data represented by <see cref="Blob"/>.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// <para>
+    /// When getting, this member will decode the value in <see cref="Blob"/> and cache the result.
+    /// Subsequent accesses return the cached value unless <see cref="Blob"/> is modified.
+    /// </para>
+    /// </remarks>
+    [JsonIgnore]
+    public ReadOnlyMemory<byte> DecodedData
+    {
+        get
+        {
+            if (_decodedData is null)
+            {
+                _decodedData = EncodingUtilities.DecodeFromBase64Utf8(Blob);
+            }
+
+            return _decodedData.Value;
+        }
+    }
 
     [DebuggerBrowsable(DebuggerBrowsableState.Never)]
     private string DebuggerDisplay
     {
         get
         {
-            string lengthDisplay = DebuggerDisplayHelper.GetBase64LengthDisplay(Blob);
+            string lengthDisplay = _decodedData is null ? DebuggerDisplayHelper.GetBase64LengthDisplay(Blob) : $"{DecodedData.Length} bytes";
             string mimeInfo = MimeType is not null ? $", MimeType = {MimeType}" : "";
             return $"Uri = \"{Uri}\"{mimeInfo}, Length = {lengthDisplay}";
         }

src/ModelContextProtocol.Core/Protocol/ContentBlock.cs

@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
+using System.Buffers;
+using System.Buffers.Text;
 using System.ComponentModel;
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;
+using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
 using System.Text.Json;
 using System.Text.Json.Nodes;
 using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
@@ -87,7 +90,7 @@ public abstract class ContentBlock
             string? type = null;
             string? text = null;
             string? name = null;
-            string? data = null;
+            ReadOnlyMemory<byte>? data = null;
             string? mimeType = null;
             string? uri = null;
             string? description = null;
@@ -128,7 +131,7 @@ public abstract class ContentBlock
                         break;
 
                     case "data":
-                        data = reader.GetString();
+                        data = reader.HasValueSequence ? reader.ValueSequence.ToArray() : reader.ValueSpan.ToArray();
                         break;
 
                     case "mimeType":
@@ -279,12 +282,12 @@ public abstract class ContentBlock
                     break;
 
                 case ImageContentBlock imageContent:
-                    writer.WriteString("data", imageContent.Data);
+                    writer.WriteString("data", imageContent.Data.Span);
                     writer.WriteString("mimeType", imageContent.MimeType);
                     break;
 
                 case AudioContentBlock audioContent:
-                    writer.WriteString("data", audioContent.Data);
+                    writer.WriteString("data", audioContent.Data.Span);
                     writer.WriteString("mimeType", audioContent.MimeType);
                     break;
 
@@ -376,14 +379,73 @@ public sealed class TextContentBlock : ContentBlock
 [DebuggerDisplay("{DebuggerDisplay,nq}")]
 public sealed class ImageContentBlock : ContentBlock
 {
+    private ReadOnlyMemory<byte>? _decodedData;
+    private ReadOnlyMemory<byte> _data;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Creates an <see cref="ImageContentBlock"/> from decoded image bytes.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="bytes">The unencoded image bytes.</param>
+    /// <param name="mimeType">The MIME type of the image.</param>
+    /// <returns>A new <see cref="ImageContentBlock"/> instance.</returns>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// This method stores the provided bytes as <see cref="DecodedData"/> and encodes them to base64 UTF-8 bytes for <see cref="Data"/>.
+    /// </remarks>
+    /// <exception cref="InvalidOperationException"></exception>
+    public static ImageContentBlock FromBytes(ReadOnlyMemory<byte> bytes, string mimeType)
+    {
+        ReadOnlyMemory<byte> data = EncodingUtilities.EncodeToBase64Utf8(bytes);
+        
+        return new()
+        {
+            _decodedData = bytes,
+            Data = data,
+            MimeType = mimeType
+        };
+    }
+
     /// <inheritdoc/>
     public override string Type => "image";
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Gets or sets the base64-encoded image data.
+    /// Gets or sets the base64-encoded UTF-8 bytes representing the image data.
     /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// Setting this value will invalidate any cached value of <see cref="DecodedData"/>.
+    /// </remarks>
     [JsonPropertyName("data")]
-    public required string Data { get; set; }
+    public required ReadOnlyMemory<byte> Data
+    {
+        get => _data;
+        set
+        {
+            _data = value;
+            _decodedData = null; // Invalidate cache
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets the decoded image data represented by <see cref="Data"/>.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// <para>
+    /// When getting, this member will decode the value in <see cref="Data"/> and cache the result.
+    /// Subsequent accesses return the cached value unless <see cref="Data"/> is modified.
+    /// </para>
+    /// </remarks>
+    [JsonIgnore]
+    public ReadOnlyMemory<byte> DecodedData
+    {
+        get
+        {
+            if (_decodedData is null)
+            {
+                _decodedData = EncodingUtilities.DecodeFromBase64Utf8(Data);
+            }
+
+            return _decodedData.Value;
+        }
+    }
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Gets or sets the MIME type (or "media type") of the content, specifying the format of the data.
@@ -402,14 +464,73 @@ public sealed class ImageContentBlock : ContentBlock
 [DebuggerDisplay("{DebuggerDisplay,nq}")]
 public sealed class AudioContentBlock : ContentBlock
 {
+    private ReadOnlyMemory<byte>? _decodedData;
+    private ReadOnlyMemory<byte> _data;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Creates an <see cref="AudioContentBlock"/> from decoded audio bytes.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="bytes">The unencoded audio bytes.</param>
+    /// <param name="mimeType">The MIME type of the audio.</param>
+    /// <returns>A new <see cref="AudioContentBlock"/> instance.</returns>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// This method stores the provided bytes as <see cref="DecodedData"/> and encodes them to base64 UTF-8 bytes for <see cref="Data"/>.
+    /// </remarks>
+    /// <exception cref="InvalidOperationException"></exception>
+    public static AudioContentBlock FromBytes(ReadOnlyMemory<byte> bytes, string mimeType)
+    {
+        ReadOnlyMemory<byte> data = EncodingUtilities.EncodeToBase64Utf8(bytes);
+        
+        return new()
+        {
+            _decodedData = bytes,
+            Data = data,
+            MimeType = mimeType
+        };
+    }
+
     /// <inheritdoc/>
     public override string Type => "audio";
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Gets or sets the base64-encoded audio data.
+    /// Gets or sets the base64-encoded UTF-8 bytes representing the audio data.
     /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// Setting this value will invalidate any cached value of <see cref="DecodedData"/>.
+    /// </remarks>
     [JsonPropertyName("data")]
-    public required string Data { get; set; }
+    public required ReadOnlyMemory<byte> Data
+    {
+        get => _data;
+        set
+        {
+            _data = value;
+            _decodedData = null; // Invalidate cache
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets the decoded audio data represented by <see cref="Data"/>.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// <para>
+    /// When getting, this member will decode the value in <see cref="Data"/> and cache the result.
+    /// Subsequent accesses return the cached value unless <see cref="Data"/> is modified.
+    /// </para>
+    /// </remarks>
+    [JsonIgnore]
+    public ReadOnlyMemory<byte> DecodedData
+    {
+        get
+        {
+            if (_decodedData is null)
+            {
+                _decodedData = EncodingUtilities.DecodeFromBase64Utf8(Data);
+            }
+
+            return _decodedData.Value;
+        }
+    }
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Gets or sets the MIME type (or "media type") of the content, specifying the format of the data.

