fix(plugin): mcp-server-dev — correct APIs against spec, add missing primitives

Corrects fabricated/deprecated APIs: ext-apps App class model (not embedded
resources), real MCPB v0.4 manifest (no permissions block exists), registerTool
(not server.tool), @anthropic-ai/mcpb package name, CIMD preferred over DCR.

Adds missing spec coverage: resources, prompts, elicitation (with capability
check + fallback), sampling, roots, tool annotations, structured output,
instructions field, progress/cancellation.
This commit is contained in:
Den Delimarsky
2026-03-18 22:53:38 +00:00
parent f7ba55786d
commit 48a018f27a
13 changed files with 1195 additions and 409 deletions

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@@ -1,99 +1,120 @@
# Apps SDKWidget ↔ Host Message Protocol
# ext-apps messagingwidget ↔ host ↔ server
Widgets communicate with the MCP host through `window.parent.postMessage`. The apps SDK wraps this in helpers so you rarely touch the raw envelope, but knowing the shape helps when debugging.
The `@modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps` package provides the `App` class (browser side) and `registerAppTool`/`registerAppResource` helpers (server side). Messaging is bidirectional and persistent.
---
## Widget → host
## Widget → Host
### `submit(result)`
### `app.sendMessage({ role, content })`
Ends the interaction. `result` is returned to Claude as the tool's output (serialized to JSON). The iframe is torn down after this fires.
Inject a visible message into the conversation. This is how user actions become conversation turns.
```js
import { submit } from "@modelcontextprotocol/apps-sdk";
submit({ id: "usr_abc123", action: "selected" });
```
Raw envelope:
```json
{ "type": "mcp:result", "result": { "id": "usr_abc123", "action": "selected" } }
```
### `callTool(name, args)`
Ask the host to invoke **another tool on the same server** and return the result to the widget. Use for widgets that need to fetch more data after initial render (pagination, drill-down).
```js
import { callTool } from "@modelcontextprotocol/apps-sdk";
const page2 = await callTool("list_items", { offset: 20, limit: 20 });
```
Round-trips through the host, so it's slower than embedding all data upfront. Only use when the full dataset is too large to ship in the initial payload.
### `resize(height)`
Tell the host the widget's content height so the iframe can be sized. The SDK auto-calls this on load via `ResizeObserver`; call manually only if your content height changes after an async operation.
---
## Host → widget
### Initial data
The widget's initial payload is **not** a message — it's baked into the HTML by the server (the `__DATA__` substitution pattern). This avoids a round-trip and works even if the message channel is slow to establish.
### `onMessage(handler)`
Subscribe to pushes from the server. Used by progress widgets and anything live-updating.
```js
import { onMessage } from "@modelcontextprotocol/apps-sdk";
onMessage((msg) => {
if (msg.type === "progress") updateBar(msg.percent);
app.sendMessage({
role: "user",
content: [{ type: "text", text: "User selected order #1234" }],
});
```
Server side (TypeScript SDK), push via the notification stream keyed to the tool call's request context. The SDK exposes this as a `notify` callback on the tool handler:
The message appears in chat and Claude responds to it. Use `role: "user"` — the widget speaks on the user's behalf.
### `app.updateModelContext({ content })`
Update Claude's context **silently** — no visible message. Use for state that informs but doesn't warrant a chat bubble.
```js
app.updateModelContext({
content: [{ type: "text", text: "Currently viewing: orders from last 30 days" }],
});
```
### `app.callServerTool({ name, arguments })`
Call a tool on your MCP server directly, bypassing Claude. Returns the tool result.
```js
const result = await app.callServerTool({
name: "fetch_order_details",
arguments: { orderId: "1234" },
});
```
Use for data fetches that don't need Claude's reasoning — pagination, detail lookups, refreshes.
---
## Host → Widget
### `app.ontoolresult = ({ content }) => {...}`
Fires when the tool handler's return value is piped to the widget. This is the primary data-in path.
```js
app.ontoolresult = ({ content }) => {
const data = JSON.parse(content[0].text);
renderUI(data);
};
```
**Set this BEFORE `await app.connect()`** — the result may arrive immediately after connection.
### `app.ontoolinput = ({ arguments }) => {...}`
Fires with the arguments Claude passed to the tool. Useful if the widget needs to know what was asked for (e.g., highlight the search term).
