modelcontextprotocol · felixweinberger · Mar 19, 2026 · Mar 19, 2026 · Mar 19, 2026 · Mar 19, 2026
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+---
+'@modelcontextprotocol/client': minor
+---
+
+Add `AuthProvider` for composable bearer-token auth; transports adapt `OAuthClientProvider` automatically
+
+- New `AuthProvider` interface: `{ token(): Promise<string | undefined>; onUnauthorized?(ctx): Promise<void> }`. Transports call `token()` before every request and `onUnauthorized()` on 401 (then retry once).
+- Transport `authProvider` option now accepts `AuthProvider | OAuthClientProvider`. OAuth providers are adapted internally via `adaptOAuthProvider()` — no changes needed to existing `OAuthClientProvider` implementations.
+- For simple bearer tokens (API keys, gateway-managed tokens, service accounts): `{ authProvider: { token: async () => myKey } }` — one-line object literal, no class.
+- New `adaptOAuthProvider(provider)` export for explicit adaptation.
+- New `handleOAuthUnauthorized(provider, ctx)` helper — the standard OAuth `onUnauthorized` behavior.
+- New `isOAuthClientProvider()` type guard.
+- New `UnauthorizedContext` type.
+- Exported previously-internal auth helpers for building custom flows: `applyBasicAuth`, `applyPostAuth`, `applyPublicAuth`, `executeTokenRequest`.
+
+Transports are simplified internally — ~50 lines of inline OAuth orchestration (auth() calls, WWW-Authenticate parsing, circuit-breaker state) moved into the adapter's `onUnauthorized()` implementation. `OAuthClientProvider` itself is unchanged.
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ A client connects to a server, discovers what it offers — tools, resources, pr
 The examples below use these imports. Adjust based on which features and transport you need:
 
 ```ts source="../examples/client/src/clientGuide.examples.ts#imports"
-import type { Prompt, Resource, Tool } from '@modelcontextprotocol/client';
+import type { AuthProvider, Prompt, Resource, Tool } from '@modelcontextprotocol/client';
 import {
     applyMiddlewares,
     Client,
@@ -113,7 +113,19 @@ console.log(systemPrompt);
 
 ## Authentication
 
-MCP servers can require OAuth 2.0 authentication before accepting client connections (see [Authorization](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/latest/basic/authorization) in the MCP specification). Pass an `authProvider` to {@linkcode @modelcontextprotocol/client!client/streamableHttp.StreamableHTTPClientTransport | StreamableHTTPClientTransport} to enable this — the SDK provides built-in providers for common machine-to-machine flows, or you can implement the full {@linkcode @modelcontextprotocol/client!client/auth.OAuthClientProvider | OAuthClientProvider} interface for user-facing OAuth.
+MCP servers can require authentication before accepting client connections (see [Authorization](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/latest/basic/authorization) in the MCP specification). Pass an {@linkcode @modelcontextprotocol/client!client/auth.AuthProvider | AuthProvider} to {@linkcode @modelcontextprotocol/client!client/streamableHttp.StreamableHTTPClientTransport | StreamableHTTPClientTransport}. The transport calls `token()` before every request and `onUnauthorized()` (if provided) on 401, then retries once.
+
+### Bearer tokens
+
+For servers that accept bearer tokens managed outside the SDK — API keys, tokens from a gateway or proxy, service-account credentials — implement only `token()`. With no `onUnauthorized()`, a 401 throws {@linkcode @modelcontextprotocol/client!client/auth.UnauthorizedError | UnauthorizedError} immediately:
+
+```ts source="../examples/client/src/clientGuide.examples.ts#auth_tokenProvider"
+const authProvider: AuthProvider = { token: async () => getStoredToken() };
+
+const transport = new StreamableHTTPClientTransport(new URL('http://localhost:3000/mcp'), { authProvider });
+```
+
+See [`simpleTokenProvider.ts`](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/typescript-sdk/blob/main/examples/client/src/simpleTokenProvider.ts) for a complete runnable example.
 
 ### Client credentials
 

@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ server.registerTool('ping', {
 ```
 
 This applies to:
+
 - `inputSchema` in `registerTool()`
 - `outputSchema` in `registerTool()`
 - `argsSchema` in `registerPrompt()`
@@ -339,25 +340,21 @@ Common method string replacements:
 
 ### `Protocol.request()`, `ctx.mcpReq.send()`, and `Client.callTool()` no longer take a schema parameter
 
-The public `Protocol.request()`, `BaseContext.mcpReq.send()`, and `Client.callTool()` methods no longer accept a Zod result schema argument. The SDK now resolves the correct result schema internally based on the method name. This means you no longer need to import result schemas like `CallToolResultSchema` or `ElicitResultSchema` when making requests.
+The public `Protocol.request()`, `BaseContext.mcpReq.send()`, and `Client.callTool()` methods no longer accept a Zod result schema argument. The SDK now resolves the correct result schema internally based on the method name. This means you no longer need to import result schemas
+like `CallToolResultSchema` or `ElicitResultSchema` when making requests.
 
