North MCP Server

Overview

The North MCP Python SDK extends the standard Model Context Protocol (MCP) server with authentication and identity features tailored for North, a custom MCP gateway. It enables developers to secure every request, retrieve the authenticated user’s identity, and access third‑party OAuth tokens that the user has granted. This makes it possible to build AI assistants that can act on behalf of a user, call external APIs with the user’s permissions, and enforce fine‑grained access control—all while keeping the server code simple.

At its core, the SDK introduces a single constructor——which accepts optional parameters such as , , and . The server secret is a shared key that North uses to sign requests; the SDK validates this signature before any tool call is processed. By protecting every request with a secret, developers eliminate the risk of rogue clients invoking sensitive functionality. The debug mode is another standout feature: when enabled, it logs request headers, token parsing steps, JWT validation, and error contexts. This level of visibility is invaluable during development or when diagnosing authentication failures in production.

The SDK also exposes helper functions to retrieve the authenticated user’s profile (). Through this object, developers can access , , and other identity data without having to parse JWTs manually. This abstraction lets developers focus on business logic rather than boilerplate authentication code. Additionally, the server only supports the StreamableHTTP transport, ensuring a consistent, low‑latency communication channel that aligns with North’s design philosophy.

Typical use cases include building AI tools that need to read or write a user’s Google Drive files, post messages to Slack on their behalf, or query a CRM system where the user’s OAuth token is required. By integrating with North, developers can expose these capabilities as MCP tools while guaranteeing that only authenticated users trigger them. The SDK’s examples demonstrate both simple authentication and advanced metadata handling so that the North UI can display tool call results correctly.

In summary, the North MCP Python SDK solves the problem of secure, identity‑aware AI tool integration. It provides a streamlined API for authentication, user context retrieval, and debug logging—all essential for developers who want to create trustworthy, personalized AI assistants that interact with external services on a user’s behalf.