feat: add support for custom client notifications (#556)

MCP servers, particularly ones that offer "experimental" capabilities,
may wish to handle custom client notifications that are not part of the
standard MCP specification. This change introduces a new
`CustomClientNotification` type that allows a server to process
such custom notifications.

- introduces `CustomClientNotification` to carry arbitrary methods/params while
  still preserving meta/extensions; wires it into the `ClientNotification` union
  and `serde` so `params` can be decoded with `params_as`
- allows server handlers to receive custom notifications via a new
  `on_custom_notification` hook
- adds integration coverage that sends a custom client notification end-to-end
  and asserts the server sees the method and payload

Test:

```shell
cargo test -p rmcp --features client test_custom_client_notification_reaches_server
```

Author: bolinfest

crates/rmcp/src/handler/server.rs

@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@ impl<H: ServerHandler> Service<RoleServer> for H {
             ClientNotification::RootsListChangedNotification(_notification) => {
                 self.on_roots_list_changed(context).await
             }
+            ClientNotification::CustomClientNotification(notification) => {
+                self.on_custom_notification(notification, context).await
+            }
         };
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -225,6 +228,14 @@ pub trait ServerHandler: Sized + Send + Sync + 'static {
     ) -> impl Future<Output = ()> + Send + '_ {
         std::future::ready(())
     }
+    fn on_custom_notification(
+        &self,
+        notification: CustomClientNotification,
+        context: NotificationContext<RoleServer>,
+    ) -> impl Future<Output = ()> + Send + '_ {
+        let _ = (notification, context);
+        std::future::ready(())
+    }
 
     fn get_info(&self) -> ServerInfo {
         ServerInfo::default()

crates/rmcp/src/model.rs

@@ -627,6 +627,40 @@ const_string!(CancelledNotificationMethod = "notifications/cancelled");
 pub type CancelledNotification =
     Notification<CancelledNotificationMethod, CancelledNotificationParam>;
 
+/// A catch-all notification the client can use to send custom messages to a server.
+///
+/// This preserves the raw `method` name and `params` payload so handlers can
+/// deserialize them into domain-specific types.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "schemars", derive(schemars::JsonSchema))]
+pub struct CustomClientNotification {
+    pub method: String,
+    pub params: Option<Value>,
+    /// extensions will carry anything possible in the context, including [`Meta`]
+    ///
+    /// this is similar with the Extensions in `http` crate
+    #[cfg_attr(feature = "schemars", schemars(skip))]
+    pub extensions: Extensions,
+}
+
+impl CustomClientNotification {
+    pub fn new(method: impl Into<String>, params: Option<Value>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            method: method.into(),
+            params,
+            extensions: Extensions::default(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Deserialize `params` into a strongly-typed structure.
+    pub fn params_as<T: DeserializeOwned>(&self) -> Result<Option<T>, serde_json::Error> {
+        self.params
+            .as_ref()
+            .map(|params| serde_json::from_value(params.clone()))
+            .transpose()
+    }
+}
+
 const_string!(InitializeResultMethod = "initialize");
 /// # Initialization
 /// This request is sent from the client to the server when it first connects, asking it to begin initialization.
@@ -1748,7 +1782,8 @@ ts_union!(
     | CancelledNotification
     | ProgressNotification
     | InitializedNotification
-    | RootsListChangedNotification;
+    | RootsListChangedNotification
+    | CustomClientNotification;
 );
 
 ts_union!(
@@ -1857,6 +1892,38 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(json, raw);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_custom_client_notification_roundtrip() {
+        let raw = json!( {
+            "jsonrpc": JsonRpcVersion2_0,
+            "method": "notifications/custom",
+            "params": {"foo": "bar"},
+        });
+
+        let message: ClientJsonRpcMessage =
+            serde_json::from_value(raw.clone()).expect("invalid notification");
+        match &message {
+            ClientJsonRpcMessage::Notification(JsonRpcNotification {
+                notification: ClientNotification::CustomClientNotification(notification),
+                ..
+            }) => {
+                assert_eq!(notification.method, "notifications/custom");
+                assert_eq!(
+                    notification
+                        .params
+                        .as_ref()
+                        .and_then(|p| p.get("foo"))
+                        .expect("foo present"),
+                    "bar"
+                );
+            }
+            _ => panic!("Expected custom client notification"),
+        }
+
+        let json = serde_json::to_value(message).expect("valid json");
+        assert_eq!(json, raw);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_request_conversion() {
         let raw = json!( {

crates/rmcp/src/model/meta.rs

@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use serde_json::Value;
 
 use super::{
-    ClientNotification, ClientRequest, Extensions, JsonObject, JsonRpcMessage, NumberOrString,
-    ProgressToken, ServerNotification, ServerRequest,
+    ClientNotification, ClientRequest, CustomClientNotification, Extensions, JsonObject,
+    JsonRpcMessage, NumberOrString, ProgressToken, ServerNotification, ServerRequest,
 };
 
 pub trait GetMeta {
@@ -18,6 +18,26 @@ pub trait GetExtensions {
     fn extensions_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Extensions;
 }
 
