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mcp-create-declarative-agent

✓ Official★ 36,202

by github · part of github/awesome-copilot

Skill converted from mcp-create-declarative-agent.prompt.md

🔥🔥🔥✓ VerifiedFreeAdvanced setup
#email#automation#devops#git#security#project-mgmt#video-editing
🧩 One of 7 skills in the github/awesome-copilot package — works on its own, and pairs well with its siblings.

This is the playbook your agent receives when the skill activates — you don't need to read it to use the skill, but it's here to audit before installing.

---
mode: 'agent'
tools: ['changes', 'search/codebase', 'edit/editFiles', 'problems']
description: 'Create a declarative agent for Microsoft 365 Copilot by integrating an MCP server with authentication, tool selection, and configuration'
model: 'gpt-4.1'
tags: [mcp, m365-copilot, declarative-agent, model-context-protocol, api-plugin]
---

# Create MCP-based Declarative Agent for Microsoft 365 Copilot

Create a complete declarative agent for Microsoft 365 Copilot that integrates with a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server to access external systems and data.

## MCP Server Integration

### Supported MCP Endpoints
The MCP server must provide:
- **Server metadata** endpoint
- **Tools listing** endpoint (exposes available functions)
- **Tool execution** endpoint (handles function calls)

### Tool Selection
When importing from MCP:
1. Fetch available tools from server
2. Select specific tools to include (for security/simplicity)
3. Tool definitions are auto-generated in ai-plugin.json

### Authentication Types

**OAuth 2.0 (Static Registration)**
```json
"auth": {
  "type": "OAuthPluginVault",
  "reference_id": "${{OAUTH_REFERENCE_ID}}",
  "authorization_url": "https://auth.service.com/authorize",
  "client_id": "${{CLIENT_ID}}",
  "client_secret": "${{CLIENT_SECRET}}",
  "scope": "read write"
}
```

**Single Sign-On (SSO)**
```json
"auth": {
  "type": "SSO"
}
```

## Response Semantics

### Define Data Mapping
Use `response_semantics` to extract relevant fields from API responses:

```json
"capabilities": {
  "response_semantics": {
    "data_path": "$.results",
    "properties": {
      "title": "$.name",
      "subtitle": "$.description",
      "url": "$.link"
    }
  }
}
```

### Add Adaptive Cards (Optional)
See the `mcp-create-adaptive-cards` prompt for adding visual card templates.

## Best Practices

### Tool Design
- **Focused functions**: Each tool should do one thing well
- **Clear descriptions**: Help the model understand when to use each tool
- **Minimal scoping**: Only import tools the agent needs
- **Descriptive names**: Use action-oriented function names

### Security
- **Use OAuth 2.0** for production scenarios
- **Store secrets** in environment variables
- **Validate inputs** on the MCP server side
- **Limit scopes** to minimum required permissions
- **Use reference IDs** for OAuth registration

### Instructions
- **Be specific** about the agent's purpose and capabilities
- **Define behavior** for both successful and error scenarios
- **Reference tools** explicitly in instructions when applicable
- **Set expectations** for users about what the agent can/cannot do

### Performance
- **Cache responses** when appropriate on MCP server
- **Batch operations** where possible
- **Set timeouts** for long-running operations
- **Paginate results** for large datasets

## Common MCP Server Examples

### GitHub MCP Server
```
URL: https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/
Tools: search_repositories, search_users, get_repository
Auth: OAuth 2.0
```

### Jira MCP Server
```
URL: https://your-domain.atlassian.net/mcp/
Tools: search_issues, create_issue, update_issue
Auth: OAuth 2.0
```

### Custom Service
```
URL: https://api.your-service.com/mcp/
Tools: Custom tools exposed by your service
Auth: OAuth 2.0 or SSO
```

## Workflow

Ask the user:
1. What MCP server are you integrating with (URL)?
2. What tools should be exposed to Copilot?
3. What authentication method does the server support?
4. What should the agent's primary purpose be?
5. Do you need response semantics or Adaptive Cards?

Then generate:
- Complete appPackage/ structure (manifest.json, declarativeAgent.json, ai-plugin.json)
- mcp.json configuration
- .env.local template
- Provisioning and testing instructions