adeze/dxt-packaging

MCPB Packaging Skill (DXT legacy)

Guidelines for building and packaging MCP servers as MCP Bundles (MCPB). DXT references are legacy.

Overview

MCP Bundles (MCPB) allow AI assistants to discover and use MCP servers from a package archive. This skill covers the complete MCPB development workflow.

Getting Started

Read the Specifications

1. Architecture & Overview: https://github.com/anthropics/mcpb
2. MCPB Repository: https://github.com/anthropics/mcpb

• README.md - Architecture overview, capabilities, and integration patterns
• MANIFEST.md - Complete bundle manifest structure and field definitions
• examples/ - Reference implementations including a "Hello World" example

Create Proper Bundle Structure

• Generate a valid manifest.json following the MANIFEST.md spec
• Implement an MCP server using @modelcontextprotocol/sdk with proper tool definitions
• Include proper error handling and timeout management

Development Best Practices

MCP Protocol Communication

• Implement proper MCP protocol communication via stdio transport
• Structure tools with clear schemas, validation, and consistent JSON responses
• Make use of the fact that this bundle will be running locally

Logging & Debugging

• Add appropriate logging and debugging capabilities
• Use structured logging for error tracking
• Include proper documentation and setup instructions

Testing Considerations

• Validate that all tool calls return properly structured responses
• Verify manifest loads correctly and host integration works
• Generate complete, production-ready code that can be immediately tested
• Focus on defensive programming and clear error messages
• Follow the exact MCPB specifications to ensure ecosystem compatibility

Key Files

• manifest.json - Bundle metadata and configuration
• src/index.ts - Main entry point for the MCP server
• build/ - Compiled output for distribution

References

• MCPB GitHub Repository
• MCP TypeScript SDK