Mattermost MCP Client

by jagan-shanmugam

MCP Client
  • other

About

What is Mattermost MCP Client?

A Python-based MCP (Model Context Protocol) client that connects Mattermost with MCP servers, enabling command execution and tool management through Mattermost channels. It runs on Python 3.13.1+ and requires a Mattermost server with a bot account.

How to use Mattermost MCP Client?

Install by creating a virtual environment with uv venv, then uv sync. Configure via .env file with Mattermost URL, token, team, channel, and MCP server settings. Start the client with python src/mattermost_mcp_client/main.py. Interact using Mattermost commands like !mcp help, !mcp servers, !mcp <server_name> call <tool_name> <args>. Optionally use the mcp_tool_caller.py utility for command-line testing.

Key features of Mattermost MCP Client

- Connects Mattermost with MCP servers via stdio.
- Supports multiple MCP servers (simple, Ollama, Mattermost API).
- Execute MCP tools directly from Mattermost channels.
- List servers, tools, resources, and prompts.
- Command-line utility for testing MCP servers.
- Customizable command prefix (default !mcp).

Use cases of Mattermost MCP Client

- Run AI model queries (e.g., generate text via Ollama) through Mattermost.
- Post messages to Mattermost channels programmatically.
- Automate tasks by combining MCP tools from multiple servers.
- Test MCP server tools without leaving the command line.

FAQ from Mattermost MCP Client

What does Mattermost MCP Client do?

It acts as a bridge between Mattermost and MCP servers, allowing users to call MCP tools and manage servers via Mattermost channel commands.

What platforms or models does it support?

It runs on Python 3.13.1+. It supports MCP servers configured via stdio, including Ollama for local LLM models and custom Python-based servers.

How do I configure MCP servers?

Edit the mcp-servers.json file in src/mattermost_mcp_client/ to define server commands, arguments, and type (stdio). Environment variables in .env set Mattermost connection details.

Does it support npx-based MCP servers?

Not yet; support for npx-based MCP servers is listed as a next step.

Are there any known limitations?

Currently missing authentication for secure communication, file uploads, and tool-calling agent orchestration. These are planned future features.

Details

Author
jagan-shanmugam
Category
other
Repository
jagan-shanmugam/mattermost-mcp-bridge

Mattermost MCP Client

A Python-based MCP (Model Context Protocol) client that connects Mattermost with MCP servers, enabling command execution and tool management through Mattermost channels.

Demo

MCP Client Demo

Prerequisites

- Python 3.13.1+
- Mattermost server (local or remote)
- Bot account in Mattermost with appropriate permissions

Installation

1. Create a virtual environment

uv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

On fish shell - source .venv/bin/activate.fish

2. Install required packages

uv sync # Installs all dependencies

3. Set up configuration

Create a .env file with your Mattermost and MCP server settings:

MATTERMOST_URL=http://localhost:8065
MATTERMOST_TOKEN=your-bot-token
MATTERMOST_SCHEME=http
MATTERMOST_PORT=8065
MATTERMOST_TEAM_NAME=your-team-name
MATTERMOST_CHANNEL_NAME=town-square
MCP_SERVER_TYPE=stdio
MCP_COMMAND=python
MCP_ARGS=mcp_server.py
LOG_LEVEL=INFO
For a complete list of configuration options and their default values, refer to the config.py.

Configuration Options

All configuration options can be set through environment variables or in the .env file. Here are the available options:

- COMMAND_PREFIX - Prefix for bot commands (default: '!mcp')
- LOG_LEVEL - Logging level (default: 'INFO')

4. Configure MCP Servers

Create or modify mcp-servers.json in the src/mattermost_mcp_client directory:

{
    "mcpServers": {
      "ollama-mcp-server":{
        "command": "python",
        "args": ["ollama-mcp-server/src/ollama_mcp_server/main.py"],
        "type": "stdio"
      },
      "simple-mcp-server": {
        "command": "python",
        "args": ["simple-mcp-server/server.py"],
        "type": "stdio"
      },
      "mattermost-mcp-server": {
        "command": "python",
        "args": ["mattermost-mcp-server/src/mattermost_mcp_server/server.py"],
        "type": "stdio"
      }
    }
}

Mattermost Setup

1. Start a local Mattermost server (if not already running)

You can use Docker to run Mattermost locally:

docker run --name mattermost-preview -d --publish 8065:8065 mattermost/mattermost-preview

2. Create a Bot Account

- Go to Integrations > Bot Accounts > Add Bot Account
- Give it a name and description
- Note the access token provided

3. Add the bot to your team and channel

Running the Integration

1. Start the Mattermost MCP Client

python src/mattermost_mcp_client/main.py

Using the MCP Tool Caller Utility

The mcp_tool_caller.py utility allows you to interact with MCP servers directly from the command line:

1. List server capabilities

python utils/mcp_tool_caller.py list --server-name simple-mcp-server

2. Call specific tools

python utils/mcp_tool_caller.py call --server-name simple-mcp-server --tool echo --tool-args '{"input": "Hello World"}'

Mattermost Commands

Once the integration is running, use these commands in your Mattermost channel:

- !mcp help - Display help information
- !mcp servers - List available MCP servers
- !mcp <server_name> tools - List available tools for a specific server
- !mcp <server_name> call <tool_name> <args> - Call a specific tool
- !mcp <server_name> resources - List available resources
- !mcp <server_name> prompts - List available prompts

Example:

!mcp simple-mcp-server call echo message "Hello World"

!mcp mattermost-mcp-server call post-message {"channel_id": "5q39mmzqji8bddxyjzsqbziy9a", "message": "Hello from Demo!"}'

!mcp ollama-mcp-server call generate {"prompt": "Write a short poem about AI", "model": "llama3.2:latest"}

MCP Servers included

This repository includes three MCP servers: - simple-mcp-server: A simple MCP server that has two simple tools - ollama-mcp-server: A MCP server that uses Ollama locally to generate text - mattermost-mcp-server: A MCP server that wraps Mattermost API and performs various actions

Troubleshooting

1. Connection Issues:
- Verify Mattermost URL and port
- Check the bot token is valid
- Ensure the MCP server is running

2. Permission Issues:
- Make sure the bot has appropriate permissions in Mattermost
- Check that the bot is a member of the channel

3. MCP Tool Errors:
- Verify that the tools are properly defined in the MCP server
- Check the input format for tool calls
- Use the mcp_tool_caller.py utility to test tools directly

Next Steps

1. Add support for npx based MCP servers
2. Using Tool calling Agent to orchstrate tools in MCP servers
2. Implement authentication for secure communication
3. Add support for file uploads and other Mattermost features

Watch the full demo video:

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPtfqUstfTI" target="_blank">
Watch the demo video
</a>