README - replace code snippets with examples - direct execution and display utilities (#1137)

Author: ihrpr

README.md

@@ -338,6 +338,8 @@ to the `@tool` decorator.
 ```python
 """Example showing structured output with tools."""
 
+from typing import TypedDict
+
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
 
 from mcp.server.fastmcp import FastMCP
@@ -365,12 +367,8 @@ def get_weather(city: str) -> WeatherData:
         condition="sunny",
         wind_speed=5.2,
     )
-```
 
-_Full example: [examples/snippets/servers/structured_output.py](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/python-sdk/blob/main/examples/snippets/servers/structured_output.py)_
-<!-- /snippet-source -->
 
-```python
 # Using TypedDict for simpler structures
 class LocationInfo(TypedDict):
     latitude: float
@@ -437,6 +435,9 @@ def get_temperature(city: str) -> float:
     # Returns: {"result": 22.5}
 ```
 
+_Full example: [examples/snippets/servers/structured_output.py](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/python-sdk/blob/main/examples/snippets/servers/structured_output.py)_
+<!-- /snippet-source -->
+
 ### Prompts
 
 Prompts are reusable templates that help LLMs interact with your server effectively:
@@ -814,21 +815,46 @@ uv run mcp install server.py -f .env
 
 For advanced scenarios like custom deployments:
 
+<!-- snippet-source examples/snippets/servers/direct_execution.py -->
 ```python
+"""Example showing direct execution of an MCP server.
+
+This is the simplest way to run an MCP server directly.
+cd to the `examples/snippets` directory and run:
+    uv run direct-execution-server
+    or
+    python servers/direct_execution.py
+"""
+
 from mcp.server.fastmcp import FastMCP
 
 mcp = FastMCP("My App")
 
-if __name__ == "__main__":
+
+@mcp.tool()
+def hello(name: str = "World") -> str:
+    """Say hello to someone."""
+    return f"Hello, {name}!"
+
+
+def main():
+    """Entry point for the direct execution server."""
     mcp.run()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
 ```
 
+_Full example: [examples/snippets/servers/direct_execution.py](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/python-sdk/blob/main/examples/snippets/servers/direct_execution.py)_
+<!-- /snippet-source -->
+
 Run it with:
 
 ```bash
-python server.py
+python servers/direct_execution.py
 # or
-uv run mcp run server.py
+uv run mcp run servers/direct_execution.py
 ```
 
 Note that `uv run mcp run` or `uv run mcp dev` only supports server using FastMCP and not the low-level server variant.
@@ -1277,9 +1303,30 @@ async def main():
 
 When building MCP clients, the SDK provides utilities to help display human-readable names for tools, resources, and prompts:
 
+<!-- snippet-source examples/snippets/clients/display_utilities.py -->
 ```python
+"""Client display utilities example.
+
+This example shows how to use the SDK's display utilities to show
+human-readable names for tools, resources, and prompts.
+
+cd to the `examples/snippets` directory and run:
+    uv run display-utilities-client
+"""
+
+import asyncio
+import os
+
+from mcp import ClientSession, StdioServerParameters
+from mcp.client.stdio import stdio_client
 from mcp.shared.metadata_utils import get_display_name
-from mcp.client.session import ClientSession
+
+# Create server parameters for stdio connection
+server_params = StdioServerParameters(
+    command="uv",  # Using uv to run the server
+    args=["run", "server", "fastmcp_quickstart", "stdio"],
+    env={"UV_INDEX": os.environ.get("UV_INDEX", "")},
+)
 
 
 async def display_tools(session: ClientSession):
@@ -1301,8 +1348,39 @@ async def display_resources(session: ClientSession):
     for resource in resources_response.resources:
         display_name = get_display_name(resource)
         print(f"Resource: {display_name} ({resource.uri})")
+
+    templates_response = await session.list_resource_templates()
+    for template in templates_response.resourceTemplates:
+        display_name = get_display_name(template)
+        print(f"Resource Template: {display_name}")
+
+
+async def run():
+    """Run the display utilities example."""
+    async with stdio_client(server_params) as (read, write):
+        async with ClientSession(read, write) as session:
+            # Initialize the connection
+            await session.initialize()
+
+            print("=== Available Tools ===")
+            await display_tools(session)
+
+            print("\n=== Available Resources ===")
+            await display_resources(session)
+
+
+def main():
+    """Entry point for the display utilities client."""
+    asyncio.run(run())
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
 ```
 
+_Full example: [examples/snippets/clients/display_utilities.py](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/python-sdk/blob/main/examples/snippets/clients/display_utilities.py)_
+<!-- /snippet-source -->
+
 The `get_display_name()` function implements the proper precedence rules for displaying names:
 
