# Tutorial: Document Your MCP Server

This snapshots a running MCP server, configures Sourcey, and builds a reference site for it.


## Before you start {#before-you-start}


- Node.js 22.22.2 or later, 24.15 or later, or 26
- A running MCP server, or an `mcp.json` [written by hand](https://sourcey.com/docs/guides/mcp-snapshot.md#by-hand)


## 1. Snapshot the server {#1-snapshot-the-server}


[mcp-parser](https://github.com/sourcey/mcp-parser) asks a running server what it offers and writes the answer to `mcp.json`:

```bash
npx mcp-parser snapshot --stdio "node my-server.js" -o mcp.json
```

A server on SSE or streamable HTTP:

```bash
npx mcp-parser snapshot --sse http://localhost:3000/sse -o mcp.json
npx mcp-parser snapshot --http http://localhost:3000/mcp -o mcp.json
```


## 2. Check the snapshot {#2-check-the-snapshot}


```bash
npx mcp-parser validate ./mcp.json
```

```text
Valid: no issues found.
```


## 3. Configure Sourcey {#3-configure-sourcey}


```bash
npm install sourcey
```

Create `sourcey.config.ts`:

```ts
import { defineConfig, mcp } from "sourcey";

export default defineConfig({
  name: "My MCP Server",
  navigation: {
    tabs: [{ tab: "MCP Reference", slug: "", source: mcp("./mcp.json") }],
  },
});
```


## 4. Preview it {#4-preview-it}


```bash
npx sourcey dev
```

Open `http://localhost:4400`: the server's tools, resources and prompts are in the sidebar, each marked with its kind, and each opens with its arguments and examples.


## 5. Add guides {#5-add-guides}


Write an `introduction.md` beside the config:

```markdown
---
title: Introduction
description: Getting started with the MCP server.
---

What the server does, and how to connect to it.
```

and give the guides a tab of their own:

```ts
import { defineConfig, markdown, mcp } from "sourcey";

export default defineConfig({
  navigation: {
    tabs: [
      {
        tab: "Guides",
        slug: "",
        source: markdown({
          groups: [{ group: "Getting Started", pages: ["introduction"] }],
        }),
      },
      { tab: "MCP Reference", slug: "mcp", source: mcp("./mcp.json") },
    ],
  },
});
```


## 6. Build and deploy {#6-build-and-deploy}


```bash
npx sourcey build
```

`dist/` holds the site, with each page's Markdown, `documents.json`, `llms.txt` and `llms-full.txt` for agents; see [Readable reference and discovery](https://sourcey.com/docs/context-exports.md). Publish it on any static host; see [Deploying](https://sourcey.com/docs/deploying.md).


## An example {#an-example}


The [Cheese Store MCP tab](https://sourcey.com/cheesestore/mcp) has tools, resources, resource templates and prompts. Its [source](https://github.com/cheesestore/docs) holds the config and `mcp.json`. See [MCP](https://sourcey.com/docs/mcp-integration.md) for sections, connection details and links to tools from other pages.