MCP Server Springfield App - logbook

What we did

1. Created the mcp-server/ directory as an independent Node.js module next to the PHP application.
2. Configured the TypeScript environment with the MCP SDK (@modelcontextprotocol/sdk) and StdioServerTransport.
3. Registered five tools in the PHPProjectServer class: read_php_file, write_php_file, list_php_files, generate_php_class, ask_gpt.
4. Built (npx tsc) and launched (node build/index.js), verifying the log [MCP] Tools registered: ....
5. Checked integration with Copilot MCP; lack of visible “Tools” GUI forced a pivot to CLI operation.
6. Summarized the server’s potential as a base for future AI scaffolding in the Springfield-App project.

Schedule (6h)

Project modularization (1.5h)

• Structured the mcp-server/ folder with its own package.json and TypeScript configuration.
• Aligned compilation paths (src/, build/) and shared resources with the PHP application.
• Updated team documentation on maintaining the module in the repository.

Tool implementation (2h)

• Created the PHPProjectServer class and registered tools via server.registerTool(...).
• Unified input/output interfaces for PHP file operations.
• Added a layer for generating PHP classes with namespace, methods, and comments parameters.

CLI integration tests (1.5h)

• Compiled TypeScript (npx tsc) and started the server (node build/index.js).
• Validated tool registration logs and manual invocations via stdio.
• Diagnosed Copilot MCP integration; “Tools” GUI inactive in the used extension version.

Retrospective and documentation (1h)

• Gathered conclusions about MCP ecosystem readiness in VS Code.
• Decided to maintain CLI + Codex workflow as the default.
• Noted potential directions for expansion (scaffolding, code generation automations).

Results

• Working MCP Server module compatible with the Springfield-App project.
• Integrated set of tools operating on PHP code and supporting GPT.
• Stable TypeScript build and launch commands available from the terminal.
• Clear documentation of decisions regarding GUI vs CLI.

Conclusions

• The MCP ecosystem in VS Code is still maturing; not all features are widely available.
• CLI + Codex allow for faster iteration until full editor integration is implemented.
• Separating the MCP module makes later automation of PHP app scaffolding easier.

Metrics

• Net time: 6h
• MCP tools: 5 active (read, write, list, generate, ask_gpt)
• TypeScript build: approx. 3s on local machine
• CLI events: 4 node build/index.js iterations during tests

Next steps

1. Add unit tests for the generate_php_class tool.
2. Prepare CLI scripts for task orchestration (e.g., npm run mcp:tool -- <name>).
3. Monitor Copilot MCP updates and retry GUI integration. *