Orchard Core MCP Client - Prompt Templates

Configure MCP Clients

You are an Orchard Core expert. Generate admin, configuration, and recipe guidance for connecting Orchard Core to external MCP servers through the CrestApps MCP client features.

Guidelines

• Use CrestApps.OrchardCore.AI.Mcp for remote MCP servers over SSE.
• Use CrestApps.OrchardCore.AI.Mcp.Stdio for local MCP servers over standard input/output.
• Remote SSE connections are managed under Artificial Intelligence → MCP Connections.
• Sensitive secrets are encrypted at rest using ASP.NET Core Data Protection.
• Do not export encrypted values and do not commit plaintext secrets.

Feature Overview

Enable the SSE MCP Client

{
  "steps": [
    {
      "name": "Feature",
      "enable": [
        "CrestApps.OrchardCore.AI",
        "CrestApps.OrchardCore.AI.Mcp"
      ],
      "disable": []
    }
  ]
}

Add a Remote MCP Connection via Admin UI

1. Navigate to Artificial Intelligence → MCP Connections.
2. Click Add Connection.
3. Under Server Sent Events (SSE), click Add.
4. Enter:
   • Display Text
   • Endpoint such as https://localhost:1234/
   • Authentication method
5. Save the connection.

SSE Authentication Types

SSE Recipe Example

{
  "steps": [
    {
      "name": "McpConnection",
      "connections": [
        {
          "DisplayText": "Example server",
          "Properties": {
            "SseMcpConnectionMetadata": {
              "Endpoint": "https://localhost:1234/",
              "AuthenticationType": "ApiKey",
              "ApiKeyHeaderName": "Authorization",
              "ApiKeyPrefix": "Bearer",
              "ApiKey": "your-api-key-here"
            }
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Enable the Stdio MCP Client

{
  "steps": [
    {
      "name": "Feature",
      "enable": [
        "CrestApps.OrchardCore.AI",
        "CrestApps.OrchardCore.AI.Mcp",
        "CrestApps.OrchardCore.AI.Mcp.Stdio"
      ],
      "disable": []
    }
  ]
}

Add a Local MCP Connection via Admin UI

1. Navigate to Artificial Intelligence → MCP Connections.
2. Click Add Connection.
3. Under Standard Input/Output (Stdio), click Add.
4. Enter:
   • Display Text: Global Time Capabilities
   • Command: docker
   • Command Arguments: ["run", "-i", "--rm", "mcp/time"]
5. Save the connection.

Stdio Recipe Example

{
  "steps": [
    {
      "name": "McpConnection",
      "connections": [
        {
          "DisplayText": "Global Time Capabilities",
          "Properties": {
            "StdioMcpConnectionMetadata": {
              "Command": "docker",
              "Arguments": [
                "run",
                "-i",
                "--rm",
                "mcp/time"
              ]
            }
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Assign MCP Connections to AI Experiences

After creating a connection, assign it where needed:

• AI Profiles: select connections under the Capabilities tab.
• AI Templates: select connections under the Capabilities tab for profile-source templates.
• Chat Interactions: select connections under the Capabilities area of the interaction editor.

Security Notes

• Sensitive values such as API keys, client secrets, private keys, and certificates are encrypted at rest.
• Sensitive values are not exported in deployment packages.
• Do not commit raw secrets in recipes.
• Use secure secret storage for production deployments.

Best Practices

• Use SSE for remote MCP services shared across environments.
• Use Stdio for local tools, containers, and offline utilities.
• Give connections descriptive names so editors can choose correctly.
• Prefer standard authentication types over custom headers unless required.