---
## Server → Widget (progress)
For long-running operations, emit progress notifications. The client sends a `progressToken` in the request's `_meta`; the server emits against it.
```typescript
server.tool("long_job", "...", schema, async (args, { notify }) => {
for (let i = 0; i <= 100; i += 10) {
await step();
notify({ type: "progress", percent: i, label: `Step ${i / 10}/10` });
// In the tool handler
async ({ query }, extra) => {
const token = extra._meta?.progressToken;
for (let i = 0; i < steps.length; i++) {
if (token !== undefined) {
await extra.sendNotification({
method: "notifications/progress",
params: { progressToken: token, progress: i, total: steps.length, message: steps[i].name },
});
}
await steps[i].run();
}
return { content: [...] };
});
return { content: [{ type: "text", text: "Complete" }] };
}
```
No `{ notify }` destructure — `extra` is `RequestHandlerExtra`; progress goes through `sendNotification`.
---
## Lifecycle
```
1. Claude calls tool
2. Server returns content with embedded resource (mimeType: text/html+skybridge)
3. Host renders resource text in sandboxed iframe
4. Widget hydrates from inline __DATA__
5. (optional) Widget ↔ host messages: callTool, progress pushes
6. Widget calls submit(result)
7. Host tears down iframe, injects result into conversation
8. Claude continues with the result
```
1. Claude calls a tool with `_meta.ui.resourceUri` declared
2. Host fetches the resource (your HTML) and renders it in an iframe
3. Widget script runs, sets handlers, calls `await app.connect()`
4. Host pipes the tool's return value → `ontoolresult` fires
5. Widget renders, user interacts
6. Widget calls `sendMessage` / `updateModelContext` / `callServerTool` as needed
7. Widget persists until conversation context moves on — subsequent calls to the same tool reuse the iframe and fire `ontoolresult` again
If step 6 never happens (user closes the widget, host times out), the tool call resolves with a cancellation result. Your tool description should account for this — "Returns the selected ID, or null if the user cancels."
There's no explicit "submit and close" — the widget is a long-lived surface.
---
## CSP gotchas
The iframe sandbox enforces a strict Content Security Policy. Common failures:
The iframe runs under a restrictive Content-Security-Policy:
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Widget renders but JS doesn't run | Inline script blocked | Use `<script type="module">` with SDK import; avoid inline event handlers in HTML attributes |
| `fetch()` fails silently | Cross-origin blocked | Route through `callTool()` instead |
| External CSS doesn't load | `style-src` restriction | Inline your styles in a `<style>` tag |
| Widget renders but JS doesn't run | Inline event handlers blocked | Use `addEventListener` — never `onclick="..."` in HTML |
| `eval` / `new Function` errors | Script-src restriction | Don't use them; use JSON.parse for data |
| External scripts fail | CDN not allowlisted | `esm.sh` is safe; avoid others |
| `fetch()` to your API fails | Cross-origin blocked | Route through `app.callServerTool()` instead |
| External CSS doesn't load | `style-src` restriction | Inline styles in a `<style>` tag |
| Fonts don't load | `font-src` restriction | Use system fonts (`font: 14px system-ui`) |
When in doubt, open the iframe's devtools console — CSP violations log there.

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@@ -2,31 +2,27 @@
Minimal HTML scaffolds for the common widget shapes. Copy, fill in, ship.
All templates assume the apps-SDK helper is available at an ESM CDN. They're intentionally framework-free — widgets render in a fresh iframe each time, so React/Vue hydration cost usually isn't worth it for something this small.
All templates use the `App` class from `@modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps` via ESM CDN. They're intentionally framework-free — widgets are small enough that React/Vue hydration cost usually isn't worth it.
---
## The render helper
## Serving widget HTML
Ten lines of string templating. Good enough for almost every case.
