Character Counter MCP Server - Python Quickstart
A simple example of creating an MCP server using FastMCP and Python, designed to work with Smithery.
What This Does
This server provides a character counter tool called count_character that counts how many times a specific character appears in a given text. You'll test it using the Smithery Playground for interactive development.
Prerequisites
- Python 3.12 or higher
- A Python package manager (uv recommended, but pip, poetry, etc. also work)
- Node.js and npx (optional, for Smithery Playground)
Quick Start
- Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/smithery-ai/smithery-cookbook.git
cd smithery-cookbook/servers/python/quickstart- Install dependencies:
With uv (recommended): ``bash uv sync ``
With poetry: ``bash poetry install ``
With pip: ``bash pip install -r requirements.txt ``
- Run the server:
You have two options:
Option A: Just run the server ```bash
With uv
uv run smithery dev
or use the shorter script alias:
uv run dev
With poetry
poetry run smithery dev
or use the shorter script alias:
poetry run dev
With pip (after installing dependencies)
smithery dev `` This starts the MCP server on http://localhost:8081` and keeps it running.
Option B: Run server + open playground (recommended for testing) ```bash
With uv
uv run smithery playground
or use the shorter script alias:
uv run playground
With poetry
poetry run smithery playground
or use the shorter script alias:
poetry run playground
With pip (after installing dependencies)
smithery playground ``` This starts the MCP server AND automatically opens the Smithery Playground in your browser where you can:
- Interact with your MCP server in real-time
- Test the
count_charactertool with different text and characters - See the complete request/response flow
- Debug and iterate on your MCP tools quickly
Testing the Character Counter
Try asking: "How many r's are in strawberry?"
- Deploy to Smithery:
To deploy your MCP server:
- Push your code to GitHub (make sure to include the
smithery.yaml) - Connect your repository at https://smithery.ai/new
Your server will be available over HTTP and ready to use with any MCP-compatible client!
Stopping the Server
Press Ctrl+C in the terminal to stop the server.
