modelcontextprotocol / modelcontextprotocol/python-sdk

Official Adapter Functions for LLM Providers in MCP Python SDK

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enhancement needs decision P3
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Python
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Description

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

Currently, when integrating MCP tools with various LLM providers, developers must implement their own adapter functions to convert MCP tool schemas to the target provider’s format. This repetitive and manual process increases development time and introduces potential inconsistencies and errors across different implementations. For example, while one developer may create a conversion adapter for the Gemini tool, another might duplicate the effort in their own project, leading to fragmented solutions and maintenance challenges.

Describe the solution you'd like

I propose that the official Python SDK for Model Context Server includes a suite of built-in adapter functions to facilitate seamless conversion from MCP tool schemas to those required by popular LLM providers (e.g., Gemini, GPT-4, etc.). By providing these adapters, the SDK would:

  • Standardize the conversion process across projects.
  • Reduce development time and prevent duplication of code.
  • Enhance consistency and reliability when integrating with multiple LLM providers.
  • Allow developers to focus on higher-level integration concerns rather than schema translation.

Describe alternatives you've considered

One alternative is for each developer to write their own adapter functions, as demonstrated by the sample code below. However, this approach is inefficient and can lead to fragmented and non-standardized implementations. Another alternative would be to provide partial documentation and code snippets as guidance, but without official support, developers might still encounter integration challenges and maintenance issues.

Additional context

The inclusion of official adapters would not only streamline the integration process for MCP clients but also foster a more robust and unified ecosystem. The sample code below illustrates how a conversion function from an MCP tool to a Gemini tool might look, serving as a basis for the kind of functionality that should be officially supported:

from google.genai import types as genai_types
from mcp import types as mcp_types

def to_gemini_tool(mcp_tool: mcp_types.Tool) -> genai_types.Tool:
    """
    Converts an MCP tool schema to a Gemini tool.

    Args:
        mcp_tool: The MCP tool containing name, description, and input schema.

    Returns:
        A Gemini tool with the appropriate function declaration.
    """
    function_declaration = to_gemini_function_declarations(mcp_tool)
    return genai_types.Tool(function_declarations=[function_declaration])

def to_gemini_function_declarations(
    mcp_tool: mcp_types.Tool,
) -> genai_types.FunctionDeclarationDict:
    required_params: list[str] = mcp_tool.inputSchema.get("required", [])
    properties = {}
    for key, value in mcp_tool.inputSchema.get("properties", {}).items():
        schema_dict = {
            "type": value.get("type", "STRING").upper(),
            "description": value.get("description", ""),
        }
        properties[key] = genai_types.SchemaDict(**schema_dict)

    function_declaration = genai_types.FunctionDeclarationDict(
        name=mcp_tool.name,
        description=mcp_tool.description,
        parameters=genai_types.SchemaDict(
            type="OBJECT",
            properties=properties,
            required=required_params,
        ),
    )
    return function_declaration

Contributor guide

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First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

The issue names no files, tests, or entry points. Start by clarifying which providers and schema features are in scope, then define the adapter API and provider-specific completion checks; done means the selected adapters are officially supported and their conversions are covered by tests.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
ai, api
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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