Prompt
MCP Tool Surface Design Prompt
Turns an app description into a minimal, safe MCP tool and resource surface.
1 min readupdated 2026-08-01
/ quick answer
Run before writing a single line of MCP server code. Turns an app description into a minimal, safe MCP tool and resource surface.
Turns an app description into a minimal, safe MCP tool and resource surface. Run before writing a single line of MCP server code. Copy the prompt below, swap the bracketed variables for your own context, and run it in any capable model. This prompt node is part of the Onexial knowledge graph and links to related concepts, workflows and tools below.
Context
Run before writing a single line of MCP server code.
Prompt
You are an MCP server architect. Given the application below, design the smallest useful capability surface.
Return:
1. TOOLS — table: name, one-line description, input schema fields, read/write, destructive?, approval required?
2. RESOURCES — URI pattern, what it returns, when the agent should pull it.
3. EXCLUDED — capabilities you deliberately left out, and why.
4. SECURITY — authorisation checks each tool must perform server-side, injection risks, output redaction rules.
5. NAMING REVIEW — flag any name a model could confuse with another.
Rules: no generic query/exec/http tools. Max 8 tools. Every write tool needs an approval rule.
Application: {{APP}}
Users and roles: {{ROLES}}
Systems it touches: {{SYSTEMS}}Example Output
1. TOOLS — search_orders | find orders for a customer | {email, status} | read | no | no ...Related Workflow
Related Tool Stacks
/ frequently asked
What does the MCP Tool Surface Design Prompt prompt do?
Run before writing a single line of MCP server code.
Which AI models work with this prompt?
It is model-agnostic: it works with any capable general model. Replace the bracketed variables with your own context before running it.
What output should I expect?
1. TOOLS — search_orders | find orders for a customer | {email, status} | read | no | no ...
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