 **`client.request()` — Before (v1):**
 
 ```typescript
 import { CallToolResultSchema } from '@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/types.js';
 
-const result = await client.request(
-    { method: 'tools/call', params: { name: 'my-tool', arguments: {} } },
-    CallToolResultSchema
-);
+const result = await client.request({ method: 'tools/call', params: { name: 'my-tool', arguments: {} } }, CallToolResultSchema);
 ```
 
 **After (v2):**
 
 ```typescript
-const result = await client.request(
-    { method: 'tools/call', params: { name: 'my-tool', arguments: {} } }
-);
+const result = await client.request({ method: 'tools/call', params: { name: 'my-tool', arguments: {} } });
 ```
 
 **`ctx.mcpReq.send()` — Before (v1):**
@@ -390,10 +387,7 @@ server.setRequestHandler('tools/call', async (request, ctx) => {
 ```typescript
 import { CompatibilityCallToolResultSchema } from '@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/types.js';
 
-const result = await client.callTool(
-    { name: 'my-tool', arguments: {} },
-    CompatibilityCallToolResultSchema
-);
+const result = await client.callTool({ name: 'my-tool', arguments: {} }, CompatibilityCallToolResultSchema);
 ```
 
 **After (v2):**
@@ -452,43 +446,43 @@ import { JSONRPCErrorResponse, ResourceTemplateReference, isJSONRPCErrorResponse
 
 The `RequestHandlerExtra` type has been replaced with a structured context type hierarchy using nested groups:
 
-| v1 | v2 |
-|----|-----|
+| v1                                       | v2                                                                     |
+| ---------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | `RequestHandlerExtra` (flat, all fields) | `ServerContext` (server handlers) or `ClientContext` (client handlers) |
-| `extra` parameter name | `ctx` parameter name |
-| `extra.signal` | `ctx.mcpReq.signal` |
-| `extra.requestId` | `ctx.mcpReq.id` |
-| `extra._meta` | `ctx.mcpReq._meta` |
-| `extra.sendRequest(...)` | `ctx.mcpReq.send(...)` |
-| `extra.sendNotification(...)` | `ctx.mcpReq.notify(...)` |
-| `extra.authInfo` | `ctx.http?.authInfo` |
-| `extra.requestInfo` | `ctx.http?.req` (only on `ServerContext`) |
-| `extra.closeSSEStream` | `ctx.http?.closeSSE` (only on `ServerContext`) |
-| `extra.closeStandaloneSSEStream` | `ctx.http?.closeStandaloneSSE` (only on `ServerContext`) |
-| `extra.sessionId` | `ctx.sessionId` |
-| `extra.taskStore` | `ctx.task?.store` |
-| `extra.taskId` | `ctx.task?.id` |
-| `extra.taskRequestedTtl` | `ctx.task?.requestedTtl` |
+| `extra` parameter name                   | `ctx` parameter name                                                   |
+| `extra.signal`                           | `ctx.mcpReq.signal`                                                    |
+| `extra.requestId`                        | `ctx.mcpReq.id`                                                        |
+| `extra._meta`                            | `ctx.mcpReq._meta`                                                     |
+| `extra.sendRequest(...)`                 | `ctx.mcpReq.send(...)`                                                 |
+| `extra.sendNotification(...)`            | `ctx.mcpReq.notify(...)`                                               |
+| `extra.authInfo`                         | `ctx.http?.authInfo`                                                   |
+| `extra.requestInfo`                      | `ctx.http?.req` (only on `ServerContext`)                              |
+| `extra.closeSSEStream`                   | `ctx.http?.closeSSE` (only on `ServerContext`)                         |
+| `extra.closeStandaloneSSEStream`         | `ctx.http?.closeStandaloneSSE` (only on `ServerContext`)               |
+| `extra.sessionId`                        | `ctx.sessionId`                                                        |
+| `extra.taskStore`                        | `ctx.task?.store`                                                      |
+| `extra.taskId`                           | `ctx.task?.id`                                                         |
+| `extra.taskRequestedTtl`                 | `ctx.task?.requestedTtl`                                               |
 
