Learning Hour MCP

An MCP server that generates comprehensive Learning Hour content for Technical Coaches, enabling teams to practice technical excellence through structured deliberate practice sessions. Works seamlessly with the Miro MCP for creating interactive boards.

Philosophy

Learning Hours are structured practice sessions where software teams develop technical excellence skills through deliberate practice. Just as athletes and pilots dedicate time to practice their craft, software developers need dedicated time to master fundamental programming practices that stand the test of time.

This MCP server supports the 4C Learning Model (Connect → Concept → Concrete → Conclusion) and focuses on technical practices that enhance agility:

• Test Driven Development (TDD)
• Refactoring techniques
• Clean code principles
• Evolutionary design
• Pairing/ensemble programming

Features

• Generate Session Content: Creates comprehensive Learning Hour materials for any coding topic
• Generate Code Examples: Produces before/after code examples with explanations
• Miro Integration: Direct integration with Miro API to create visual Learning Hour boards
• OAuth Support: Complete OAuth flow for Miro authentication

Tools

generate_session

Generates comprehensive Learning Hour content including objectives, activities, and discussion prompts.

Input:

{
  "topic": "Feature Envy"
}

Output: Structured session data with miroContent section ready for Miro board creation.

generate_code_example

Creates detailed before/after code examples for learning topics.

Input:

{
  "topic": "Feature Envy",
  "language": "javascript"
}

get_miro_auth_url

Generates a Miro OAuth authorization URL for obtaining access tokens.

Input:

{
  "redirectUri": "http://localhost:3000/callback",
  "state": "optional-security-state"
}

test_miro_token

Tests if a Miro access token is valid and working.

Input:

{
  "accessToken": "your_miro_access_token"
}

create_miro_board

Creates a Miro board with Learning Hour content automatically laid out.

Input:

{
  "sessionContent": {}, // Output from generate_session
  "accessToken": "your_miro_access_token"
}

Setup

1. Install dependencies:

npm install

2. Configure environment variables:

cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env and add your Anthropic API key

3. Get your API keys:

   Anthropic API Key:

   • Visit Anthropic Console
   • Create an account or sign in
   • Generate an API key
   • Add it to your .env file:

     ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_actual_api_key_here
     

   Miro Integration (Optional):

   • Visit Miro Developers
   • Create a new app to get Client ID and Client Secret
   • Add to your .env file:

     MIRO_CLIENT_ID=your_miro_client_id
     MIRO_CLIENT_SECRET=your_miro_client_secret
     

4. Build and run:

npm run build && npm start

Testing

Run the integration tests to verify your API connection:

# Run all tests
npm test

# Run only integration tests
npm run test:integration

Note: Integration tests require a valid ANTHROPIC_API_KEY in your .env file and will make real API calls.

Miro Integration Workflow

Getting a Miro Access Token

To use Miro integration, you need a valid access token. Here are two ways:

Option A: Quick Personal Access Token (Easiest)

1. Go to Miro Developer Portal
2. Create a developer account
3. Create a new app
4. Generate a personal access token
5. Test it: test_miro_token {"accessToken": "your_token"}

Option B: OAuth Flow (For Production)

1. Get Authorization URL:

{
  "tool": "get_miro_auth_url",
  "arguments": {
    "redirectUri": "http://localhost:3000/callback"
  }
}

2. Visit the URL, authorize, and exchange the code for a token

Using Miro Integration

1. Test Your Token:

{
  "tool": "test_miro_token",
  "arguments": {
    "accessToken": "your_miro_access_token"
  }
}

2. Generate Learning Session:

{
  "tool": "generate_session",
  "arguments": {
    "topic": "Feature Envy"
  }
}

3. Create Miro Board:

{
  "tool": "create_miro_board",
  "arguments": {
    "sessionContent": {}, // Use output from step 2
    "accessToken": "your_miro_access_token"
  }
}

Option 2: Manual Miro Integration

You can also use the structured miroContent output from generate_session with other Miro tools or the Miro web interface.

Environment Variables

• ANTHROPIC_API_KEY: Required - your Anthropic API key for generating Learning Hour content
• MIRO_CLIENT_ID: Optional - your Miro app client ID for OAuth authentication
• MIRO_CLIENT_SECRET: Optional - your Miro app client secret for OAuth authentication

Usage Examples

Generate a complete Learning Hour:

{
  "tool": "generate_session",
  "arguments": {
    "topic": "Single Responsibility Principle"
  }
}

Create code examples:

{
  "tool": "generate_code_example", 
  "arguments": {
    "topic": "Feature Envy",
    "language": "python"
  }
}

The output includes structured content perfect for Technical Coaches to run effective Learning Hours with hands-on exercises and group discussions.

Documentation

• Learning Hours Guide - Comprehensive guide to Learning Hours philosophy and implementation
• Domain Vocabulary - Key terms and concepts used in Learning Hours
• Coding Style Guidelines - Code style aligned with clean code principles

Learning Outcomes

Teams practicing Learning Hours experience:

• Frequent deployments with minimal defects
• Faster development velocity
• Higher quality software delivery
• Improved team morale and collaboration
• Reduced technical debt

"Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility" - The 9th principle of the Agile Manifesto