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Resources provide URI-based access to content and data exposed by MCP servers. They enable your applications to read configuration files, documentation, database records, API responses, and any other information that servers want to make available.

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Understanding Resources

In the MCP protocol, resources are content sources that clients can read via URIs. Each resource has:
  • Unique URI: Resources are identified and accessed by unique URIs
  • Content types: Support for text, JSON, binary, and other MIME types
  • Static or dynamic: Content can be fixed or generated on-demand
  • Template support: Parameterized resources for dynamic content generation
Think of resources as endpoints: Just like REST APIs have endpoints, MCP servers expose resources via URIs. The key difference is that resources are designed for AI context and can include rich metadata.

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Types of Resources

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Direct Resources

Static resources with fixed URIs that always return the same type of content.

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Resource Templates

Dynamic resources that accept parameters to generate different content based on input.

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Listing Available Resources

To see what resources are available from a connected MCP server: 
import { MCPClient } from 'mcp-use'

const client = new MCPClient({
    mcpServers: {
        // Your server definitions here
    }
})

// Connect to servers
await client.createAllSessions()

// Get a session for a specific server
const session = client.getSession('my_server')

// List all available resources - always returns fresh data
const resources = await session.listResources()

for (const resource of resources) {
    console.log(`Resource: ${resource.name}`)
    console.log(`URI: ${resource.uri}`)
    console.log(`Description: ${resource.description}`)
    console.log(`MIME Type: ${resource.mimeType}`)
    console.log('---')
}

await client.closeAllSessions()

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Reading Resources

Resources are accessed using the readResource method with their URI: 
import { MCPClient } from 'mcp-use'

const client = new MCPClient({
    mcpServers: {
        // Your server definitions here
    }
})
await client.createAllSessions()

const session = client.getSession('file_server')

// Read a resource by URI
const resourceUri = 'file:///path/to/config.json'
const result = await session.readResource(resourceUri)

// Handle the result
for (const content of result.contents) {
    if (content.mimeType === 'application/json') {
        console.log(`JSON content: ${content.text}`)
    } else if (content.mimeType === 'text/plain') {
        console.log(`Text content: ${content.text}`)
    } else {
        console.log(`Binary content length: ${content.blob?.length}`)
    }
}

await client.closeAllSessions()

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Working with Resource Templates

Resource templates allow dynamic content generation based on parameters: 
import { MCPClient } from 'mcp-use'

const client = new MCPClient({
    mcpServers: {
        // Your server definitions here
    }
})
await client.createAllSessions()

const session = client.getSession('database_server')

// Access a parameterized resource
// Template URI might be: "db://users/{user_id}/profile"
const resourceUri = 'db://users/12345/profile'
const result = await session.readResource(resourceUri)

// Process the user profile data
for (const content of result.contents) {
    console.log(`User profile: ${content.text}`)
}

await client.closeAllSessions()

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Resource Content Types

Resources can contain different types of content:

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Text Content

// Text-based resources (JSON, XML, plain text)
const result = await session.readResource('file:///config.json')

for (const content of result.contents) {
    if ('text' in content) {
        console.log(`Text content: ${content.text}`)
        console.log(`MIME type: ${content.mimeType}`)
    }
}

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Binary Content

import { writeFileSync } from 'fs'

// Binary resources (images, files, etc.)
const result = await session.readResource('file:///image.png')

for (const content of result.contents) {
    if ('blob' in content && content.blob) {
        console.log(`Binary data size: ${content.blob.length} bytes`)
        // Save or process binary data
        writeFileSync('downloaded_image.png', Buffer.from(content.blob))
    }
}