Widgets are static HTML — data arrives at runtime via `ontoolresult`, not baked in. Store each widget as a string constant or read from disk:
```typescript
import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
import { join } from "node:path";
import { registerAppResource, RESOURCE_MIME_TYPE } from "@modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps/server";
const TEMPLATE_DIR = join(import.meta.dirname, "../widgets");
const pickerHtml = readFileSync("./widgets/picker.html", "utf8");
export function renderWidget(name: string, data: unknown): string {
const tpl = readFileSync(join(TEMPLATE_DIR, `${name}.html`), "utf8");
return tpl.replace(
"__DATA__",
JSON.stringify(data).replace(/</g, "\\u003c"),
);
}
registerAppResource(server, "Picker", "ui://widgets/picker.html", {},
async () => ({
contents: [{ uri: "ui://widgets/picker.html", mimeType: RESOURCE_MIME_TYPE, text: pickerHtml }],
}),
);
```
Every template below hydrates from `<script id="data">__DATA__</script>`. The `<` escape prevents `</script>` injection.
---
## Picker (single-select list)
@@ -34,7 +30,6 @@ Every template below hydrates from `<script id="data">__DATA__</script>`. The `<
```html
<!doctype html>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<script id="data" type="application/json">__DATA__</script>
<style>
body { font: 14px system-ui; margin: 0; }
ul { list-style: none; padding: 0; margin: 0; max-height: 280px; overflow-y: auto; }
@@ -44,20 +39,32 @@ Every template below hydrates from `<script id="data">__DATA__</script>`. The `<
</style>
<ul id="list"></ul>
<script type="module">
import { submit } from "https://esm.sh/@modelcontextprotocol/apps-sdk";
const { items } = JSON.parse(document.getElementById("data").textContent);
import { App } from "https://esm.sh/@modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps@1.2.2";
const app = new App({ name: "Picker", version: "1.0.0" }, {});
const ul = document.getElementById("list");
for (const it of items) {
const li = document.createElement("li");
li.innerHTML = `<div>${it.label}</div><div class="sub">${it.sub ?? ""}</div>`;
li.onclick = () => submit({ id: it.id });
ul.append(li);
}
app.ontoolresult = ({ content }) => {
const { items } = JSON.parse(content[0].text);
ul.innerHTML = "";
for (const it of items) {
const li = document.createElement("li");
li.innerHTML = `<div>${it.label}</div><div class="sub">${it.sub ?? ""}</div>`;
li.addEventListener("click", () => {
app.sendMessage({
role: "user",
content: [{ type: "text", text: `Selected: ${it.id}` }],
});
});
ul.append(li);
}
};
await app.connect();
</script>
```
**Data shape:** `{ items: [{ id, label, sub? }] }`
**Result shape:** `{ id }`
**Tool returns:** `{ content: [{ type: "text", text: JSON.stringify({ items: [{ id, label, sub? }] }) }] }`
---
@@ -66,7 +73,6 @@ Every template below hydrates from `<script id="data">__DATA__</script>`. The `<
```html
<!doctype html>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<script id="data" type="application/json">__DATA__</script>
<style>
body { font: 14px system-ui; margin: 16px; }
.actions { display: flex; gap: 8px; margin-top: 16px; }
@@ -79,17 +85,30 @@ Every template below hydrates from `<script id="data">__DATA__</script>`. The `<
<button id="confirm" class="danger">Confirm</button>
</div>
<script type="module">
import { submit } from "https://esm.sh/@modelcontextprotocol/apps-sdk";
const { message, confirmLabel } = JSON.parse(document.getElementById("data").textContent);
document.getElementById("msg").textContent = message;
if (confirmLabel) document.getElementById("confirm").textContent = confirmLabel;
document.getElementById("confirm").onclick = () => submit({ confirmed: true });
document.getElementById("cancel").onclick = () => submit({ confirmed: false });
import { App } from "https://esm.sh/@modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps@1.2.2";
const app = new App({ name: "Confirm", version: "1.0.0" }, {});
app.ontoolresult = ({ content }) => {
const { message, confirmLabel } = JSON.parse(content[0].text);
document.getElementById("msg").textContent = message;
if (confirmLabel) document.getElementById("confirm").textContent = confirmLabel;
};
await app.connect();
document.getElementById("confirm").addEventListener("click", () => {
app.sendMessage({ role: "user", content: [{ type: "text", text: "Confirmed." }] });
});
document.getElementById("cancel").addEventListener("click", () => {
app.sendMessage({ role: "user", content: [{ type: "text", text: "Cancelled." }] });
});
</script>
```
**Data shape:** `{ message, confirmLabel? }`
**Result shape:** `{ confirmed: boolean }`
**Tool returns:** `{ content: [{ type: "text", text: JSON.stringify({ message, confirmLabel? }) }] }`
**Note:** For simple confirmation, prefer **elicitation** over a widget — see `../build-mcp-server/references/elicitation.md`. Use this widget when you need custom styling or context beyond what a native form offers.
