# Support for MCP server features %toc ## Prompts MCP servers can provide LLM prompt templates (called simply [_prompts_](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-06-18/server/prompts)) to clients. Every prompt has a required name which identifies it, and a set of named arguments, which are strings. **Client-side**: To list the server's prompts, use the [`ClientSession.Prompts`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.Prompts) iterator, or the lower-level [`ClientSession.ListPrompts`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.ListPrompts) (see [pagination](#pagination) below). Set [`ClientOptions.PromptListChangedHandler`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientOptions.PromptListChangedHandler) to be notified of changes in the list of prompts. Call [`ClientSession.GetPrompt`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.GetPrompt) to retrieve a prompt by name, providing arguments for expansion. **Server-side**: Use [`Server.AddPrompt`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#Server.AddPrompt) to add a prompt to the server along with its handler. The server will have the `prompts` capability if any prompt is added before the server is connected to a client, or if [`ServerOptions.HasPrompts`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ServerOptions.HasPrompts) is explicitly set. When a prompt is added, any clients already connected to the server will be notified via a `notifications/prompts/list_changed` notification. %include ../../mcp/server_example_test.go prompts - ### Prompt message content A [`PromptMessage`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#PromptMessage) has two fields: a `Role`, either `"user"` or `"assistant"`, and a single `Content`. That is the same interface a tool result uses (see [Tool result content](#tool-result-content)), so a prompt message can hold an image, audio, or a resource's contents as readily as text. Media on its own says nothing about what the model should do with it, so send a text message alongside it. Embedding a resource puts its contents directly in the message, sparing the client a separate `resources/read`. Note that `ResourceContents.URI` is not checked against the resources the server has registered: it records where the contents came from, so use the URI of a real resource when there is one, as in the example below. %include ../../mcp/server_example_test.go promptcontent - ## Resources In MCP terms, a _resource_ is some data referenced by a URI. MCP servers can serve resources to clients. They can register resources individually, or register a _resource template_ that uses a URI pattern to describe a collection of resources. **Client-side**: Call [`ClientSession.ReadResource`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.ReadResource) to read a resource. The SDK ensures that a read succeeds only if the URI matches a registered resource exactly, or matches the URI pattern of a resource template. To list a server's resources and resource templates, use the [`ClientSession.Resources`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.Resources) and [`ClientSession.ResourceTemplates`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.ResourceTemplates) iterators, or the lower-level `ListXXX` calls (see [pagination](#pagination)). Set [`ClientOptions.ResourceListChangedHandler`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientOptions.ResourceListChangedHandler) to be notified of changes in the lists of resources or resource templates. Clients can be notified when the contents of a resource changes by subscribing to the resource's URI. Call [`ClientSession.Subscribe`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.Subscribe) to subscribe to a resource and [`ClientSession.Unsubscribe`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.Unsubscribe) to unsubscribe. Set [`ClientOptions.ResourceUpdatedHandler`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientOptions.ResourceUpdatedHandler) to be notified of changes to subscribed resources. On `2026-07-28` and later sessions the SDK delivers these notifications over a `subscriptions/listen` stream instead of the legacy `resources/subscribe` RPC; see [Subscriptions (`subscriptions/listen`)](protocol.md#subscriptions) for the wire-level details. **Server-side**: Use [`Server.AddResource`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#Server.AddResource) or [`Server.AddResourceTemplate`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#Server.AddResourceTemplate) to add a resource or resource template to the server along with its handler. A [`ResourceHandler`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ResourceHandler) maps a URI to the contents of a resource, which can include text, binary data, or both. If `AddResource` or `AddResourceTemplate` is called before a server is connected, the server will have the `resources` capability. The server will have the `resources` capability if any resource or resource template is added before the server is connected to a client, or if [`ServerOptions.HasResources`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ServerOptions.HasResources) is explicitly set. When a prompt is added, any clients already connected to the server will be notified via a `notifications/resources/list_changed` notification. %include ../../mcp/server_example_test.go resources - ### Binary resources A [`ResourceContents`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ResourceContents) carries its data in either `Text` or `Blob`. Binary data goes in `Blob` as plain bytes — the SDK base64-encodes it on the wire — and leaves `Text` empty, so a client tells the two apart by which field is populated. %include ../../mcp/server_example_test.go binaryresource - ### Resource subscriptions A client interested in changes to one resource subscribes to its URI with [`ClientSession.Subscribe`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.Subscribe) and stops with [`ClientSession.Unsubscribe`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.Unsubscribe). Set [`ServerOptions.SubscribeHandler`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ServerOptions.SubscribeHandler) and [`UnsubscribeHandler`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ServerOptions.UnsubscribeHandler) to track who is listening; setting either one gives the server the `resources.subscribe` capability. Publish a change with [`Server.ResourceUpdated`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#Server.ResourceUpdated), which notifies every session subscribed to that URI. The notification carries only the URI, not the new contents, so a client that wants them reads the resource again. %include ../../mcp/server_example_test.go subscribe - ## Tools MCP servers can provide [tools](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-06-18/server/tools) to allow clients to interact with external systems or functionality. Tools are effectively remote function calls, and the Go SDK provides mechanisms to bind them to ordinary Go functions. **Client-side**: To list the server's tools, use the [`ClientSession.Tools`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.Tools) iterator, or the lower-level [`ClientSession.ListTools`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.ListTools) (see [pagination](#pagination)). Set [`ClientOptions.ToolListChangedHandler`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientOptions.ToolListChangedHandler) to be notified of changes in the list of tools. To call a tool, use [`ClientSession.CallTool`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.CallTool) with `CallToolParams` holding the name and arguments of the tool to call. ```go res, err := session.CallTool(ctx, &mcp.CallToolParams{ Name: "my_tool", Arguments: map[string]any{"name": "user"}, }) ``` Arguments may be any value that can be marshaled to JSON. **Server-side**: the basic API for adding a tool is symmetrical with the API for prompts or resources: [`Server.AddTool`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#Server.AddTool) adds a [`Tool`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#Tool) to the server along with its [`ToolHandler`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ToolHandler) to handle it. The server will have the `tools` capability if any tool is added before the server is connected to a client, or if [`ServerOptions.HasTools`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ServerOptions.HasPrompts) is explicitly set. When a tool is added, any clients already connected to the server will be notified via a `notifications/tools/list_changed` notification. However, the `Server.AddTool` API leaves it to the user to implement the tool handler correctly according to the spec, providing very little out of the box. In order to implement a tool, the user must do all of the following: - Provide a tool input and output schema. - Validate the tool arguments against its input schema. - Unmarshal the input schema into a Go value - Execute the tool logic. - Marshal the tool's structured output (if any) to JSON, and store it in the result's `StructuredContent` field as well as the unstructured `Content` field. - Validate that output JSON against the tool's output schema. - If any tool errors occurred, pack them into the unstructured content and set `IsError` to `true.` For this reason, the SDK provides a generic [`AddTool`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#AddTool) function that handles this for you. It can bind a tool to any function with the following shape: ```go func(_ context.Context, request *CallToolRequest, input In) (result *CallToolResult, output Out, _ error) ``` This is like a `ToolHandler`, but with an extra arbitrary `In` input parameter, and `Out` output parameter. Such a function can then be bound to the server using `AddTool`: ```go mcp.AddTool(server, &mcp.Tool{Name: "my_tool"}, handler) ``` This does the following automatically: - If `Tool.InputSchema` is unset, the input schema is inferred from the `In` type, which must be a struct or map. - If `Tool.OutputSchema` is unset and the `Out` type is not `any`, the output schema is inferred from the `Out` type. Per SEP-2106, `Out` may be any Go type whose inferred schema is a valid JSON Schema (struct, map, slice, primitive, etc.). - Optional `jsonschema` struct tags provide argument and output descriptions. - Tool arguments are validated against the input schema. - Tool arguments are marshaled into the `In` value. - Tool output (the `Out` value) is marshaled into the result's `StructuredContent`, as well as the unstructured `Content`. - Output is validated against the tool's output schema. - If an ordinary error is returned, it is stored int the `CallToolResult` and `IsError` is set to `true`. In fact, under ordinary circumstances, the user can ignore `CallToolRequest` and `CallToolResult`. For a more realistic example, consider a tool that retrieves the weather: %include ../../mcp/tool_example_test.go weathertool - In this case, we want to customize part of the inferred schema, though we can still infer the rest. Since we want to control the inference ourselves, we set the `Tool.InputSchema` explicitly: %include ../../mcp/tool_example_test.go customschemas - _See [mcp/tool_example_test.go](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/blob/main/mcp/tool_example_test.go) for the full example, or [examples/server/toolschemas](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/blob/main/examples/server/toolschemas/main.go) for more examples of customizing tool schemas._ ### Tool result content Alongside its structured output, a tool result carries a list of [`Content`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#Content) blocks in `CallToolResult.Content`, and may mix as many kinds as it needs: | Type | Carries | | --- | --- | | [`TextContent`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#TextContent) | plain text | | [`ImageContent`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ImageContent) | image data, with a MIME type | | [`AudioContent`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#AudioContent) | audio data, with a MIME type | | [`EmbeddedResource`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#EmbeddedResource) | the contents of a resource, inline | | [`ResourceLink`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ResourceLink) | a reference to a resource the client can read separately | `ImageContent.Data` and `AudioContent.Data` are plain `[]byte`; the SDK base64-encodes them on the wire, so handlers never encode by hand, and base64 carried over from another MCP SDK must be decoded before it is assigned. An `EmbeddedResource` wraps a [`ResourceContents`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ResourceContents), which holds either `Text` or, for binary data, `Blob`. Prefer a `ResourceLink` when the client may not need the contents, since an embedded resource is transferred whether it is used or not. When a handler bound with `AddTool` leaves `Content` unset, the SDK fills it with the JSON encoding of the output value; set `Content` explicitly, as below, to return anything else. `StructuredContent` is still populated from the output value either way. %include ../../mcp/tool_example_test.go contenttypes - `ToolUseContent` and `ToolResultContent` also implement `Content`, but are only valid in sampling messages, not in tool results. **Stateless server deployments:** Some deployments create a new [`Server`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#Server) for each incoming request, re-registering tools every time. To avoid repeated schema generation, create a [`SchemaCache`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#SchemaCache) and share it across server instances: ```go var schemaCache = mcp.NewSchemaCache() // create once at startup func handleRequest(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) { s := mcp.NewServer(impl, &mcp.ServerOptions{SchemaCache: schemaCache}) mcp.AddTool(s, myTool, myHandler) // ... } ``` ## List changed notifications Adding or removing a feature on a connected server sends the matching `notifications/*/list_changed` to every client, which dispatches it to [`ClientOptions.ToolListChangedHandler`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientOptions.ToolListChangedHandler), [`PromptListChangedHandler`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientOptions.PromptListChangedHandler), or [`ResourceListChangedHandler`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientOptions.ResourceListChangedHandler). A notification reports only that the list changed, so a client that needs the new contents lists them again. These notifications ride on capabilities, and capabilities are inferred from what is registered before [`Server.Connect`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#Server.Connect) (see [Capabilities](#capabilities)). A server that registers its features afterwards, as the example below does, has to declare `ServerOptions.HasTools`, `HasPrompts`, or `HasResources` itself, or the client is never told. %include ../../mcp/server_example_test.go listchanged - ## Multi Round-Trip Requests [SEP-2322](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol/pull/2322) defines a new pattern for server-to-client requests (sampling, elicitation, roots). Instead of issuing a fresh JSON-RPC request mid-flight, the server returns an `InputRequiredResult` from its in-flight handler — the `InputRequests` field of `CallToolResult`, `GetPromptResult`, or `ReadResourceResult` carries the requests for additional information. The client responds by retrying the original call with `InputResponses` set. The SDK supports this pattern from both sides without requiring callers to choose: - **Returning input requests from a handler.** Set `InputRequests` on the result you return. Leave `Content` / `StructuredContent` empty — returning both at once is a server bug and the SDK returns `-32603 InternalError`. - **Calling the legacy APIs.** `ServerSession.Elicit`, `ServerSession.CreateMessage(WithTools)`, and `ServerSession.ListRoots` remain available and work for both new and legacy clients. ### Talking to legacy clients The server installs `serverMultiRoundTripMiddleware` automatically. For clients on a protocol version earlier than `2026-07-28`, the middleware intercepts any `InputRequiredResult` your handler returns, fulfils each input request itself by calling the legacy server-initiated APIs (`Elicit`, `CreateMessage`, `ListRoots`), and re-invokes your handler exactly once with the responses already populated. This means a handler written in the MRTR style works against both old and new clients without code changes. ### Example The following example shows a "greet" tool whose handler asks the user for their name via elicitation before producing the final greeting. The handler runs twice — once to issue the elicitation, once to consume the response — but the client call site sees a single `CallTool` returning the final result, because the SDK's MRTR middleware handles the round trip on either side of the wire (depending on the negotiated protocol version). %include ../../mcp/server_example_test.go mrtr - ## Cacheable list results [SEP-2549](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol/pull/2549) adds `ttlMs` and `cacheScope` fields to the results of `tools/list`, `prompts/list`, `resources/list`, `resources/templates/list`, and `resources/read`. Both fields complement existing list results: clients use `ttlMs` as a freshness hint to reduce polling, and `cacheScope` (`"public"` or `"private"`) controls whether shared intermediaries may cache the response. **Server-side defaults.** After paginating, the SDK sets `CacheScope = "public"` and leaves `TTLMs = 0` (which the client cache treats as "immediately stale"). A handler that wants its responses cached must set `TTLMs` explicitly on the returned result. ```go mcp.AddTool(server, &mcp.Tool{Name: "expensive"}, func(...) (*mcp.CallToolResult, any, error) { // ... }) // Override the default for tools/list: server.AddSendingMiddleware(func(next mcp.MethodHandler) mcp.MethodHandler { return func(ctx context.Context, method string, req mcp.Request) (mcp.Result, error) { res, err := next(ctx, method, req) if lr, ok := res.