# MCP

Build or consume Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and clients in .NET using the...

- Repository: https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills (500 stars)
- Category: Testing
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-10-29
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add managedcode/dotnet-skills --skill mcp -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add managedcode/dotnet-skills --skill mcp -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add managedcode/dotnet-skills --skill mcp -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add managedcode/dotnet-skills --skill mcp -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Build or consume Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and clients in .NET using the official MCP C# SDK, including stdio, Streamable HTTP, tools, prompts, resources, and capability negotiation. USE FOR: .NET MCP servers or clients; stdio versus HTTP transport choices; tools, resources, prompts, completions, and capability negotiation. DO NOT USE FOR: unrelated stacks; generic tasks that do not need this specific guidance. INVOKES: inspect the repository context, edit targeted files, and run relevant build, test, lint, or validation commands when changes are made.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# MCP C# SDK for .NET

## Trigger On

- building or consuming MCP servers from a .NET application or library
- choosing between stdio and HTTP transport for MCP
- exposing tools, resources, prompts, completions, or logging to an MCP host
- connecting a .NET app to an existing MCP server and passing discovered tools into `IChatClient`
- bootstrapping a minimal MCP client/server from the `.NET AI` quickstarts or publishing a server to the MCP Registry
- implementing capability-aware flows such as roots, sampling, elicitation, subscriptions, session resumption, or enterprise managed authorization

## Use This Skill Instead Of

- Use `mcp` when **protocol interoperability** is the requirement.
- Use `microsoft-extensions-ai` when you only need model/provider abstraction or local tool orchestration without the MCP wire protocol.
- Use `microsoft-agent-framework` when the main problem is agent orchestration; combine it with `mcp` only when those agents must consume or expose MCP endpoints.
- Use the `.NET AI` quickstarts for the very first vertical slice, then come back here to harden transport, capability negotiation, publishing, and host interoperability.

## Documentation

- [MCP C# SDK overview](https://csharp.sdk.modelcontextprotocol.io/)
- [Getting Started](https://csharp.sdk.modelcontextprotocol.io/concepts/getting-started.html)
- [API reference](https://csharp.sdk.modelcontextprotocol.io/api/ModelContextProtocol.html)
- [Conceptual docs](https://csharp.sdk.modelcontextprotocol.io/concepts/index.html)
- [Versioning policy](https://csharp.sdk.modelcontextprotocol.io/versioning.html)
- [Experimental APIs](https://csharp.sdk.modelcontextprotocol.io/experimental.html)
- [MCP C# SDK repository](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/csharp-sdk)
- [Model Context Protocol specification](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/)

## References

Load only what the task needs:

The rest: https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills/blob/HEAD/catalog/Libraries/MCP/skills/mcp/SKILL.md