Demo MCP Server

A simple but complete MCP (Model Context Protocol) server built for presentations and demonstrations. This server showcases all three core MCP primitives: Tools, Resources, and Prompts in under 240 lines of Python code.

For Presenters: See DEMO_CHEATSHEET.md for a detailed 5-minute presentation script with timing guide.

What This Demonstrates

This demo server showcases:

1. Tools (Model-controlled functions)

   • calculate_tip - Financial calculations
   • analyze_text - Text analysis and statistics
   • convert_temperature - Temperature conversion

2. Resources (Application-controlled data)

   • demo://server-info - Server metadata and capabilities
   • demo://example-data - Sample data for testing
   • demo://statistics - Usage statistics

3. Prompts (User-controlled templates)

   • demo_workflow - Guided walkthrough of all capabilities
   • quick_demo - 2-minute quick demonstration

Quick Start

Prerequisites

pip install fastmcp

For MCP Inspector (requires Node.js):

npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/inspector

Option 1: Interactive Demo with MCP Inspector (Recommended)

Linux/Mac:

cd mcp-demo
./demo.sh
# Choose option 1 for interactive demo

Windows/Direct:

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector python demo_server.py

This opens a web UI where you can:

• Browse available tools, resources, and prompts
• Test tools with custom inputs
• See real-time JSON responses
• Perfect for live presentation demos

Option 2: Use with Claude Desktop

1. Add to your Claude Desktop config:
   • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
   • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "demo-server": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["D:\\Demo\\mcp-demo\\demo_server.py"]
    }
  }
}

2. Restart Claude Desktop completely
3. Look for the hammer icon - server tools will be available in conversations
4. The server should auto-start when Claude Desktop launches

Option 3: Standalone Server

python demo_server.py

The server will start and display:

• 3 available tools
• 3 resources
• 2 prompts

Connect via any MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code with MCP extension).

Demo Script for Presentation

Setup (30 seconds before demo)

cd mcp-demo
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector python3 demo_server.py

Demo Flow (5 minutes)

1. Introduction (30 seconds)

Show the code:

• Open demo_server.py
• Highlight the decorators: @mcp.tool(), @mcp.resource(), @mcp.prompt()
• Point out: "150 lines of Python, zero boilerplate"

Say:

"This is a complete MCP server. Notice how simple it is - just Python functions with decorators. Type hints automatically generate schemas, docstrings become descriptions for the LLM."

2. Tools Demo (2 minutes)

In MCP Inspector:

• Click on "Tools" tab
• Show the three available tools

Live Demo - calculate_tip:

{
  "bill_amount": 100,
  "tip_percentage": 20
}

Say:

"Tools are model-controlled - the LLM decides when to invoke them based on user requests. Here we calculate a 20% tip on $100. See the structured JSON response."

Live Demo - analyze_text:

{
  "text": "The Model Context Protocol enables AI applications to seamlessly connect with external tools and data sources."
}

Say:

"Same pattern - clean input, structured output. The LLM can use this data to provide intelligent responses."

3. Resources Demo (1 minute)

In MCP Inspector:

• Click on "Resources" tab
• Fetch demo://server-info

Say:

"Resources are application-controlled data sources. Unlike tools where the LLM decides, here the client application determines when to fetch data. Think of them like REST GET endpoints - they provide context to the AI."

Show the JSON response with server capabilities

4. Prompts Demo (1 minute)

In MCP Inspector:

• Click on "Prompts" tab
• Show demo_workflow and quick_demo

Say:

"Prompts are user-controlled templates. In a real application, these would appear as slash commands or menu items. They help users accomplish common tasks without remembering exact phrasing."

Trigger the quick_demo prompt and show how it structures the interaction

5. Wrap Up (30 seconds)

Say:

"From concept to working server: minutes, not hours. This same server works with Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code - any MCP-compatible client. Build once, use everywhere. That's the power of MCP."

