mcp-builder

# MCP Server Development Guide ## Overview Create MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers that enable LLMs to interact with external services through well-designed tools. The quality of an MCP server is measured by how well it enables LLMs to accomplish real-world tasks. --- ## Microsoft MCP Ecosystem Microsoft provides extensive MCP infrastructure for Azure and Foundry services. Understanding this ecosystem helps you decide whether to build custom servers or leverage existing ones. ### Server Types | Type | Transport | Use Case | Example | |------|-----------|----------|---------| | **Local** | stdio | Desktop apps, single-user, local dev | Azure MCP Server via NPM/Docker | | **Remote** | Streamable HTTP | Cloud services, multi-tenant, Agent Service | `https://mcp.ai.azure.com` (Foundry) | ### Microsoft MCP Servers Before building a custom server, check if Microsoft already provides one: | Server | Type | Description | |--------|------|-------------| | **Azure MCP** | Local | 48+ Azure services (Storage, KeyVault, Cosmos, SQL, etc.) | | **Foundry MCP** | Remote | `https://mcp.ai.azure.com` - Models, deployments, evals, agents | | **Fabric MCP** | Local | Microsoft Fabric APIs, OneLake, item definitions | | **Playwright MCP** | Local | Browser automation and testing | | **GitHub MCP** | Remote | `https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp` | **Full ecosystem:** See [🔷 Microsoft MCP Patterns](./reference/microsoft_mcp_patterns.md) for complete server catalog and patterns. ###...