diff --git a/docs/reference/api/extensions.md b/docs/reference/api/extensions.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..9340a16d --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/reference/api/extensions.md @@ -0,0 +1,70 @@ +# Registry Extensions Specification + +A standardized way for registries to provide experimental or community-driven features without committing them to the core API specification. + +## Motivation + +[The core generic registry API](./generic-registry-api.md) intentionally stays minimal to ensure stability and broad adoption. Extensions provide a path for: + +- **Experimentation**: Try new features without core API changes +- **Community innovation**: Anyone can implement custom extensions +- **Gradual adoption**: Popular extensions may inform future core API features +- **Avoiding breaking changes**: Failed experiments can be deprecated without API versioning churn + +## URL Structure + +Extensions live under the `/v0/x/` prefix: + +``` +/v0/x//[/] +``` + +**Components:** +- ``: Reverse domain ownership (e.g., `com.example`, `io.github.username`) +- ``: Extension name (lowercase, hyphens for word separation) +- ``: Extension-specific path structure (optional) + +**Examples:** +``` +/v0/x/com.example/search?q=database +/v0/x/com.example/stats +/v0/x/io.github.username/custom-feature +``` + +## Conventions + +Where possible: +- Follow standard REST conventions, return simple JSON responses, and avoid special headers +- For list endpoints, use cursor-based pagination matching the core API +- Extensions requiring authentication **SHOULD** follow the [Registry Authorization Specification](./registry-authorization.md) +- Build open-source implementations in a composable way on top of the core APIs (e.g. as opposed to via custom database integration) + +## Implementation Requirements + +Registries implementing extensions **SHOULD** namespace extensions properly to avoid conflicts. + +Clients consuming extensions **MUST** gracefully handle missing extensions. + +## Example + +A simple server stats extension: + +```bash +GET /v0/x/com.example/stats +``` + +```json +{ + "totalServers": 1234, + "totalVersions": 5678, + "recentPublishes": 42 +} +``` + +## Future Considerations + +- **Extension discovery**: A potential `/v0/x` endpoint to list available extensions +- **Extension metadata**: Standardized metadata format for extension capabilities +- **Defining common extensions**: Like semantic conventions from OpenTelemetry, develop common extensions that registries can adopt (possibly under an experimental namespace) + - Search extension for free-text search across server metadata ([#389](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/registry/issues/389)) + - MCP server extension to expose the registry itself as an MCP server for programmatic access ([#24](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/registry/issues/24))