(*mcp.ListToolsResult); ok { lr.TTLMs = 30_000 // 30s cache freshness hint } return res, err } }) ``` ## Utilities ### Completion To support the [completion](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-06-18/server/utilities/completion) capability, the server needs a completion handler. **Client-side**: completion is called using the [`ClientSession.Complete`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.Complete) method. **Server-side**: completion is enabled by setting [`ServerOptions.CompletionHandler`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ServerOptions.CompletionHandler). If this field is set to a non-nil value, the server will advertise the `completions` server capability, and use this handler to respond to completion requests. %include ../../examples/server/completion/main.go completionhandler - ### Logging > **Note:** The logging feature is deprecated as of protocol version > 2026-07-28 > ([SEP-2577](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/seps/2577-deprecate-roots-sampling-and-logging)). > It remains fully functional during the deprecation window (at least twelve > months). The SDK continues to support logging for compatibility. Servers > should migrate to stderr logging (for STDIO transports) or OpenTelemetry. MCP servers can send logging messages to MCP clients. (This form of logging is distinct from server-side logging, where the server produces logs that remain server-side, for use by server maintainers.) **Server-side**: The minimum log level is part of the server state. For stateful sessions, there is no default log level: no log messages will be sent until the client calls `SetLevel` (see below). For stateful sessions, the level defaults to "info". [`ServerSession.Log`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ServerSession.Log) is the low-level way for servers to log to clients. It sends a logging notification to the client if the level of the message is at least the minimum log level. For a simpler API, use [`NewLoggingHandler`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#NewLoggingHandler) to obtain a [`slog.Handler`](https://pkg.go.dev/log/slog#Handler). By setting [`LoggingHandlerOptions.MinInterval`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#LoggingHandlerOptions.MinInterval), the handler can be rate-limited to avoid spamming clients with too many messages. Servers always report the logging capability. **Client-side**: Set [`ClientOptions.LoggingMessageHandler`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientOptions.LoggingMessageHandler) to receive log messages. Call [`ClientSession.SetLevel`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.SetLevel) to change the log level for a session. %include ../../mcp/server_example_test.go logging - ## Capabilities Server capabilities are advertised to clients during the initialization handshake. By default, the SDK advertises only the `logging` capability. Additional capabilities are automatically added when features are registered (e.g., adding a tool adds the `tools` capability). ### Capability inference When features such as tools, prompts, or resources are added to the server (e.g., via `Server.AddTool`), their capability is automatically inferred, with default value `{listChanged:true}`. Similarly, if the `ServerOptions.SubscribeHandler` or `ServerOptions.CompletionHandler` are set, the corresponding capability is added. ### Explicit capabilities To explicitly declare capabilities, or to override the [default inferred capability](#capability-inference), set [`ServerOptions.Capabilities`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ServerOptions.Capabilities). This sets the default server capabilities, before any capabilities are added based on configured handlers. If a capability is already present as a field in `Capabilities`, adding a feature or handler will not change its configuration. This allows you to: - **Disable default capabilities**: Pass an empty `&ServerCapabilities{}` to disable all defaults, including logging. - **Disable listChanged notifications**: Set `ListChanged: false` on a capability to prevent the server from sending list-changed notifications when features are added or removed. - **Pre-declare capabilities**: Declare capabilities before features are registered, useful for servers that load features dynamically. ```go // Disable listChanged notifications for tools server := mcp.NewServer(impl, &mcp.ServerOptions{ Capabilities: &mcp.ServerCapabilities{ Logging: &mcp.LoggingCapabilities{}, Tools: &mcp.ToolCapabilities{ListChanged: false}, }, }) ``` **Deprecated**: The `HasPrompts`, `HasResources`, and `HasTools` fields on `ServerOptions` are deprecated. Use `Capabilities` instead. ### Extensions [SEP-2133](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol/pull/2133) adds an `extensions` map to `ServerCapabilities` so that optional capabilities outside the core protocol can be declared on the wire. Keys are namespaced as `"{vendor-prefix}/{extension-name}"`; values are per-extension settings objects. ### Pagination Server-side feature lists may be [paginated](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-06-18/server/utilities/pagination), using cursors. The SDK supports this by default. **Client-side**: The `ClientSession` provides methods returning [iterators](https://go.dev/blog/range-functions) for each feature type. These iterators are an `iter.Seq2[Feature, error]`, where the error value indicates whether page retrieval failed. - [`ClientSession.Prompts`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.Prompts) iterates prompts. - [`ClientSession.Resource`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.Resource) iterates resources. - [`ClientSession.ResourceTemplates`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.ResourceTemplates) iterates resource templates. - [`ClientSession.Tools`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ClientSession.Tools) iterates tools. The `ClientSession` also exposes `ListXXX` methods for fine-grained control over pagination. **Server-side**: pagination is on by default, so in general nothing is required server-side. However, you may use [`ServerOptions.PageSize`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk/mcp#ServerOptions.PageSize) to customize the page size.