Key Talking Points

During Code Review

• "Type hints auto-generate JSON schemas"
• "Docstrings become LLM-readable descriptions"
• "Zero configuration - just decorators and functions"

During Tool Demo

• "LLM autonomously decides when to call these"
• "Structured inputs and outputs"
• "Error handling built into the protocol"

During Resources Demo

• "Application controls when to fetch"
• "Real-time data without tool invocation overhead"
• "Perfect for context that changes frequently"

During Prompts Demo

• "User initiates via UI or commands"
• "Reusable templates for common workflows"
• "Guides users through complex interactions"

Closing

• "Three primitives cover all integration needs"
• "Build once, deploy everywhere"
• "10,000+ servers in the ecosystem already"

Testing the Demo

Test calculate_tip

# In MCP Inspector or programmatically
calculate_tip(85.50, 18)

# Expected output:
{
  "bill_amount": 85.5,
  "tip_percentage": 18,
  "tip_amount": 15.39,
  "total": 100.89,
  "split_2_people": 50.45
}

Test analyze_text

analyze_text("Building MCP servers is straightforward with official SDKs.")

# Expected output:
{
  "word_count": 8,
  "character_count": 60,
  "character_count_no_spaces": 52,
  "estimated_reading_time_minutes": 0.0,
  "analyzed_at": "2025-01-23T..."
}

Test convert_temperature

convert_temperature(25, "C", "F")

# Expected output:
{
  "original_value": 25,
  "original_unit": "C",
  "converted_value": 77.0,
  "converted_unit": "F",
  "formula_used": "C → C → F"
}

Supports conversion between Celsius (C), Fahrenheit (F), and Kelvin (K) in any direction.

Requirements

Python Dependencies:

pip install fastmcp

For MCP Inspector (Optional):

• Node.js 16+ required
• Install: npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/inspector
• Or use directly: npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector

Tested with:

• Python 3.10+
• FastMCP 0.2.0+
• Claude Desktop (latest)

Learning Points for Audience

After this demo, your audience will understand:

1. How simple MCP servers are to build - Less than 200 lines for a full-featured server
2. The three core primitives - Tools, Resources, Prompts and when to use each
3. Type-driven development - Python types become API contracts
4. Instant testing - MCP Inspector provides immediate feedback
5. Portability - Same server works across all MCP clients

Troubleshooting

"ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'fastmcp'"

pip install fastmcp

"npx command not found"

Install Node.js from https://nodejs.org/

Server not appearing in Claude Desktop

1. Check config path:
   • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
   • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
2. Verify Python path: Use absolute path to demo_server.py
3. Check Python command: Use python or python3 depending on your system
4. Restart Claude Desktop: Completely quit and relaunch
5. Check logs: Look for errors in Claude Desktop developer console

Server starts but tools not available

• Look for the hammer icon in Claude Desktop chat interface
• Server must successfully connect (check for errors in terminal)
• Try manually running: python demo_server.py to see startup messages

Notes for Presenter

• Timing: Practice to keep it under 5 minutes
• Backup: Have screenshots ready if live demo has issues
• Questions: Be ready to show the source code on request
• Transition: After demo, move to CV-Forge as "more complex real-world example"

Additional Resources

• Official MCP Documentation: https://modelcontextprotocol.io
• FastMCP GitHub: https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp
• MCP Specification: https://spec.modelcontextprotocol.io
• MCP Servers Registry: https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers
• Claude Desktop: https://claude.ai/download

Project Structure

mcp-demo/
├── demo_server.py           # Main MCP server implementation
├── requirements.txt         # Python dependencies
├── demo.sh                  # Interactive demo launcher (Linux/Mac)
├── claude_desktop_config.json  # Example Claude Desktop config
├── README.md                # This file
├── DEMO_CHEATSHEET.md       # Presentation script with timing
└── .groupcode/              # Code organization metadata

License

MIT License - Feel free to use this as a template for your own MCP servers.

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Demo Server Version: 1.0.0
Built with: FastMCP + Python 3.10+
Created for: MCP Presentations and Learning