From a67f95ca0f0efcd86fc85e7680008169ef8d2bcf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Peter Alexander Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2026 13:15:50 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] Initial repository structure for Transports WG Set up the basic structure for the MCP Transports Working Group, modeled after the financial-services-interest-group repository. Files added: - README.md: Mission, meetings, focus areas, participation guide - CHARTER.md: Scope, proposal promotion pathway - GOVERNANCE.md: Roles, decision-making process (maintainers TBD) - CONTRIBUTING.md: How to participate and contribute - LICENSE: MIT License - docs/: Directory for future documentation - proposals/: Directory for transport proposals/specs Focus areas: - Scalability (connection pooling, load distribution) - Reliability (error handling, reconnection, delivery guarantees) - Transport Semantics (protocol behavior, message ordering) - Interoperability (cross-platform compatibility, testing) --- CHARTER.md | 77 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CONTRIBUTING.md | 99 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ GOVERNANCE.md | 111 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ LICENSE | 21 +++++++++ README.md | 96 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ docs/.gitkeep | 0 proposals/.gitkeep | 0 7 files changed, 404 insertions(+) create mode 100644 CHARTER.md create mode 100644 CONTRIBUTING.md create mode 100644 GOVERNANCE.md create mode 100644 LICENSE create mode 100644 README.md create mode 100644 docs/.gitkeep create mode 100644 proposals/.gitkeep diff --git a/CHARTER.md b/CHARTER.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8bbe610 --- /dev/null +++ b/CHARTER.md @@ -0,0 +1,77 @@ +# Transports Working Group Charter + +This document outlines the mission, scope, and strategic direction of the MCP Transports Working Group. + +## Mission + +The Transports Working Group brings together community participants to: + +- **Improve transport usability** by addressing real-world challenges in MCP implementations +- **Define scalability patterns** for connection management, load distribution, and resource efficiency +- **Establish reliability standards** for error handling, reconnection, and delivery guarantees +- **Clarify transport semantics** for consistent protocol behavior across implementations +- **Enable interoperability** through testing patterns and conformance guidelines + +## Scope + +### Included + +- Transport protocol specifications and improvements +- Scalability patterns (connection pooling, multiplexing, load balancing) +- Reliability mechanisms (error handling, reconnection, message delivery) +- Transport semantics (ordering, state management, lifecycle) +- Reference implementations for testing and validation +- Interoperability patterns and conformance testing +- Documentation and guidance materials + +### Excluded + +- Application-layer protocol features (tools, resources, prompts) +- Domain-specific extensions (financial services, healthcare, etc.) +- Competitively sensitive information +- Non-technical business matters + +The group adheres to the [MCP Antitrust Policy](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol/blob/main/ANTITRUST.md); all participants must follow antitrust compliance guidelines. + +## Proposals vs. Core Specification + +### Proposals + +Transport proposals developed within this working group address specific transport challenges while enabling: + +- Rapid iteration and experimentation +- Community feedback gathering +- Production validation before standardization + +### Promotion Pathway + +Broadly applicable proposals may advance to the core MCP specification through: + +1. **SEP (Spec Enhancement Proposal)** documenting the proposal and implementation evidence +2. **Core Maintainer Sponsorship** from MCP leadership +3. **Community Consensus** via the SEP review process + +### Proactive Advancement + +The Working Group identifies promising proposals and actively pursues promotion by: + +- Providing real-world validation from production environments +- Building coalition support among contributors +- Coordinating with core maintainers for SEP sponsorship + +## Amendments + +Charter changes require: + +1. Proposal through GitHub +2. Discussion and community input +3. Maintainer consensus approval +4. Clear documentation of rationale + +## Contact + +Questions about this charter can be directed to: + +- The `#transports-wg` Discord channel +- GitHub Issues in this repository +- Maintainers listed in [GOVERNANCE.md](./GOVERNANCE.md) diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2f402f8 --- /dev/null +++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md @@ -0,0 +1,99 @@ +# Contributing to the Transports Working Group + +We welcome contributions from anyone interested in improving MCP transports! + +## Quick Start + +1. **Join the community** — Connect on the `#transports-wg` channel in [MCP Discord](https://discord.com/invite/6CSzBmMkjX) +2. **Understand the scope** — Review the [CHARTER](./CHARTER.md) and [README](./README.md) +3. **Start contributing** — Attend meetings, open issues, or submit PRs + +## Ways to Contribute + +### Participate in Discussions + +- Join weekly meetings (no approval needed!) +- Engage in Discord conversations +- Comment on GitHub issues and PRs +- Share your transport implementation experiences + +### Submit Proposals + +Have an idea for improving MCP transports? We'd love to hear it! + +1. **Open an issue** to discuss the idea first +2. **Draft a proposal** following the template in `proposals/` +3. **Submit a PR** for community review +4. **Iterate** based