jger/mcp-coding-toolbox

MCP Server with UTC Datetime Tool

This project implements a simple MCP (Model Context Protocol) server using the mcp-golang framework. It exposes a tool that provides the current date and time in UTC.

Features

• Provides current UTC datetime via an MCP tool named current_utc_datetime.
• Can be run locally or using Docker Compose.

Prerequisites

• Go (if running locally)

Local Execution

1. Clone the repository (if applicable) or ensure you have the main.go, go.mod and go.sum files.
2. Install dependencies:

   go mod tidy
   

3. Build the server:

   go build -o mcp-datetime-server
   

4. Run the server:

   ./mcp-datetime-server
   

   You should see the output: MCP Server with UTC Datetime tool started. Waiting for requests...

Configuration with Cursor

To use this MCP server with an AI assistant like Cursor:

1. Ensure the MCP server is running locally.

2. Locate your AI assistant's MCP configuration file. For Cursor, you can typically find this by:

   • Clicking the settings icon (often a gear).
   • Navigating to an "MCP" or "AI Settings" section.
   • There might be an option like "Add new global MCP Server" or "Edit MCP Config". This will usually open a JSON file (e.g., mcp.json or claude_desktop_config.json if you were using Claude directly, but Cursor will have its own).

3. Edit the MCP configuration file to add your server. You'll need the absolute path to your compiled mcp-datetime-server executable if running locally.

   Example for local execution:

   Assuming your executable mcp-datetime-server is located at /Users/youruser/path/to/project/mcp-datetime-server:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "utc-datetime-server": {
         "command": "/Users/youruser/path/to/project/mcp-datetime-server",
         "args": [],
         "env": {}
       }
     }
   }
   

   • Replace "/Users/youruser/path/to/project/mcp-datetime-server" with the actual absolute path to your mcp-datetime-server executable.
   • "utc-datetime-server" is a friendly name you choose for this server configuration.

   For simplicity with stdio transport, running the server locally is the most straightforward way to integrate with Cursor's MCP command configuration.

4. Save the configuration file.

5. Restart your AI assistant (Cursor) if necessary.

Testing the MCP Server

Once the server is running and configured in your AI assistant (e.g., Cursor):

1. Open a chat with the assistant.

2. Ask a question that would invoke the tool. For example: What is the current UTC datetime?

3. The assistant should indicate that it needs to use the current_utc_datetime tool.

4. Grant permission if prompted.

5. The assistant should then display the current UTC date and time provided by your MCP server.

   Example output you might see from the assistant: Current UTC datetime: 2023-10-27T10:30:00Z (the actual datetime will vary).