 **Before (v1):**
 
 ```typescript
 server.setRequestHandler(CallToolRequestSchema, async (request, extra) => {
-  const headers = extra.requestInfo?.headers;
-  const taskStore = extra.taskStore;
-  await extra.sendNotification({ method: 'notifications/progress', params: { progressToken: 'abc', progress: 50, total: 100 } });
-  return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'result' }] };
+    const headers = extra.requestInfo?.headers;
+    const taskStore = extra.taskStore;
+    await extra.sendNotification({ method: 'notifications/progress', params: { progressToken: 'abc', progress: 50, total: 100 } });
+    return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'result' }] };
 });
 ```
 
 **After (v2):**
 
 ```typescript
 server.setRequestHandler('tools/call', async (request, ctx) => {
-  const headers = ctx.http?.req?.headers;
-  const taskStore = ctx.task?.store;
-  await ctx.mcpReq.notify({ method: 'notifications/progress', params: { progressToken: 'abc', progress: 50, total: 100 } });
-  return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'result' }] };
+    const headers = ctx.http?.req?.headers;
+    const taskStore = ctx.task?.store;
+    await ctx.mcpReq.notify({ method: 'notifications/progress', params: { progressToken: 'abc', progress: 50, total: 100 } });
+    return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'result' }] };
 });
 ```
 
@@ -504,22 +498,22 @@ Context fields are organized into 4 groups:
 
 ```typescript
 server.setRequestHandler('tools/call', async (request, ctx) => {
-  // Send a log message (respects client's log level filter)
-  await ctx.mcpReq.log('info', 'Processing tool call', 'my-logger');
-
-  // Request client to sample an LLM
-  const samplingResult = await ctx.mcpReq.requestSampling({
-    messages: [{ role: 'user', content: { type: 'text', text: 'Hello' } }],
-    maxTokens: 100,
-  });
-
-  // Elicit user input via a form
-  const elicitResult = await ctx.mcpReq.elicitInput({
-    message: 'Please provide details',
-    requestedSchema: { type: 'object', properties: { name: { type: 'string' } } },
-  });
-
-  return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'done' }] };
+    // Send a log message (respects client's log level filter)
+    await ctx.mcpReq.log('info', 'Processing tool call', 'my-logger');
+
+    // Request client to sample an LLM
+    const samplingResult = await ctx.mcpReq.requestSampling({
+        messages: [{ role: 'user', content: { type: 'text', text: 'Hello' } }],
+        maxTokens: 100
+    });
+
+    // Elicit user input via a form
+    const elicitResult = await ctx.mcpReq.elicitInput({
+        message: 'Please provide details',
+        requestedSchema: { type: 'object', properties: { name: { type: 'string' } } }
+    });
+
+    return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'done' }] };
 });
 ```
 
@@ -581,21 +575,21 @@ try {
 
 The new `SdkErrorCode` enum contains string-valued codes for local SDK errors:
 
-| Code                                              | Description                                |
-| ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
-| `SdkErrorCode.NotConnected`                       | Transport is not connected                 |
-| `SdkErrorCode.AlreadyConnected`                   | Transport is already connected             |
-| `SdkErrorCode.NotInitialized`                     | Protocol is not initialized                |
-| `SdkErrorCode.CapabilityNotSupported`             | Required capability is not supported       |
-| `SdkErrorCode.RequestTimeout`                     | Request timed out waiting for response     |
-| `SdkErrorCode.ConnectionClosed`                   | Connection was closed                      |
-| `SdkErrorCode.SendFailed`                         | Failed to send message                     |
-| `SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpNotImplemented`           | HTTP POST request failed                   |
-| `SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpAuthentication`           | Server returned 401 after successful auth  |
-| `SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpForbidden`                | Server returned 403 after trying upscoping |
-| `SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpUnexpectedContent`        | Unexpected content type in HTTP response   |
-| `SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpFailedToOpenStream`       | Failed to open SSE stream                  |
-| `SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpFailedToTerminateSession` | Failed to terminate session                |
+| Code                                              | Description                                 |
+| ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
+| `SdkErrorCode.NotConnected`                       | Transport is not connected                  |
+| `SdkErrorCode.AlreadyConnected`                   | Transport is already connected              |
+| `SdkErrorCode.NotInitialized`                     | Protocol is not initialized                 |
+| `SdkErrorCode.CapabilityNotSupported`             | Required capability is not supported        |
+| `SdkErrorCode.RequestTimeout`                     | Request timed out waiting for response      |
+| `SdkErrorCode.ConnectionClosed`                   | Connection was closed                       |
+| `SdkErrorCode.SendFailed`                         | Failed to send message                      |
+| `SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpNotImplemented`           | HTTP POST request failed                    |
+| `SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpAuthentication`           | Server returned 401 after re-authentication |
+| `SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpForbidden`                | Server returned 403 after trying upscoping  |
+| `SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpUnexpectedContent`        | Unexpected content type in HTTP response    |
+| `SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpFailedToOpenStream`       | Failed to open SSE stream                   |
+| `SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpFailedToTerminateSession` | Failed to terminate session                 |
 