on feedback + +### Improve Documentation + +- Fix typos or clarify existing docs +- Add examples or guides +- Document edge cases or gotchas + +### Review and Provide Feedback + +- Review open PRs +- Test proposed changes +- Share implementation feedback + +## Proposal Development + +When developing transport proposals: + +1. **Propose first** — Open an issue to discuss before writing a full proposal +2. **Follow MCP standards** — Align with existing MCP conventions and patterns +3. **Document thoroughly** — Include rationale, examples, and edge cases +4. **Consider breadth** — Think about applicability across implementations + +## Promoting Proposals to Core Spec + +For proposals with broad applicability: + +1. **Gather implementation experience** — Get real-world validation +2. **Present to the working group** — Build consensus and support +3. **Coordinate with core maintainers** — Work with the MCP maintainer liaison +4. **Draft a SEP** — Follow the MCP Spec Enhancement Proposal process + +## Guidelines + +### Code of Conduct + +All participants must follow the [MCP Code of Conduct](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/.github/blob/main/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md). + +### Antitrust Compliance + +Per the [MCP Antitrust Policy](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol/blob/main/ANTITRUST.md), discussions must focus on: + +- Technical standards and specifications +- Interoperability patterns +- Open collaboration + +And must avoid: + +- Pricing, costs, or margins +- Customer lists or strategies +- Competitive information + +## Recognition + +Active contributors — those who attend 2+ meetings or make substantive contributions — can request recognition in [GOVERNANCE.md](./GOVERNANCE.md). Self-nomination is welcome! + +## Communication Channels + +| Channel | Purpose | +|---------|---------| +| Discord `#transports-wg` | Real-time discussion and Q&A | +| GitHub Issues | Proposals, bugs, and feature requests | +| GitHub Discussions | Longer-form conversations | +| Weekly Meetings | Synchronous collaboration and decisions | + +## Getting Help + +- **Discord:** Ask in `#transports-wg` +- **GitHub Issues:** Open an issue with your question +- **Meetings:** Bring questions to the weekly call +- **Maintainers:** Reach out to maintainers listed in [GOVERNANCE.md](./GOVERNANCE.md) + +We're here to help — don't hesitate to ask! diff --git a/GOVERNANCE.md b/GOVERNANCE.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..69dfbd5 --- /dev/null +++ b/GOVERNANCE.md @@ -0,0 +1,111 @@ +# Transports Working Group Governance + +The Transports Working Group operates under a lightweight, consensus-driven governance model aligned with the broader MCP community. + +## Principles + +1. **Open Participation** — Anyone can participate regardless of affiliation +2. **Transparency** — All decisions are documented and publicly accessible +3. **Consensus-Driven** — Maintainers seek agreement; objections prompt discussion +4. **Antitrust Compliance** — All activities follow the [MCP Antitrust Policy](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol/blob/main/ANTITRUST.md) +5. **Ecosystem Alignment** — Work aligns with broader MCP goals and specifications + +## Roles + +### Maintainers + +Maintainers are responsible for: + +- Reviewing and merging pull requests +- Coordinating meetings and setting agendas +- Managing repository and community health +- Making governance decisions +- Representing the working group to the broader MCP community + +**Current Maintainers:** + +| Name | Organization | GitHub | +|------|--------------|--------| +| _TBD_ | _TBD_ | _TBD_ | + +> **Note:** Initial maintainers to be added as the working group forms. + +### Active Contributors + +Active contributors regularly participate in discussions, meetings, or code contributions. They: + +- Have demonstrated sustained engagement +- May receive triage permissions +- Are recognized in this document + +**Current Active Contributors:** + +| Name | Organization | GitHub | +|------|--------------|--------| +| _TBD_ | _TBD_ | _TBD_ | + +### Contributors + +Anyone who participates in any way: + +- Joining Discord discussions +- Attending meetings +- Opening or commenting on issues +- Submitting pull requests +- Reviewing proposals + +No formal approval is needed to become a contributor. + +## Decision Making + +1. **Proposal** — Ideas are raised via GitHub issues, PRs, or meetings +2. **Discussion** — Open discussion in Discord and GitHub +3. **Consensus** — Maintainers seek agreement; silence implies consent +4. **Objection Resolution** — Objections trigger further discussion until resolved +5. **Documentation** — All decisions are recorded in meeting notes or GitHub + +## Becoming a Maintainer + +Maintainer status is earned through sustained, high-quality contributions: + +1. Demonstrate expertise in transport-related topics +2. Contribute regularly over an extended period +3. Show good judgment in technical discussions +4. Be nominated by an existing maintainer +5. Receive consensus approval from current maintainers + +## Meeting Requirements + +All meetings must include: + +- Brief antitrust reminder at the start +- Published agenda (48+ hours in advance) +- Public notes with decisions and action items +- Open attendance for all participants + +### Prohibited Topics + +Per antitrust requirements, meetings must not discuss: + +- Pricing, costs, or margins +- Customer lists or strategies +- Competitive strategies +- Confidential business information +- Any form of anti-competitive coordination + +## Amendments + +Governance changes require: + +1. Proposal via GitHub issue or PR +2. Community