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Open source FAQ

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tadasant 2025-06-25 14:35:42 -07:00 • committed by Toby Padilla
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docs/faq.md
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@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ These questions come up often in discussions about the MCP Registry. If you have
### What is the MCP Registry? ### What is the MCP Registry?
The MCP Registry is the official centralized metadata repository for publicly-accessible MCP servers. It provides: The MCP Registry is the official centralized metadata repository for publicly-accessible MCP servers. It provides:
- A single place for server creators to publish metadata about their servers - A single place for server creators to publish metadata about their servers
- A REST API for MCP clients and aggregators to discover available servers - A REST API for MCP clients and aggregators to discover available servers
- Standardized installation and configuration information - Standardized installation and configuration information
@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ No. The MCP Registry stores metadata about MCP servers and references to where t
### Who should use the MCP Registry directly? ### Who should use the MCP Registry directly?
The registry is designed for programmatic consumption by: The registry is designed for programmatic consumption by:
- MCP client applications (Claude Desktop, Cline, etc.) - MCP client applications (Claude Desktop, Cline, etc.)
- Server aggregators (Smithery, PulseMCP, etc.) - Server aggregators (Smithery, PulseMCP, etc.)
- NOT individual end-users (they should use MCP clients or aggregator UIs) - NOT individual end-users (they should use MCP clients or aggregator UIs)
@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ A UI is planned as a future milestone after the initial API launch, but is not p
### How do I publish my MCP server? ### How do I publish my MCP server?
Servers are published by submitting a `server.json` file through our CLI tool. The process requires: Servers are published by submitting a `server.json` file through our CLI tool. The process requires:
1. GitHub authentication 1. GitHub authentication
2. A public GitHub repository (even for closed-source servers - just for the metadata) 2. A public GitHub repository (even for closed-source servers - just for the metadata)
3. Your server package published to a supported registry (npm, PyPI, Docker Hub, etc.) 3. Your server package published to a supported registry (npm, PyPI, Docker Hub, etc.)
@ -45,7 +48,7 @@ Servers are published by submitting a `server.json` file through our CLI tool. T
### Is open source required? ### Is open source required?
Locally-run servers are required to be open source. Remote servers are not. No. While open source code is encouraged, it is not required for either locally or remotely run servers.
### What package registries are supported? ### What package registries are supported?
@ -58,6 +61,7 @@ More can be added as the community desires; feel free to open an issue if you ar
### Can I publish multiple versions? ### Can I publish multiple versions?
Yes, versioning is supported: Yes, versioning is supported:
- Each version gets its own immutable metadata - Each version gets its own immutable metadata
- Version bumps are required for updates - Version bumps are required for updates
- Old versions remain accessible for compatibility - Old versions remain accessible for compatibility
@ -76,18 +80,21 @@ A reverse-publication flow is planned to allow quick deletion of accidentally pu
### How do I know a server is from the claimed organization? ### How do I know a server is from the claimed organization?
DNS verification ensures namespace ownership. For example: DNS verification ensures namespace ownership. For example:
- `com.microsoft/server` requires DNS verification of microsoft.com - `com.microsoft/server` requires DNS verification of microsoft.com
- `io.github.username/server` is tied to a GitHub account or GitHub organization - `io.github.username/server` is tied to a GitHub account or GitHub organization
### What about typosquatting? ### What about typosquatting?
The registry implements: The registry implements:
- Automatic blocking of names within a certain edit distance of existing servers - Automatic blocking of names within a certain edit distance of existing servers
- Community reporting mechanisms - Community reporting mechanisms
### Is there security scanning? ### Is there security scanning?
The MVP delegates security to the underlying package registries. Future iterations may include: The MVP delegates security to the underlying package registries. Future iterations may include:
- Vulnerability scanning - Vulnerability scanning
- Dependency analysis - Dependency analysis
@ -104,6 +111,7 @@ The MVP delegates security to the underlying package registries. Future iteratio
### How often should I poll the registry? ### How often should I poll the registry?
Recommended polling frequency: Recommended polling frequency:
- `/servers` endpoint: once per day - `/servers` endpoint: once per day
- `/servers/:id` endpoint: once per version (results are immutable) - `/servers/:id` endpoint: once per version (results are immutable)
- Design assumes CDN caching between registry and consumers - Design assumes CDN caching between registry and consumers
@ -115,6 +123,7 @@ Not in the initial MVP, but the architecture supports adding webhooks for update
### Can I run my own registry instance? ### Can I run my own registry instance?
While the API shapes and data formats are designed for reuse, the registry implementation itself is not designed for self-hosting. Organizations needing private registries should: While the API shapes and data formats are designed for reuse, the registry implementation itself is not designed for self-hosting. Organizations needing private registries should:
- Implement the same API shape - Implement the same API shape
- Use the same `server.json` format - Use the same `server.json` format
- Potentially mirror/filter the official registry data - Potentially mirror/filter the official registry data
@ -156,6 +165,7 @@ Categorization and curation are intentionally left to consumers (MCP clients and
### Will there be quality metrics? ### Will there be quality metrics?
Quality assessment is explicitly out of scope for the official registry. This is delegated to: Quality assessment is explicitly out of scope for the official registry. This is delegated to:
- MCP clients (for their specific use cases) - MCP clients (for their specific use cases)
- Third-party aggregators - Third-party aggregators
- Community reviews on external platforms - Community reviews on external platforms