A guide to building production-ready Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers using ASP.NET Core 10. Covers the MCP architecture as an AI-friendly bridge over enterprise APIs, and walks through key production concerns: dependency injection with thin handlers, structured logging with OpenTelemetry, consistent error handling, authentication and authorization, input validation, performance tuning (async pipelines, caching, HTTP client reuse), and security best practices (rate limiting, least privilege, HTTPS). Also includes a comparison of MCP servers vs. traditional REST APIs, common mistakes to avoid, and a recommended testing strategy covering unit, integration, load, and end-to-end tests.
Table of contents
Understanding MCP ServersWhy ASP.NET Core 10 Is a Good ChoiceProject ArchitectureCreating the ASP.NET Core 10 ProjectImplementing an MCP ToolBuilding a Real-World WorkflowDependency Injection and Service DesignError HandlingLogging and ObservabilityComparison with Traditional REST APIsBest PracticesCommon MistakesTesting and ValidationPerformance ConsiderationsSecurity ConsiderationsTroubleshootingConclusion396 Impressions