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Return a configurable instructions string in both the legacy initialize result (2025-11-25) and the modern server/discover result (2026-07-28). Behaviour: - MCP_INSTRUCTIONS unset or absent → default text: "Fast Time Server. Use get_system_time for the current time. Use convert_time to convert a time between timezones." - MCP_INSTRUCTIONS set to a non-empty value → that value - MCP_INSTRUCTIONS set to empty string → field omitted from both The default text was wired directly into get_info() via with_instructions(); the rmcp SDK already propagates instructions from ServerConfig (InitializeResult) into DiscoverResult through DiscoverResult::from_server_info(), so both eras are covered by the single field. Six acceptance-criteria tests added: - default text present in initialize - default text present in server/discover - empty env var omits field in initialize - empty env var omits field in server/discover - custom value returned in initialize - custom value returned in server/discover README updated with MCP_INSTRUCTIONS variable documentation. Closes #57 Signed-off-by: Jonathan Springer <jps@s390x.com>
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Reviewed commit 457061e. No blocking issues found.
Verified top-level instructions in both initialize and server/discover: exact required default, custom value, and complete field omission for empty MCP_INSTRUCTIONS. Confirmed configuration and discovery propagation against the locked rmcp 3.5.0 source.
Validation: cargo test --locked (51 passed), cargo fmt --check, cargo clippy --locked --all-targets -- -D warnings, and cargo build --locked. Ran the built server with MCP_INSTRUCTIONS unset, empty, and custom and checked both endpoints over HTTP (6 passed). All 7 GitHub checks passed.
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Add black-box tests for the `instructions` text of a virtual server. Each scenario runs in the legacy era (`initialize`) and the modern era (`server/discover`). The scenarios cover a single upstream server, a subset of its tools, a mix of upstream and local tools, an override, an empty override, an update through PUT, and the global endpoint. Pin the fast-time-server image in `docker-compose.yml` to the build that sends `instructions` (IBM/contextforge-examples#58, closes #57). The image exposes one more tool, `whoami`, which needs no change to the benchmark denylist. The tests expect the fast-time-server text from a single-upstream virtual server. `FAST_TIME_INSTRUCTIONS` selects another expected text. Document the resolution order, the single-upstream rule, and the meaning of `null` and an empty string in the REST API guide. State that upstream text changes at the next refresh and that a client can put it in a model prompt. Add a CHANGELOG entry. Part of #4693 Signed-off-by: Jonathan Springer <jps@s390x.com>
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Add black-box tests for the `instructions` text of a virtual server. Each scenario runs in the legacy era (`initialize`) and the modern era (`server/discover`). The scenarios cover a single upstream server, a subset of its tools, a mix of upstream and local tools, an override, an empty override, an update through PUT, and the global endpoint. Pin the fast-time-server image in `docker-compose.yml` to the build that sends `instructions` (IBM/contextforge-examples#58, closes #57). The image exposes one more tool, `whoami`, which needs no change to the benchmark denylist. The tests expect the fast-time-server text from a single-upstream virtual server. `FAST_TIME_INSTRUCTIONS` selects another expected text. Document the resolution order, the single-upstream rule, and the meaning of `null` and an empty string in the REST API guide. State that upstream text changes at the next refresh and that a client can put it in a model prompt. Add a CHANGELOG entry. Part of #4693 Signed-off-by: Jonathan Springer <jps@s390x.com>
jonpspri
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Add black-box tests for the `instructions` text of a virtual server. Each scenario runs in the legacy era (`initialize`) and the modern era (`server/discover`). The scenarios cover a single upstream server, a subset of its tools, a mix of upstream and local tools, an override, an empty override, an update through PUT, and the global endpoint. Pin the fast-time-server image in `docker-compose.yml` to the build that sends `instructions` (IBM/contextforge-examples#58, closes #57). The image exposes one more tool, `whoami`, which needs no change to the benchmark denylist. The tests expect the fast-time-server text from a single-upstream virtual server. `FAST_TIME_INSTRUCTIONS` selects another expected text. Document the resolution order, the single-upstream rule, and the meaning of `null` and an empty string in the REST API guide. State that upstream text changes at the next refresh and that a client can put it in a model prompt. Add a CHANGELOG entry. Part of #4693 Signed-off-by: Jonathan Springer <jps@s390x.com>
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Closes #57
Summary
Returns a configurable
instructionsstring in both the legacyinitializeresult (2025-11-25) and the modernserver/discoverresult (2026-07-28).Behaviour
MCP_INSTRUCTIONSinstructionsfield"Fast Time Server. Use get_system_time for the current time. Use convert_time to convert a time between timezones."""Implementation notes
DEFAULT_INSTRUCTIONSconstant.instructions_from_env()readsMCP_INSTRUCTIONSat startup and returnsOption<String>.FastTimeServerand used inget_info()viawith_instructions().instructionsfromServerConfig(alias forInitializeResult) intoDiscoverResult::from_server_info(), so both eras are covered by a single field with no extra code.Tests added (6 new)
initializeserver/discoverinitializeserver/discoverinitializeserver/discoverAll 51 tests pass.
cargo clippy --all-targetsandcargo fmtare clean.