| layout | default |
|---|---|
| title | Chapter 6: Client Communication: Sampling, Logging, and Progress |
| nav_order | 6 |
| parent | MCP PHP SDK Tutorial |
Welcome to Chapter 6: Client Communication: Sampling, Logging, and Progress. In this part of MCP PHP SDK Tutorial: Building MCP Servers in PHP with Discovery and Transport Flexibility, you will build an intuitive mental model first, then move into concrete implementation details and practical production tradeoffs.
This chapter explains server-to-client communication utilities in PHP MCP handlers.
- use client gateway patterns for server-initiated communication
- apply sampling requests with clear user-control boundaries
- emit log and progress signals in protocol-compliant form
- reduce handler complexity around async-like notification flows
| Surface | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Sampling | server asks client to run model generation |
| Logging | structured diagnostics and observability |
| Progress | incremental status feedback for long-running calls |
| Notifications | out-of-band updates to client state |
You now have an operational communication model for richer PHP MCP server UX.
Next: Chapter 7: Framework Integration, Session Stores, and Dependencies
The composer module in composer.json handles a key part of this chapter's functionality:
{
"name": "mcp/sdk",
"description": "Model Context Protocol SDK for Client and Server applications in PHP",
"license": "Apache-2.0",
"type": "library",
"authors": [
{
"name": "Christopher Hertel",
"email": "mail@christopher-hertel.de"
},
{
"name": "Kyrian Obikwelu",
"email": "koshnawaza@gmail.com"
},
{
"name": "Tobias Nyholm",
"email": "tobias.nyholm@gmail.com"
}
],
"require": {
"php": "^8.1",
"ext-fileinfo": "*",
"opis/json-schema": "^2.4",
"php-http/discovery": "^1.20",
"phpdocumentor/reflection-docblock": "^5.6 || ^6.0",
"psr/clock": "^1.0",
"psr/container": "^1.0 || ^2.0",
"psr/event-dispatcher": "^1.0",
"psr/http-client": "^1.0",
"psr/http-factory": "^1.1",
"psr/http-message": "^1.1 || ^2.0",
"psr/http-server-handler": "^1.0",
"psr/http-server-middleware": "^1.0",
"psr/log": "^1.0 || ^2.0 || ^3.0",
"symfony/finder": "^5.4 || ^6.4 || ^7.3 || ^8.0",This module is important because it defines how MCP PHP SDK Tutorial: Building MCP Servers in PHP with Discovery and Transport Flexibility implements the patterns covered in this chapter.
The mcp-realm module in examples/server/oauth-keycloak/keycloak/mcp-realm.json handles a key part of this chapter's functionality:
{
"realm": "mcp",
"enabled": true,
"registrationAllowed": false,
"loginWithEmailAllowed": true,
"duplicateEmailsAllowed": false,
"resetPasswordAllowed": true,
"editUsernameAllowed": false,
"bruteForceProtected": true,
"accessTokenLifespan": 300,
"ssoSessionIdleTimeout": 1800,
"ssoSessionMaxLifespan": 36000,
"clients": [
{
"clientId": "mcp-client",
"name": "MCP Client Application",
"description": "Public client for MCP client applications",
"enabled": true,
"publicClient": true,
"standardFlowEnabled": true,
"directAccessGrantsEnabled": true,
"serviceAccountsEnabled": false,
"authorizationServicesEnabled": false,
"fullScopeAllowed": true,
"redirectUris": [
"http://localhost:*",
"http://127.0.0.1:*"
],
"webOrigins": [
"http://localhost:*",
"http://127.0.0.1:*"
],
"defaultClientScopes": [
"openid",
"profile",This module is important because it defines how MCP PHP SDK Tutorial: Building MCP Servers in PHP with Discovery and Transport Flexibility implements the patterns covered in this chapter.
The docker-compose module in examples/server/oauth-microsoft/docker-compose.yml handles a key part of this chapter's functionality:
services:
php:
build:
context: .
dockerfile: Dockerfile
container_name: mcp-php-microsoft
volumes:
- ../../../:/app
working_dir: /app
env_file:
- .env
environment:
AZURE_TENANT_ID: ${AZURE_TENANT_ID:-}
AZURE_CLIENT_ID: ${AZURE_CLIENT_ID:-}
AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET: ${AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET:-}
command: >
sh -c "mkdir -p /app/examples/server/oauth-microsoft/sessions;
chmod -R 0777 /app/examples/server/oauth-microsoft/sessions;
touch /app/examples/server/oauth-microsoft/dev.log;
chmod 0666 /app/examples/server/oauth-microsoft/dev.log;
touch /app/examples/server/dev.log;
chmod 0666 /app/examples/server/dev.log;
composer install --no-interaction --quiet 2>/dev/null || true;
php-fpm"
networks:
- mcp-network
nginx:
image: nginx:alpine
container_name: mcp-nginx-microsoft
ports:
- "${MCP_HTTP_PORT:-8000}:80"
volumes:
- ./nginx/default.conf:/etc/nginx/conf.d/default.conf:ro
- ../../../:/app:roThis module is important because it defines how MCP PHP SDK Tutorial: Building MCP Servers in PHP with Discovery and Transport Flexibility implements the patterns covered in this chapter.
flowchart TD
A[composer]
B[mcp-realm]
C[docker-compose]
A --> B
B --> C