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Best Practices for Building MCP Servers

Updated today

If you're interested in getting your MCP server added to the Anthropic MCP Directory, following these best practices will help ensure your integration meets our quality and security standards. Please note that implementing these recommendations does not guarantee inclusion in the directory.

Implementation Quality

User Experience and Functionality

Your MCP server should do exactly what it advertises:

  • Implement all advertised features accurately

  • Avoid unexpected functionality users wouldn't anticipate

  • Ensure feature descriptions match actual capabilities

Ensure Reliability and Performance

  • Maintain high uptime (aim for 99%+ availability)

  • Respond to requests within 1 second for standard operations

  • Handle errors gracefully with helpful feedback

  • Test thoroughly and ensure it works with Claude.ai, Claude Code, and MCP Connector

Avoid Prompt Injections

Keep your MCP server focused on its core business value and don’t include:

  • Messages that prompt social media sharing

  • Off-topic promotional content

Privacy and Security

Privacy Requirements

If your MCP server collects user data:

  • Publish a clear, accessible privacy policy explaining data collection, usage, and retention

  • Be transparent about what data you collect and why

  • Ensure your service is not explicitly designed for children

Security Standards

  • Use secure OAuth 2.0 with certificates from recognized authorities

  • Support Dynamic Client Registration per MCP auth specifications

  • For sensitive operations (financial transactions, etc.), clearly disclose capabilities and provide user control options

  • Maintain a documented process to address security vulnerabilities within 30 days

Safety and Content Standards

Ensure your MCP server:

  • Abides by our Universal Usage Standards and High-Risk Use Case Requirements in our Usage Policy

  • Does not contain, enable, or facilitate malicious or illegal functionality or use cases

  • Does not facilitate illegal activities or promote harmful behaviors

  • Respects intellectual property rights with proper attribution

  • Avoid deceptive practices including impersonating or misrepresenting the company, its services, the functionality of the MCP server, or the company’s relationship to, or endorsement of, other companies or individuals

  • Limits advertising content to core business functionality

  • Is not designed to target or engage with minors

User Experience

Clear Design

  • Choose unique, descriptive tool names that don't conflict with existing services

  • Tool names are limited to 64 characters

  • Make tool purposes immediately clear

  • Provide at least three working example prompts demonstrating core functionality

Developer Requirements

  • Provide verified contact information and support channels

  • Commit to ongoing maintenance and addressing issues promptly

  • Maintain good standing across relevant platforms

Company and Organization Standards

Your MCP server should come from a verifiable company or organization with a legitimate business presence. We recommend:

  • Maintaining an official website with clear contact information

  • Including only services from your own organization

  • Ensuring your organization is in good standing with appropriate regulatory bodies

  • Providing testing accounts with sample data for verification

Testing and Validation

Before submission, thoroughly test that all features work as described, authentication flows complete successfully, and the integration works across supported Claude platforms. Use the MCP inspector to validate functionality.

Getting Started

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