eksctl MCP (Model Context Protocol) Package

Overview

The pkg/ctl/mcp package implements a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for eksctl. This server enables AI assistants like Amazon Q to interact with eksctl functionality directly through a standardized protocol, allowing for seamless integration of eksctl commands into AI-powered workflows.

What is MCP?

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open protocol that standardizes how applications provide context and tools to Large Language Models (LLMs). It enables AI assistants to:

Discover available tools and their capabilities
Execute commands and receive structured responses
Provide contextual information to enhance AI interactions

How the eksctl MCP Server Works

The eksctl MCP server exposes all eksctl commands as tools that can be invoked by AI assistants. The implementation consists of several key components:

Core Components

mcp.go: Entry point that defines the mcp command and starts the MCP server
server.go: Creates and configures the MCP server with all eksctl commands
tools.go: Handles the registration of eksctl commands as MCP tools
types.go: Defines types and interfaces used by the MCP implementation

Implementation Details

The server uses the mcp-go library to implement the Model Context Protocol
It dynamically registers all eksctl commands (create, get, delete, etc.) as MCP tools
Each command's help text, flags, and parameters are exposed through the protocol
The server runs as a stdio server, communicating through standard input/output

Command Registration Process

The server recursively traverses the eksctl command tree
For each command, it extracts:
- Command description and usage information
- Available flags and their descriptions
- Required and optional parameters

Using the eksctl MCP Server with Amazon Q Chat

To use the eksctl MCP server with Amazon Q Chat, you need to register it in the Amazon Q configuration file.

Create or edit the file at $HOME/.aws/amazonq/mcp.json with the following content:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "eks-tools": {
      "command": "eksctl",
      "args": [
        "mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

This configuration tells Amazon Q Chat to:

Register a server named "eks-tools"
Use the eksctl mcp command to start the MCP server
Make all eksctl commands available as tools with the prefix eks___

Benefits

Seamless Integration: AI assistants can execute eksctl commands directly
Structured Responses: Commands return structured data that can be parsed by AI models
Discoverability: AI assistants can discover available commands and their parameters
Context-Aware: Provides rich context about EKS clusters and resources

Development

When extending the MCP server functionality:

Add new command registrations in server.go if new eksctl commands are created
Extend type definitions in types.go as needed
Modify tools.go if changes to tool registration logic are required

Example Usage in Amazon Q Chat

Once configured, users can interact with eksctl through Amazon Q Chat:

User: What EKS clusters do I have?
Amazon Q: Let me check your EKS clusters.
[Amazon Q executes the eksctl get cluster command and displays the results]

User: Create a new EKS cluster
Amazon Q: [Guides the user through cluster creation using eksctl commands]

The MCP server enables these interactions by providing Amazon Q with the ability to execute eksctl commands and interpret their results.

Quick test for MCP server

To quickly test the MCP server, you can run the following command in your terminal:

echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"tools/list","id":1}' | eksctl mcp | jq

Recommendations

Monitor background operations for long-running commands. Commands such as cluster creations have a 45-second timeout for command responses but the processes continue in background.

# README