 #### `StreamableHTTPError` removed
 
@@ -626,7 +620,7 @@ try {
     if (error instanceof SdkError) {
         switch (error.code) {
             case SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpAuthentication:
-                console.log('Auth failed after completing auth flow');
+                console.log('Auth failed — server rejected token after re-auth');
                 break;
             case SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpForbidden:
                 console.log('Forbidden after upscoping attempt');
@@ -646,7 +640,8 @@ try {
 
 #### Why this change?
 
-Previously, `ErrorCode.RequestTimeout` (-32001) and `ErrorCode.ConnectionClosed` (-32000) were used for local timeout/connection errors. However, these errors never cross the wire as JSON-RPC responses - they are rejected locally. Using protocol error codes for local errors was semantically inconsistent.
+Previously, `ErrorCode.RequestTimeout` (-32001) and `ErrorCode.ConnectionClosed` (-32000) were used for local timeout/connection errors. However, these errors never cross the wire as JSON-RPC responses - they are rejected locally. Using protocol error codes for local errors was
+semantically inconsistent.
 
 The new design:
 
@@ -743,11 +738,11 @@ This means Cloudflare Workers users no longer need to explicitly pass the valida
 import { McpServer, CfWorkerJsonSchemaValidator } from '@modelcontextprotocol/server';
 
 const server = new McpServer(
-  { name: 'my-server', version: '1.0.0' },
-  {
-    capabilities: { tools: {} },
-    jsonSchemaValidator: new CfWorkerJsonSchemaValidator() // Required in v1
-  }
+    { name: 'my-server', version: '1.0.0' },
+    {
+        capabilities: { tools: {} },
+        jsonSchemaValidator: new CfWorkerJsonSchemaValidator() // Required in v1
+    }
 );
 ```
 
@@ -757,9 +752,9 @@ const server = new McpServer(
 import { McpServer } from '@modelcontextprotocol/server';
 
 const server = new McpServer(
-  { name: 'my-server', version: '1.0.0' },
-  { capabilities: { tools: {} } }
-  // Validator auto-selected based on runtime
+    { name: 'my-server', version: '1.0.0' },
+    { capabilities: { tools: {} } }
+    // Validator auto-selected based on runtime
 );
 ```
 

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  */
 
 //#region imports
-import type { Prompt, Resource, Tool } from '@modelcontextprotocol/client';
+import type { AuthProvider, Prompt, Resource, Tool } from '@modelcontextprotocol/client';
 import {
     applyMiddlewares,
     Client,
@@ -107,6 +107,16 @@ async function serverInstructions_basic(client: Client) {
 // Authentication
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+/** Example: Minimal AuthProvider for bearer auth with externally-managed tokens. */
+async function auth_tokenProvider(getStoredToken: () => Promise<string>) {
+    //#region auth_tokenProvider
+    const authProvider: AuthProvider = { token: async () => getStoredToken() };
+
+    const transport = new StreamableHTTPClientTransport(new URL('http://localhost:3000/mcp'), { authProvider });
+    //#endregion auth_tokenProvider
+    return transport;
+}
+
 /** Example: Client credentials auth for service-to-service communication. */
 async function auth_clientCredentials() {
     //#region auth_clientCredentials
@@ -540,6 +550,7 @@ void connect_stdio;
 void connect_sseFallback;
 void disconnect_streamableHttp;
 void serverInstructions_basic;
+void auth_tokenProvider;
 void auth_clientCredentials;
 void auth_privateKeyJwt;
 void auth_crossAppAccess;