From fd7e26ab799643c9ce914ad35dc5093316347dbd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Kurtis Van Gent <31518063+kurtisvg@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Fri, 10 Jul 2026 15:07:22 -0600 Subject: [PATCH] feat: add 2026-04-29 weekly meeting notes (#37) --- meetings/2026-04-29_weekly.md | 80 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 80 insertions(+) create mode 100644 meetings/2026-04-29_weekly.md diff --git a/meetings/2026-04-29_weekly.md b/meetings/2026-04-29_weekly.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b771ca1 --- /dev/null +++ b/meetings/2026-04-29_weekly.md @@ -0,0 +1,80 @@ +# **2026-04-29 MCP: Transport Working Group (Weekly)** + +# **TL;DR** + +The meeting focused on the stateless transition timeline, SDK conformance +testing versioning, and proposed feature agendas for future releases. Discussion +centered on the transition of the initialization flow to `serverdiscover` under +standard IO and the introduction of an E-tag mechanism for optimistic +concurrency correctness. Tensions arose regarding whether standard IO can +natively support headers for features like E-tags, leading the group to identify +the need for exploring HTTP over standard IO. Proposals for streaming and raw +binary handling were identified as priorities for the release after next, while +encryption and compression proposals were tabled due to a lack of immediate +customer demand. + +# **Detailed Summary** + +## **Stateless Migration & Conformance Testing** + +* **Initialize Flow Removal:** The transition to a stateless architecture + involves removing the initialization call in favor of a `serverdiscover` (or + `initialize server discover`) call to determine protocol versions and remove + session constraints. +* **Testing and Merging Timeline:** The final lock-in date for SEPs is April + 30th, and approved SEPs must have conformance tests merged by May 15th before + they are finalized at the end of June. All Tier 1 SDKs (TypeScript and Python) + are expected to implement changes by the release date. +* **Protocol Versioning:** Maintainers agreed on using a special version string, + `DRAFT-2026-V1` (represented as uppercase draft, dash, 2026, dash, lowercase + V1), to denote the new protocol version during testing. + +## **E-Tag Correctness Mechanism & Standard IO Challenges** + +* **Correctness vs Caching:** Geoff Goodman proposed an E-tag mechanism (or + fencing token) where a tools list provides identifiers, and the client + supplies that identifier on tool calls. This allows the server to verify if + the LLM is using valid tool definitions. +* **Tension Point \- Opaque Strings and State:** Andreas Schlapbach and Stephen + Halter raised concerns that returning opaque strings could act as a backdoor + to stateful behavior. However, Geoff Goodman and Stephen Halter favored + server-defined opaque strings for simplicity. +* **Tension Point \- Standard IO Limitations:** Standard IO lacks a native + headers mechanism to convey E-tags, leading to a discussion on putting + metadata in `_meta`. This prompted core maintainers to suggest investigating + "HTTP over standard IO" to unify standard IO and HTTP features. + +## **Future Protocol Feature Agendas** + +* **Streaming & Binary Handling:** Peter Alexander proposed streaming results + and raw binary handling for large payloads as priorities for future releases, + intersecting with the file upload working group. +* **Compression & Encryption:** Andreas Schlapbach proposed supporting message + compression (e.g., GZip, Brotli) and message signing/encryption to guarantee + message integrity in regulated environments. +* **Tension Point \- Encryption Utility vs Observability:** Geoff Goodman and + Stephen Halter questioned the utility of encryption over TLS, arguing it adds + payload opacity and a loss of observability. Kurtis Van Gent emphasized that + without active client demand, encryption should not be a priority. + +# **Next Steps & Timeline** + +Core maintainers and SDK developers will finalize conformance tests for the +stateless protocol by the May 15th deadline. Geoff Goodman will draft an SEP +outlining the E-tags mechanism focusing on optimistic concurrency control. +Andreas Schlapbach will contact Saxo Bank to determine if highly regulated +financial institutions have verified use cases for payload encryption. + +# **Action Items** + +- [ ] **Andreas Schlapbach** Post comments regarding the stateless SEP document, + focusing on the initialization requirements. +- [ ] **Stephen Halter** Implement the protocol version string `DRAFT-2026-V1` + in the SDK and ensure conformance tests recognize it. +- [ ] **Geoff Goodman** Draft a new SEP outlining the E-tags mechanism for + optimistic concurrency control. +- [ ] **Andreas Schlapbach** Talk to Saxo Bank contacts regarding encryption and + compression messaging needs and return with example user journeys. + +Source: [Meeting Notes — April 29, +2026](https://docs.google.com/document/d/17snXKCMmMRtpWhRk6itCNIQ6ovTU1LmxGwumGm8FzNY/edit?usp=meet_tnfm_email)