---
@@ -98,7 +117,6 @@ Every template below hydrates from `<script id="data">__DATA__</script>`. The `<
```html
<!doctype html>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<script id="data" type="application/json">__DATA__</script>
<style>
body { font: 14px system-ui; margin: 16px; }
.bar { height: 8px; background: #eee; border-radius: 4px; overflow: hidden; }
@@ -107,34 +125,75 @@ Every template below hydrates from `<script id="data">__DATA__</script>`. The `<
<p id="label">Starting…</p>
<div class="bar"><div id="fill" class="fill" style="width:0%"></div></div>
<script type="module">
import { submit, onMessage } from "https://esm.sh/@modelcontextprotocol/apps-sdk";
const { jobId } = JSON.parse(document.getElementById("data").textContent);
import { App } from "https://esm.sh/@modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps@1.2.2";
const app = new App({ name: "Progress", version: "1.0.0" }, {});
const label = document.getElementById("label");
const fill = document.getElementById("fill");
onMessage((msg) => {
if (msg.type === "progress") {
label.textContent = msg.label;
fill.style.width = `${msg.percent}%`;
// The tool result fires when the job completes — intermediate updates
// arrive via the same handler if the server streams them
app.ontoolresult = ({ content }) => {
const state = JSON.parse(content[0].text);
if (state.progress !== undefined) {
label.textContent = state.message ?? `${state.progress}/${state.total}`;
fill.style.width = `${(state.progress / state.total) * 100}%`;
}
if (msg.type === "done") submit(msg.result);
});
if (state.done) {
label.textContent = "Complete";
fill.style.width = "100%";
}
};
await app.connect();
</script>
```
The server pushes updates via the transport's notification channel targeting this widget's session. See `apps-sdk-messages.md` for the server-side push.
Server side, emit progress via `extra.sendNotification({ method: "notifications/progress", ... })` — see `apps-sdk-messages.md`.
---
## Display-only (chart / preview)
Display widgets don't need `submit()` — they render and sit there. Return a text summary **alongside** the widget so Claude can keep reasoning:
Display widgets don't call `sendMessage` — they render and sit there. The tool should return a text summary **alongside** the widget so Claude can keep reasoning while the user sees the visual:
```typescript
return {
content: [
{ type: "text", text: "Revenue is up 12% MoM. Chart rendered below." },
{ type: "resource", resource: { uri: "ui://widgets/chart", mimeType: "text/html+skybridge", text: renderWidget("chart", data) } },
],
};
registerAppTool(server, "show_chart", {
description: "Render a revenue chart",
inputSchema: { range: z.enum(["week", "month", "year"]) },
_meta: { ui: { resourceUri: "ui://widgets/chart.html" } },
}, async ({ range }) => {
const data = await fetchRevenue(range);
return {
content: [{
type: "text",
text: `Revenue is up ${data.change}% over the ${range}. Chart rendered.\n\n` +
JSON.stringify(data.points),
}],
};
});
```
```html
<!doctype html>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<style>body { font: 14px system-ui; margin: 12px; }</style>
<canvas id="chart" width="400" height="200"></canvas>
<script type="module">
import { App } from "https://esm.sh/@modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps@1.2.2";
const app = new App({ name: "Chart", version: "1.0.0" }, {});
app.ontoolresult = ({ content }) => {
// Parse the JSON points from the text content (after the summary line)
const text = content[0].text;
const jsonStart = text.indexOf("\n\n") + 2;
const points = JSON.parse(text.slice(jsonStart));
drawChart(document.getElementById("chart"), points);
};
await app.connect();
function drawChart(canvas, points) { /* ... */ }
</script>
```