Challenge:

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Should I build an MCP server?

Should I build an MCP server?

Probably not.

Should I build an MCP server?

❌ I want to build a RESTful TODO list app.

This works pretty well out of the box! Agentic AI can manage state using markdown files.

Should I build an MCP server?

❌ I want to call APIs from a single interface and process the response.

Try a skill! You can register the APIs and execute simple python scripts.

Should I build an MCP server?

✅ I want to grant users access to a large repository of sensitive data.

Okay, you may want to create a MCP RAG service.

Should I build an MCP server?

✅ I want to marshall complex input and perform compute-intensive tasks.

Let's go.

MCP architecture

MCP architecture

Client

• Popular apps already have built-in MCP clients.
• Custom chat clients.
• MCP Middleware.

MCP architecture

Server

• Tools: actions the model can invoke.
• Resources: read-only data or context the model can fetch.
• Prompts: reusable prompt templates or workflows.

MCP architecture

Transport

• JSON-RPC
• stdio: local processes
• Streaming HTTP/SSE: remote servers

CAVEATS

CAVEATS

CONTEXT

• Keep the total context window manageable.
• Too many tools or MCP servers clog context.
• Tools and responses require metadata.
• Resources should stay concise.
• Tools can manage large datasets in the background.

CAVEATS

VIEW MODEL

• View = chat history.
• Model = current context.
• Updates = prompts plus MCP calls.
• Standard UI/UX rules still apply.

CAVEATS

INTERACTIONS

• AuthN/AuthZ flow
• Query resource for data
• OR hydrate data entity with uuid
• Call tool (SYNC or ASYNC)
• Stream tool progress/chain of thought (ASYNC)

VIBE-ATHON

VIBE-ATHON

RULES

• Create an MCP server.
• Register it with a chat client.
• Vibes only: write and test it in Codex, Copilot CLI, or Claude Code.
• Keep the project related to NOV ReedHycalog.

VIBE-ATHON

TEAMS

• Form 2-3 teams.
• Pick a topic: Orbit simulation, offset mapping, or dashboard navigation.
• Build in the Orbit.Valence repo.