Content
# MCP PHP SDK
[](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
A PHP implementation of the [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) specification. This SDK enables PHP applications to seamlessly integrate with LLM applications by providing contextual information, tools, and prompts through a standardized interface.
## Table of Contents
- [MCP PHP SDK](#mcp-php-sdk)
- [Table of Contents](#table-of-contents)
- [Overview](#overview)
- [Installation](#installation)
- [Quick Start](#quick-start)
- [What is MCP?](#what-is-mcp)
- [Core Concepts](#core-concepts)
- [Server](#server)
- [Resources](#resources)
- [Tools](#tools)
- [Prompts](#prompts)
- [Running Your Server](#running-your-server)
- [stdio Transport](#stdio-transport)
- [Documentation](#documentation)
- [Support](#-support)
- [Contributing](#contributing)
- [License](#license)
## Overview
The Model Context Protocol allows applications to provide context for LLMs in a standardized way, separating the concerns of providing context from the actual LLM interaction. This PHP SDK implements the full MCP specification (2025-03-26), making it easy to:
*Diagram created with [GitDiagram](https://gitdiagram.com/eduardocruz/mcp-php-sdk)*
- Build MCP clients that can connect to any MCP server
- Create MCP servers that expose resources, prompts, and tools
- Use standard transports like stdio
- Handle all MCP protocol messages and lifecycle events
## Installation
```bash
composer require eduardocruz/mcp-php-sdk
```
> **Note:** Requires PHP 8.1 or higher.
## Quick Start
Let's create a simple MCP server that exposes a calculator tool and a dynamic resource:
```php
<?php
require_once 'vendor/autoload.php';
use ModelContextProtocol\Server\McpServer;
use ModelContextProtocol\Transport\StdioTransport;
use ModelContextProtocol\Protocol\Resources\ResourceTemplate;
// Create an MCP server
$server = new McpServer('Demo', '1.0.0');
// Add an addition tool
$server->registerTool('add', [
'properties' => [
'a' => ['type' => 'number'],
'b' => ['type' => 'number']
],
'required' => ['a', 'b']
], function(array $params) {
$a = $params['a'];
$b = $params['b'];
return [
'content' => [
[
'type' => 'text',
'text' => (string)($a + $b)
]
]
];
});
// Add a dynamic greeting resource
$template = new ResourceTemplate('greeting://{name}');
$server->registerResourceTemplate('personalized-greeting', $template, function($uri, $params) {
return [
'content' => [
[
'type' => 'text',
'text' => "Hello, {$params['name']}!"
]
]
];
});
// Start the server using stdio transport
$transport = new StdioTransport();
$server->connect($transport);
```
## What is MCP?
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) lets you build servers that expose data and functionality to LLM applications in a secure, standardized way. Think of it like a web API, but specifically designed for LLM interactions. MCP servers can:
- Expose data through **Resources** (like GET endpoints; they provide information to the LLM's context)
- Provide functionality through **Tools** (like POST endpoints; they execute code or produce side effects)
- Define interaction patterns through **Prompts** (reusable templates for LLM interactions)
## Core Concepts
### Server
The McpServer is your core interface to the MCP protocol. It handles connection management, protocol compliance, and message routing:
```php
$server = new ModelContextProtocol\Server\McpServer('My App', '1.0.0');
```
### Resources
Resources are how you expose data to LLMs. They're similar to GET endpoints in a REST API - they provide data but shouldn't perform significant computation or have side effects:
```php
// Static resource
$server->registerResource('greeting', 'greeting://hello', [
[
'type' => 'text',
'text' => 'Hello, world!'
]
]);
// Dynamic resource with parameters
$template = new ModelContextProtocol\Protocol\Resources\ResourceTemplate('greeting://{name}');
$server->registerResourceTemplate('personalized-greeting', $template, function(string $uri, array $params) {
return [
'content' => [
[
'type' => 'text',
'text' => "Hello, {$params['name']}!"
]
]
];
});
```
### Tools
Tools let LLMs take actions through your server. Unlike resources, tools are expected to perform computation and have side effects:
```php
// Simple tool with parameters
$server->registerTool(
'calculate-bmi',
[
'properties' => [
'weightKg' => ['type' => 'number'],
'heightM' => ['type' => 'number']
],
'required' => ['weightKg', 'heightM']
],
function(array $params) {
$weightKg = $params['weightKg'];
$heightM = $params['heightM'];
$bmi = $weightKg / ($heightM * $heightM);
return [
'content' => [
[
'type' => 'text',
'text' => (string)$bmi
]
]
];
}
);
```
### Prompts
Prompts are reusable templates that help LLMs interact with your server effectively:
```php
$server->registerPrompt(
'introduction',
[
'properties' => [
'name' => ['type' => 'string'],
'profession' => ['type' => 'string']
],
'required' => ['name', 'profession']
],
function(array $params) {
return [
'messages' => [
[
'role' => 'user',
'content' => [
'type' => 'text',
'text' => "Please introduce {$params['name']}, who works as a {$params['profession']}."
]
]
]
];
}
);
```
## Running Your Server
MCP servers in PHP need to be connected to a transport to communicate with clients.
### stdio Transport
For command-line tools and direct integrations:
```php
use ModelContextProtocol\Server\McpServer;
use ModelContextProtocol\Transport\StdioTransport;
$server = new McpServer('example-server', '1.0.0');
// ... set up server resources, tools, and prompts ...
$transport = new StdioTransport();
$server->connect($transport);
```
## Documentation
For more detailed documentation, please refer to the [docs folder](/docs), which includes:
- [API Reference](/docs/api-reference/README.md): Comprehensive documentation of all classes and methods
- [Examples](/docs/examples/README.md): Code examples for common use cases
- [Guides](/docs/guides/README.md): Installation and getting started guides
- [Troubleshooting](/docs/troubleshooting/README.md): Common issues and their solutions
## Cursor Integration
This SDK includes a [PHPStan MCP Server](/examples/phpstan-mcp-server.php) example that you can connect to Cursor for PHP code analysis. When connected, you can ask Claude to:
- Analyze PHP code for errors using PHPStan
- Check code quality issues like complexity
- Scan for potential security vulnerabilities
[Learn more about using the PHPStan MCP Server with Cursor](/examples/README.md)
## 🚀 Support
If you found **MCP PHP SDK** helpful, believe in its potential, or simply want to support meaningful open-source contributions, please consider becoming a sponsor. Your support helps sustain continuous improvements, new features, and ongoing maintenance.
Whether you're actively using **MCP PHP SDK**, exploring its possibilities, or just excited by its mission—your contribution makes a significant difference.
👉 [Become a Sponsor](https://github.com/sponsors/eduardocruz)
Thank you for empowering open source!
## Contributing
We welcome contributions! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.
## License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