discussion period +3. Maintainer consensus +4. Documented rationale for the change + +## Contact + +Questions about governance can be directed to: + +- The `#transports-wg` Discord channel +- GitHub Issues in this repository +- Current maintainers directly diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b5031a0 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE @@ -0,0 +1,21 @@ +MIT License + +Copyright (c) 2025 Model Context Protocol + +Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy +of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal +in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights +to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell +copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is +furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: + +The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all +copies or substantial portions of the Software. + +THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR +IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, +FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE +AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER +LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, +OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE +SOFTWARE. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..29bbee4 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,96 @@ +# MCP Transports Working Group + +Welcome to the **MCP Transports Working Group** — a collaborative community focused on improving the usability of transports in the [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io), including scalability, reliability, and semantics. + +## Mission + +The Transports Working Group coordinates community stakeholders to: + +- **Improve transport usability** across MCP implementations +- **Define scalability patterns** for connection pooling, load distribution, and resource management +- **Establish reliability standards** for error handling, reconnection, and message delivery guarantees +- **Clarify transport semantics** for protocol behavior, message ordering, and state management +- **Drive interoperability** across platforms and implementations + +> **See the [CHARTER](./CHARTER.md) for detailed scope and processes.** + +## Communication + +- **Primary Channel:** [MCP Discord](https://discord.com/invite/6CSzBmMkjX) → `#transports-wg` +- **Meetings:** Weekly, 60 minutes + - Meeting agendas posted in Discord ≥48 hours in advance +- **Work Tracking:** GitHub Issues and Discussions in this repository +- **Reporting:** Regular updates to the broader MCP community + +## Meetings + +**Cadence:** Weekly +**Day:** Tuesdays at 1:00pm +**Duration:** 60 minutes +**Format:** Virtual + +> **Note:** See [meet.modelcontextprotocol.io](https://meet.modelcontextprotocol.io) for meeting links and calendar. + +All meetings include: +- Brief [antitrust reminder](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol/blob/main/ANTITRUST.md) at start +- Published agenda (48h prior) +- Public notes with decisions and action items +- Open attendance for all interested participants + +## How to Participate + +We welcome participation from anyone interested in MCP transports! + +- **Join** the `#transports-wg` channel on [MCP Discord](https://discord.com/invite/6CSzBmMkjX) +- **Attend** weekly meetings (no approval needed!) +- **Contribute** by opening issues, submitting PRs, or providing feedback +- **Review** the [CONTRIBUTING guide](./CONTRIBUTING.md) for detailed guidelines + +_See [GOVERNANCE.md](./GOVERNANCE.md) for current members, roles, and how to become a maintainer._ + +## Current Focus Areas + +Our work focuses on: + +1. **Scalability** — Connection pooling, load distribution, resource management +2. **Reliability** — Error handling, reconnection strategies, message delivery guarantees +3. **Transport Semantics** — Protocol behavior, message ordering, state management +4. **Interoperability** — Cross-platform compatibility, testing patterns, conformance + +## Repository Structure + +``` +/ +├── README.md # This file - Quick start guide +├── CHARTER.md # Mission, scope, and proposal strategy +├── GOVERNANCE.md # Governance model, roles, and members +├── CONTRIBUTING.md # Contribution guidelines +├── proposals/ # Transport proposals and specifications +└── docs/ # Guides and documentation +``` + +## Contributing + +We welcome contributions of all kinds! Please review: + +- **[CONTRIBUTING.md](./CONTRIBUTING.md)** — Detailed contribution guidelines +- **[MCP Code of Conduct](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/.github/blob/main/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md)** — Community standards +- **[MCP Antitrust Policy](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol/blob/main/ANTITRUST.md)** — Required compliance + +**Quick Start:** +- Open an issue to propose ideas or report problems +- Submit a PR for proposals, documentation, or improvements +- Join discussions in Discord or GitHub + +## Related Resources + +- [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) +- [MCP Specification](https://spec.modelcontextprotocol.io) +- [MCP GitHub Organization](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol) +- [MCP Discord Community](https://discord.com/invite/6CSzBmMkjX) +- [MCP Events Calendar](https://meet.modelcontextprotocol.io) + +## Contact + +- **Discord:** `#transports-wg` channel +- **GitHub Issues:** For proposals, questions, and discussions diff --git a/docs/.gitkeep b/docs/.gitkeep new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e69de29 diff --git a/proposals/.gitkeep b/proposals/.gitkeep new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e69de29