A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server bridges AI assistants (like Claude) with external APIs. It exposes REST API operations as MCP tools that Claude can call directly.

Why TypeScript?

TypeScript provides full type safety, which is critical for API bridging where data shapes must be validated. The strict mode and Zod integration catch errors at compile time.

Why `node:https` instead of `fetch`?

Node.js fetch does not reliably support self-signed certificate bypass. The classic node:https module with rejectUnauthorized: false works across all Node.js versions. See Architecture for details.

Configuration

Where is the config file?

At ~/.<project>.json (e.g., ~/.mcp_mokowaas.json). Run npm run setup to create it.

Can I have multiple connections?

Yes. The config supports named connections:

{
  "defaultConnection": "production",
  "connections": {
    "production": { "baseUrl": "...", "apiKey": "..." },
    "staging": { "baseUrl": "...", "apiKey": "..." }
  }
}

Pass connection: "staging" to any tool to use a specific connection.

How do I switch the default connection?

Edit ~/.<project>.json and change the "defaultConnection" field.

Tools

How do I add a new tool?

What naming convention should tools follow?

snake_case with the pattern resource_action:

resource_list, resource_get, resource_create, resource_update, resource_delete

How does the `api_request` tool work?

It is a generic escape hatch that lets Claude make raw API calls:

api_request(method: "GET", endpoint: "/api/v1/resource/123")

Use specific tools for common operations and api_request for one-off requests.

How does the `list_connections` tool work?

It returns all configured connections (names and URLs, not API keys). Useful for Claude to discover available environments.

Troubleshooting

Claude does not see my MCP server

Check .mcp.json or ~/.claude.json registration
Verify the path to dist/index.js is absolute
Ensure the project is built (npm run build)
Restart Claude Code

See Troubleshooting for more.

Tool calls return errors

Test the underlying API with curl
Check the config file has valid credentials
Run the server manually to see stderr: node dist/index.js 2> debug.log

How do I debug MCP communication?

DEBUG=* node dist/index.js 2> /tmp/mcp-debug.log
tail -f /tmp/mcp-debug.log

Development

Can I use this template for non-REST APIs?

The template is designed for REST APIs, but the ApiClient can be adapted for other protocols. You would need to modify src/client.ts for your protocol.

Can I use HTTP transport instead of stdio?

The template is set up for stdio transport. HTTP/SSE transport can be added by modifying src/index.ts to use a different transport from the MCP SDK.

How do I test without Claude Code?

Send MCP protocol messages via stdin:

echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/list","params":{}}' | node dist/index.js

Installation -- setup and registration
Development -- tool implementation guide
Configuration -- config file reference
Troubleshooting -- detailed issue resolution

Repo: Template-MCP · MokoStandards

Field	Value
Minimum Version	04.07.00
Platform	mcp-server
Applies To	MCP server repositories

Revision	Date	Author	Description
1.0	2026-05-19	Moko Consulting	Initial version

FAQ

General

What is an MCP server?