656a0292ae- Add grid-cell.png screenshot for README gallery - Rename 'QR Server' to 'QR Code Server' everywhere - Add QR Code (Python) entry to examples table in README
96 lines
6.3 KiB
Markdown
96 lines
6.3 KiB
Markdown
# @modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps
|
|
|
|
[](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps) [](https://modelcontextprotocol.github.io/ext-apps/api/)
|
|
|
|
This repo contains the SDK and [specification](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps/blob/main/specification/draft/apps.mdx) for MCP Apps Extension ([SEP-1865](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol/pull/1865)).
|
|
|
|
MCP Apps are a proposed standard inspired by [MCP-UI](https://mcpui.dev/) and [OpenAI's Apps SDK](https://developers.openai.com/apps-sdk/) to allow MCP Servers to display interactive UI elements in conversational MCP clients / chatbots.
|
|
|
|
## How It Works
|
|
|
|
MCP Apps extend the Model Context Protocol to let servers deliver **interactive UIs** to MCP hosts. Here's how it works:
|
|
|
|
1. **Tool call** — The LLM calls a tool on your server
|
|
2. **UI Resource** — The tool's definition links to a predeclared `ui://` resource containing its HTML interface
|
|
3. **Host renders** — The host fetches the resource and displays it in a sandboxed iframe
|
|
4. **Bidirectional communication** — The host passes tool data to the UI via notifications, and the UI can call other tools through the host
|
|
|
|
This enables dashboards, forms, visualizations, and other rich experiences inside chat interfaces.
|
|
|
|
## Overview
|
|
|
|
This SDK serves two audiences:
|
|
|
|
### App Developers
|
|
|
|
Build interactive UIs that run inside MCP-enabled chat clients.
|
|
|
|
- **SDK for Apps**: `@modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps` — [API Docs](https://modelcontextprotocol.github.io/ext-apps/api/modules/app.html)
|
|
- **React hooks**: `@modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps/react` — [API Docs](https://modelcontextprotocol.github.io/ext-apps/api/modules/_modelcontextprotocol_ext-apps_react.html)
|
|
|
|
### Host Developers
|
|
|
|
Embed and communicate with MCP Apps in your chat application.
|
|
|
|
- **SDK for Hosts**: `@modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps/app-bridge` — [API Docs](https://modelcontextprotocol.github.io/ext-apps/api/modules/app-bridge.html)
|
|
|
|
There's no _supported_ host implementation in this repo (beyond the [examples/basic-host](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps/tree/main/examples/basic-host) example).
|
|
|
|
We have [contributed a tentative implementation](https://github.com/MCP-UI-Org/mcp-ui/pull/147) of hosting / iframing / sandboxing logic to the [MCP-UI](https://github.com/idosal/mcp-ui) repository, and expect OSS clients may use it, while other clients might roll their own hosting logic.
|
|
|
|
## Installation
|
|
|
|
```bash
|
|
npm install -S @modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
Or edit your `package.json` manually:
|
|
|
|
```json
|
|
{
|
|
"dependencies": {
|
|
"@modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps": "^0.0.1"
|
|
}
|
|
}
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
## Examples
|
|
|
|
<!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
|
|
| | | |
|
|
|:---:|:---:|:---:|
|
|
| [](examples/map-server) | [](examples/threejs-server) | [](examples/shadertoy-server) |
|
|
| [**Map**](examples/map-server) | [**Three.js**](examples/threejs-server) | [**ShaderToy**](examples/shadertoy-server) |
|
|
| [](examples/sheet-music-server) | [](examples/wiki-explorer-server) | [](examples/cohort-heatmap-server) |
|
|
| [**Sheet Music**](examples/sheet-music-server) | [**Wiki Explorer**](examples/wiki-explorer-server) | [**Cohort Heatmap**](examples/cohort-heatmap-server) |
|
|
| [](examples/scenario-modeler-server) | [](examples/budget-allocator-server) | [](examples/customer-segmentation-server) |
|
|
| [**Scenario Modeler**](examples/scenario-modeler-server) | [**Budget Allocator**](examples/budget-allocator-server) | [**Customer Segmentation**](examples/customer-segmentation-server) |
|
|
| [](examples/system-monitor-server) | [](examples/transcript-server) | [](examples/video-resource-server) |
|
|
| [**System Monitor**](examples/system-monitor-server) | [**Transcript**](examples/transcript-server) | [**Video Resource**](examples/video-resource-server) |
|
|
| [](examples/pdf-server) | [](examples/qr-server) | |
|
|
| [**PDF Server**](examples/pdf-server) | [**QR Code (Python)**](examples/qr-server) | |
|
|
|
|
### Starter Templates
|
|
|
|
| | |
|
|
|:---:|:---|
|
|
| [](examples/basic-server-react) | The same app built with different frameworks — pick your favorite!<br><br>[React](examples/basic-server-react) · [Vue](examples/basic-server-vue) · [Svelte](examples/basic-server-svelte) · [Preact](examples/basic-server-preact) · [Solid](examples/basic-server-solid) · [Vanilla JS](examples/basic-server-vanillajs) |
|
|
<!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
|
|
|
|
The [`examples/`](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps/tree/main/examples) directory contains additional demo apps showcasing real-world use cases.
|
|
|
|
To run all examples:
|
|
|
|
```bash
|
|
npm install
|
|
npm start
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
Then open http://localhost:8080/.
|
|
|
|
## Resources
|
|
|
|
- [Quickstart Guide](https://modelcontextprotocol.github.io/ext-apps/api/documents/Quickstart.html)
|
|
- [API Documentation](https://modelcontextprotocol.github.io/ext-apps/api/)
|
|
- [Draft Specification](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps/blob/main/specification/draft/apps.mdx)
|
|
- [SEP-1865 Discussion](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol/pull/1865)
|