# 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 (find the next meeting at
   [https://meet.modelcontextprotocol.io/](https://meet.modelcontextprotocol.io/)),
   open issues, or submit PRs

## Ways to Contribute

### Participate in Discussions

- Join weekly meetings (no approval needed!). Find the next meeting at
  [https://meet.modelcontextprotocol.io/](https://meet.modelcontextprotocol.io/)
- Engage in Discord conversations
- Comment on GitHub issues and PRs
- Share your transport implementation experiences

### 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

## Proposing Changes

Have an idea for improving MCP transports? We'd love to hear it!

### Process

1. **Open an issue** to discuss the idea first. This helps avoid duplicate work and ensures initial alignment.
2. **Draft a proposal** following the template in the `proposals/` directory.
3. **Submit a PR** with your proposal for community review.
4. **Iterate** based on feedback from the community and maintainers.

### Guidelines

When developing transport proposals, keep these principles in mind:

*   **Propose first** — Always start with an issue before investing time in a full proposal.
*   **Follow MCP standards** — Align with existing MCP conventions and patterns.
*   **Document thoroughly** — Include rationale, examples, and edge cases.
*   **Consider breadth** — Think about applicability across different implementations and languages.

## 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
- Open collaboration

And must avoid:

- Pricing, costs, or margins
- Customer lists or strategies
- Competitive information

## Recognition and Advancement

The Transports Working Group follows the [MCP Contributor
Ladder](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/community/contributor-ladder).

Contributors who demonstrate sustained engagement can become **Members** of the
Working Group. Members have additional privileges and are listed in
[GOVERNANCE.md](./GOVERNANCE.md).

To learn more about the roles (Contributor, Member, Maintainer) and how to
advance, please see [GOVERNANCE.md](./GOVERNANCE.md) and the full [MCP
Contributor
Ladder](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/community/contributor-ladder).

## 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 |

If you need help, feel free to ask in any of these channels (Discord is usually
fastest for quick questions). You can also reach out to the maintainers listed
in [GOVERNANCE.md](./GOVERNANCE.md).