mcp-methods

Shared Rust-powered utilities for Model Context Protocol servers. Pip-installable Python library AND a native Rust crate AND a generic CLI binary — three distribution shapes, one set of primitives.

Fast file search (ripgrep-backed), GitHub integration with smart compaction, text utilities, and an rmcp-backed MCP server framework with YAML-manifest configuration. The common building blocks needed when writing MCP tool servers.

The Rust library is the source of truth; the Python wheel is a thin pyo3 binding over it. Rust consumers see zero pyo3 in their dep tree.

Install

Python — `pip install`

pip install mcp-methods

from mcp_methods import ElementCache, ripgrep, list_dir, github_discussions, read_file

The wheel ships the mcp-server CLI on PATH alongside the library — which mcp-server should resolve immediately. Single abi3 wheel per OS; works on Python 3.10 through 3.13 without reinstall.

Rust library — `cargo add`

[dependencies]
mcp-methods = "0.3"

use mcp_methods::cache::ElementCache;
use mcp_methods::{github, files, grep, list_dir, compact, html};
use mcp_methods::server::{McpServer, ServerOptions, Manifest}; // with default `server` feature

Zero pyo3 in the dep tree. The server feature (default-on) adds the rmcp-backed framework; disable with default-features = false for the bare primitives.

For pre-release coordination — pinning against a specific commit while the framework is iterating quickly — depend on a git rev:

mcp-methods = { git = "https://github.com/kkollsga/mcp-methods.git", rev = "<short SHA>", features = ["server"] }

The downstream kglite-mcp-server uses this pattern to stay locked to the exact framework rev its integration tests pass against.

CLI — `cargo install` (alternative path)

The CLI ships in the pip wheel by default. If you'd rather skip Python:

cargo install --git https://github.com/kkollsga/mcp-methods mcp-server

Not on crates.io — mcp-server is unpublished on purpose. The Rust library on crates.io is the published surface; the binary ships via the wheel and via git.

Documentation

Full docs at mcp-methods.readthedocs.io (Sphinx + Read the Docs, structured along Diátaxis lines):

Getting Started — 15-minute walkthrough from pip install to a running server
Core Concepts — manifest, operating modes, trust gates, downstream-binary pattern
Guides — writing a manifest, downstream binaries, trust gates, python bindings, watch + workspace modes
Reference — manifest schema, Python API, Rust API
Explanation — three-crate architecture, advisory-trust pattern, distribution shape

Rust API rustdoc: docs.rs/mcp-methods.

What's included

Primitive	Purpose
`list_dir`	Tree-formatted directory listing with depth, glob, `.gitignore`, annotation
`ripgrep_files`, `ripgrep`, `ripgrep_lines`	Ripgrep-powered search (in-process, no subprocess)
`read_file`	Safe file reading with path traversal protection
`github_discussions`, `git_api`	GitHub issue/PR fetching with smart compaction, REST wrapper
`ElementCache`	Drill-down cache for collapsed elements in GitHub discussions
`html_to_text`, `compact_text`, `collapse_code_blocks`	Text utilities
`extract_github_refs`, `detect_git_repo`, `validate_repo`	Git/GitHub helpers
`mcp_methods.fastmcp`	Composable tool registrations for FastMCP servers
`SkillRegistry`, `Skill`, `register_skills_as_prompts`	Operator-authored methodology as MCP prompts (three-layer: project → domain pack → bundled defaults). See `crates/mcp-methods/dev-documentation/skills-aware-mcp.md` for the design doc.

Plus the server framework in mcp_methods::server::*: McpServer, ServerOptions, Manifest, Workspace, watch_dir, load_env_walk, serve_prompts. See the Rust API reference.

License

MIT.

mcp-methods 0.3.37