 - For tools: `title` > `annotations.title` > `name`

examples/snippets/clients/display_utilities.py

@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+"""Client display utilities example.
+
+This example shows how to use the SDK's display utilities to show
+human-readable names for tools, resources, and prompts.
+
+cd to the `examples/snippets` directory and run:
+    uv run display-utilities-client
+"""
+
+import asyncio
+import os
+
+from mcp import ClientSession, StdioServerParameters
+from mcp.client.stdio import stdio_client
+from mcp.shared.metadata_utils import get_display_name
+
+# Create server parameters for stdio connection
+server_params = StdioServerParameters(
+    command="uv",  # Using uv to run the server
+    args=["run", "server", "fastmcp_quickstart", "stdio"],
+    env={"UV_INDEX": os.environ.get("UV_INDEX", "")},
+)
+
+
+async def display_tools(session: ClientSession):
+    """Display available tools with human-readable names"""
+    tools_response = await session.list_tools()
+
+    for tool in tools_response.tools:
+        # get_display_name() returns the title if available, otherwise the name
+        display_name = get_display_name(tool)
+        print(f"Tool: {display_name}")
+        if tool.description:
+            print(f"   {tool.description}")
+
+
+async def display_resources(session: ClientSession):
+    """Display available resources with human-readable names"""
+    resources_response = await session.list_resources()
+
+    for resource in resources_response.resources:
+        display_name = get_display_name(resource)
+        print(f"Resource: {display_name} ({resource.uri})")
+
+    templates_response = await session.list_resource_templates()
+    for template in templates_response.resourceTemplates:
+        display_name = get_display_name(template)
+        print(f"Resource Template: {display_name}")
+
+
+async def run():
+    """Run the display utilities example."""
+    async with stdio_client(server_params) as (read, write):
+        async with ClientSession(read, write) as session:
+            # Initialize the connection
+            await session.initialize()
+
+            print("=== Available Tools ===")
+            await display_tools(session)
+
+            print("\n=== Available Resources ===")
+            await display_resources(session)
+
+
+def main():
+    """Entry point for the display utilities client."""
+    asyncio.run(run())
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

examples/snippets/pyproject.toml

@@ -18,3 +18,5 @@ packages = ["servers", "clients"]
 server = "servers:run_server"
 client = "clients.stdio_client:main"
 completion-client = "clients.completion_client:main"
+direct-execution-server = "servers.direct_execution:main"
+display-utilities-client = "clients.display_utilities:main"

examples/snippets/servers/direct_execution.py

@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+"""Example showing direct execution of an MCP server.
+
+This is the simplest way to run an MCP server directly.
+cd to the `examples/snippets` directory and run:
+    uv run direct-execution-server
+    or
+    python servers/direct_execution.py
+"""
+
+from mcp.server.fastmcp import FastMCP
+
+mcp = FastMCP("My App")
+
+
+@mcp.tool()
+def hello(name: str = "World") -> str:
+    """Say hello to someone."""
+    return f"Hello, {name}!"
+
+
+def main():
+    """Entry point for the direct execution server."""
+    mcp.run()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

examples/snippets/servers/structured_output.py

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 """Example showing structured output with tools."""
 
+from typing import TypedDict
+
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
 
 from mcp.server.fastmcp import FastMCP
@@ -27,3 +29,69 @@ def get_weather(city: str) -> WeatherData:
         condition="sunny",
         wind_speed=5.2,
     )
+
+
+# Using TypedDict for simpler structures
+class LocationInfo(TypedDict):
+    latitude: float
+    longitude: float
+    name: str
+
+
+@mcp.tool()
+def get_location(address: str) -> LocationInfo:
+    """Get location coordinates"""
+    return LocationInfo(latitude=51.5074, longitude=-0.1278, name="London, UK")
+
+
+# Using dict[str, Any] for flexible schemas
+@mcp.tool()
+def get_statistics(data_type: str) -> dict[str, float]:
+    """Get various statistics"""
+    return {"mean": 42.5, "median": 40.0, "std_dev": 5.2}
+
+
+# Ordinary classes with type hints work for structured output
+class UserProfile:
+    name: str
+    age: int
+    email: str | None = None
+
+    def __init__(self, name: str, age: int, email: str | None = None):
+        self.name = name
+        self.age = age
+        self.email = email
+
+
+@mcp.tool()
+def get_user(user_id: str) -> UserProfile:
+    """Get user profile - returns structured data"""
+    return UserProfile(name="Alice", age=30, email="[email protected]")
+
+
+# Classes WITHOUT type hints cannot be used for structured output
+class UntypedConfig:
+    def __init__(self, setting1, setting2):
+        self.setting1 = setting1
+        self.setting2 = setting2
+
+
+@mcp.tool()
+def get_config() -> UntypedConfig:
+    """This returns unstructured output - no schema generated"""
+    return UntypedConfig("value1", "value2")
+
+
+# Lists and other types are wrapped automatically
+@mcp.tool()
+def list_cities() -> list[str]:
+    """Get a list of cities"""
+    return ["London", "Paris", "Tokyo"]
+    # Returns: {"result": ["London", "Paris", "Tokyo"]}
+
+
+@mcp.tool()
+def get_temperature(city: str) -> float:
+    """Get temperature as a simple float"""
+    return 22.5
+    # Returns: {"result": 22.5}