MCP (Model Context Protocol) Overview

What is MCP?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a standardized interface that allows AI models to interact with external tools and systems. Matrix UI implements MCP to provide structured access to its component library, enabling AI agents to:

• Discover components based on requirements
• Generate implementation code
• Validate design system compliance
• Create custom themes
• Check accessibility standards

Architecture

The Matrix UI MCP server provides a suite of tools organized into four categories:

How It Works

1. AI Agent Request

An AI agent makes a request through the MCP protocol:

// AI agent searches for data display components
{
  "tool": "matrix_search_components",
  "arguments": {
    "query": "table with sorting and filtering",
    "filters": {
      "category": "data-display",
      "hasAccessibility": true
    }
  }
}

2. MCP Server Processing

The Matrix UI MCP server processes the request:

// Server validates input and searches components
async function handleComponentDiscovery(args) {
  // Validate arguments
  const { query, filters } = validateAndSanitize(args)
  
  // Search using embeddings
  const results = await searchComponents(query)
  
  // Apply filters
  const filtered = applyFilters(results, filters)
  
  // Return structured response
  return createSuccessResponse(filtered)
}

3. Structured Response

The server returns a structured response:

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "components": [
      {
        "name": "DataTable",
        "category": "data-display",
        "description": "Advanced table with sorting, filtering, and pagination",
        "props": [...],
        "examples": [...],
        "accessibility": {
          "wcagLevel": "AAA",
          "keyboardNav": true,
          "screenReaderSupport": true
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "metadata": {
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "timestamp": "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
    "usage": {
      "tokensUsed": 150,
      "executionTime": 120
    }
  }
}

AI Agent Guidelines

When using Matrix UI's MCP tools, AI agents should follow these principles:

1. Validate Before Generation

// Good: Check compatibility first
1. matrix_search_components({ query: "data table" })
2. matrix_get_component({ name: "Table" })
3. matrix_validate_usage({ component: "Table", props: {...} })
4. matrix_generate_component({ component: "Table", config: {...} })

// Bad: Generate without validation
❌ matrix_generate_component({ components: ["Table", "Form"], ... })

2. Use Simple Solutions

• Start with basic component configurations
• Add complexity only when requirements demand it
• Prefer composition over complex single components

3. Handle All Cases

• Generate error states for all components
• Include loading states where appropriate
• Add proper ARIA labels for accessibility

4. Incremental Building

• Generate one component at a time
• Validate each before proceeding
• Build complex UIs from verified components

Setting Up MCP

1. Install the MCP Server

npm install @matrix-ui/mcp-server

2. Start the Server

npx @matrix-ui/mcp-server start --port 3001

3. Configure Your AI Agent

// For Claude or other MCP-compatible agents
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "matrix-ui": {
      "url": "http://localhost:3001",
      "tools": ["discovery", "implementation", "validation", "theming"]
    }
  }
}

Error Handling

All MCP tools implement comprehensive error handling:

// Error response format
{
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "INVALID_INPUT",
    "message": "Component name is required",
    "suggestion": "Provide a valid component name like 'Button' or 'Card'",
    "validation": [
      {
        "field": "name",
        "expected": "string",
        "received": "undefined"
      }
    ]
  },
  "metadata": {
    "timestamp": "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
    "toolName": "matrix_get_component",
    "requestId": "req_123"
  }
}

Rate Limiting

The MCP server implements rate limiting to prevent abuse:

• Default: 100 requests per minute per client
• Burst: Up to 20 concurrent requests
• Custom limits configurable via environment variables

Security

Matrix UI MCP server follows security best practices:

• Input sanitization and validation
• SQL injection prevention
• XSS protection in generated code
• Authentication support (optional)
• CORS configuration

Next Steps