src/ModelContextProtocol.Core/Protocol/DebuggerDisplayHelper.cs

@@ -27,4 +27,25 @@ internal static class DebuggerDisplayHelper
 
         return "invalid base64";
     }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets the decoded length of base64 data encoded as UTF-8 bytes for debugger display.
+    /// </summary>
+    internal static string GetBase64LengthDisplay(ReadOnlyMemory<byte> base64Data)
+    {
+#if NET
+        if (System.Buffers.Text.Base64.IsValid(base64Data.Span, out int decodedLength))
+        {
+            return $"{decodedLength} bytes";
+        }
+#else
+        try
+        {
+            return $"{Convert.FromBase64String(System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(base64Data.ToArray())).Length} bytes";
+        }
+        catch { }
+#endif
+
+        return "invalid base64";
+    }
 }

src/ModelContextProtocol.Core/Protocol/ResourceContents.cs

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+using System.Buffers;
 using System.ComponentModel;
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ public abstract class ResourceContents
 
             string? uri = null;
             string? mimeType = null;
-            string? blob = null;
+            ReadOnlyMemory<byte>? blob = null;
             string? text = null;
             JsonObject? meta = null;
 
@@ -104,7 +105,7 @@ public abstract class ResourceContents
                         break;
 
                     case "blob":
-                        blob = reader.GetString();
+                        blob = reader.HasValueSequence ? reader.ValueSequence.ToArray() : reader.ValueSpan.ToArray();
                         break;
 
                     case "text":
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ public abstract class ResourceContents
                 {
                     Uri = uri ?? string.Empty,
                     MimeType = mimeType,
-                    Blob = blob,
+                    Blob = blob.Value,
                     Meta = meta,
                 };
             }
@@ -162,7 +163,7 @@ public abstract class ResourceContents
             Debug.Assert(value is BlobResourceContents or TextResourceContents);
             if (value is BlobResourceContents blobResource)
             {
-                writer.WriteString("blob", blobResource.Blob);
+                writer.WriteString("blob", blobResource.Blob.Span);
             }
             else if (value is TextResourceContents textResource)
             {

src/ModelContextProtocol.Core/Server/AIFunctionMcpServerResource.cs

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Globalization;
 using System.Reflection;
 using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
+using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
 using System.Text;
 using System.Text.Json;
 using System.Text.Json.Nodes;
@@ -391,7 +392,12 @@ internal sealed class AIFunctionMcpServerResource : McpServerResource
 
             DataContent dc => new()
             {
-                Contents = [new BlobResourceContents { Uri = request.Params!.Uri, MimeType = dc.MediaType, Blob = dc.Base64Data.ToString() }],
+                Contents = [new BlobResourceContents 
+                { 
+                    Uri = request.Params!.Uri, 
+                    MimeType = dc.MediaType, 
+                    Blob = EncodingUtilities.GetUtf8Bytes(dc.Base64Data.Span)
+                }],
             },
 
             string text => new()
@@ -420,7 +426,7 @@ internal sealed class AIFunctionMcpServerResource : McpServerResource
                         {
                             Uri = request.Params!.Uri,
                             MimeType = dc.MediaType,
-                            Blob = dc.Base64Data.ToString()
+                            Blob = EncodingUtilities.GetUtf8Bytes(dc.Base64Data.Span)
                         },
 
                         _ => throw new InvalidOperationException($"Unsupported AIContent type '{ac.GetType()}' returned from resource function."),