Server Interactions

Server interactions encompass all the capabilities that MCP servers provide to enhance your applications. These are the features that servers expose to clients, enabling rich functionality through tools, resources, prompts, and real-time notifications.

Overview

MCP servers offer four main types of interactions:

  • Tools - Server-side operations that can be executed by LLMs
  • Resources - Static and dynamic data that can be included in conversations
  • Prompts - Pre-defined prompts with arguments for consistent interactions
  • Notifications - Real-time updates from servers about ongoing operations

Table of contents

  1. Overview
  2. Table of contents
  3. Server Capabilities
    1. Tools
    2. Resources
    3. Prompts
    4. Notifications
  4. Getting Started
  5. Next Steps

Server Capabilities

Tools

Execute server-side operations like reading files, making API calls, or running calculations. Tools are automatically converted into RubyLLM-compatible tools for seamless LLM integration.

Resources

Access structured data from files, databases, or dynamic sources. Resources can be static content or parameterized templates that generate content based on arguments.

Prompts

Use pre-defined prompts with arguments to ensure consistent interactions across your application. Prompts help standardize common queries and maintain formatting consistency.

Notifications

Handle real-time updates from servers including logging messages, progress tracking, and resource change notifications during long-running operations.

Getting Started

Explore each server interaction type to understand how to leverage MCP server capabilities:

  • Tools - Execute server-side operations
  • Resources - Access and include data in conversations
  • Prompts - Use predefined prompts with arguments
  • Notifications - Handle real-time server updates

Next Steps

Once you understand server interactions, explore:

Table of contents