docs: clarify server description and instructions - #2697
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| | Field | Type | Required | Description | | ||
| | ------------------- | -------------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | ||
| | `supportedVersions` | `string[]` | yes | Protocol versions the server supports. The client should choose one for subsequent requests. | | ||
| | `capabilities` | `ServerCapabilities` | yes | Capabilities the server supports (tools, resources, prompts, etc.). | | ||
| | `serverInfo` | `Implementation` | yes | Name and version of the server software. | | ||
| | `instructions` | `string` | no | Natural-language guidance for LLMs on how to use this server effectively. | | ||
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| The `serverInfo.description` field describes the server itself: what kind of | ||
| capabilities it provides and when a client or host might choose to connect to | ||
| it. The `instructions` field describes how to use the server effectively after | ||
| it is discovered, such as workflow guidance, constraints, or important | ||
| relationships between tools, resources, and prompts. | ||
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| Servers that provide `instructions` should keep them focused on server-level | ||
| usage guidance and avoid duplicating individual tool, resource, or prompt | ||
| descriptions. Clients and hosts may use `serverInfo.description` for discovery, | ||
| server selection, or progressive disclosure, and may use `instructions` as | ||
| model-facing context once the server is loaded. |
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I don't think this is quite accurate. instructions is really for the LLMs. It's a bit more clear in the table above. I do think you have a point of better describing the difference between instructions and description.
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Clarifies how servers and clients should treat
serverInfo.descriptionand initialize-resultinstructions.The new text distinguishes server discovery/selection metadata from model-facing usage guidance, and notes that instructions should provide server-level guidance without duplicating individual tool, resource, or prompt descriptions.
Addresses #2146.
Note: I saw #2602, which adds a broader server instructions guide. This PR is intentionally narrower: it updates the lifecycle/specification text in both the current dated spec and draft spec, so it can complement that guide rather than replace it.
Verification:
npx prettier --check docs/specification/2025-11-25/basic/lifecycle.mdx docs/specification/draft/basic/lifecycle.mdxnpm run check:docs:js-commentsgit diff --checkNote:
npm run check:docs:linkswas attempted but timed out after 5 minutes during the full-site link check.