+impl GetExtensions for CustomClientNotification {
+    fn extensions(&self) -> &Extensions {
+        &self.extensions
+    }
+    fn extensions_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Extensions {
+        &mut self.extensions
+    }
+}
+
+impl GetMeta for CustomClientNotification {
+    fn get_meta_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Meta {
+        self.extensions_mut().get_or_insert_default()
+    }
+    fn get_meta(&self) -> &Meta {
+        self.extensions()
+            .get::<Meta>()
+            .unwrap_or(Meta::static_empty())
+    }
+}
+
 macro_rules! variant_extension {
     (
         $Enum: ident {
@@ -84,6 +104,7 @@ variant_extension! {
         ProgressNotification
         InitializedNotification
         RootsListChangedNotification
+        CustomClientNotification
     }
 }
 

crates/rmcp/src/model/serde_impl.rs

@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ use std::borrow::Cow;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 use super::{
-    Extensions, Meta, Notification, NotificationNoParam, Request, RequestNoParam,
-    RequestOptionalParam,
+    CustomClientNotification, Extensions, Meta, Notification, NotificationNoParam, Request,
+    RequestNoParam, RequestOptionalParam,
 };
 #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
 struct WithMeta<'a, P> {
@@ -249,6 +249,59 @@ where
     }
 }
 
+impl Serialize for CustomClientNotification {
+    fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
+    where
+        S: serde::Serializer,
+    {
+        let extensions = &self.extensions;
+        let _meta = extensions.get::<Meta>().map(Cow::Borrowed);
+        let params = self.params.as_ref();
+
+        let params = if _meta.is_some() || params.is_some() {
+            Some(WithMeta {
+                _meta,
+                _rest: &self.params,
+            })
+        } else {
+            None
+        };
+
+        ProxyOptionalParam::serialize(
+            &ProxyOptionalParam {
+                method: &self.method,
+                params,
+            },
+            serializer,
+        )
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'de> Deserialize<'de> for CustomClientNotification {
+    fn deserialize<D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<Self, D::Error>
+    where
+        D: serde::Deserializer<'de>,
+    {
+        let body =
+            ProxyOptionalParam::<'_, _, Option<serde_json::Value>>::deserialize(deserializer)?;
+        let mut params = None;
+        let mut _meta = None;
+        if let Some(body_params) = body.params {
+            params = body_params._rest;
+            _meta = body_params._meta.map(|m| m.into_owned());
+        }
+        let mut extensions = Extensions::new();
+        if let Some(meta) = _meta {
+            extensions.insert(meta);
+        }
+        Ok(CustomClientNotification {
+            extensions,
+            method: body.method,
+            params,
+        })
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test {
     use serde_json::json;

crates/rmcp/tests/test_message_schema/client_json_rpc_message_schema.json

@@ -396,6 +396,19 @@
         "content"
       ]
     },
+    "CustomClientNotification": {
+      "description": "A catch-all notification the client can use to send custom messages to a server.\n\nThis preserves the raw `method` name and `params` payload so handlers can\ndeserialize them into domain-specific types.",
+      "type": "object",
+      "properties": {
+        "method": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "params": true
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "method"
+      ]
+    },
     "ElicitationAction": {
       "description": "Represents the possible actions a user can take in response to an elicitation request.\n\nWhen a server requests user input through elicitation, the user can:\n- Accept: Provide the requested information and continue\n- Decline: Refuse to provide the information but continue the operation\n- Cancel: Stop the entire operation",
       "oneOf": [
@@ -636,6 +649,9 @@
         },
         {
           "$ref": "#/definitions/NotificationNoParam2"
+        },
+        {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/CustomClientNotification"
         }
       ],
       "required": [

crates/rmcp/tests/test_message_schema/client_json_rpc_message_schema_current.json

@@ -396,6 +396,19 @@
         "content"
       ]
     },
+    "CustomClientNotification": {
+      "description": "A catch-all notification the client can use to send custom messages to a server.\n\nThis preserves the raw `method` name and `params` payload so handlers can\ndeserialize them into domain-specific types.",
+      "type": "object",
+      "properties": {
+        "method": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "params": true
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "method"
+      ]
+    },
     "ElicitationAction": {
       "description": "Represents the possible actions a user can take in response to an elicitation request.\n\nWhen a server requests user input through elicitation, the user can:\n- Accept: Provide the requested information and continue\n- Decline: Refuse to provide the information but continue the operation\n- Cancel: Stop the entire operation",
       "oneOf": [
@@ -636,6 +649,9 @@
         },
         {
           "$ref": "#/definitions/NotificationNoParam2"
+        },
+        {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/CustomClientNotification"
         }
       ],
       "required": [

crates/rmcp/tests/test_notification.rs

@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@ use std::sync::Arc;
 use rmcp::{
     ClientHandler, ServerHandler, ServiceExt,
     model::{
-        ResourceUpdatedNotificationParam, ServerCapabilities, ServerInfo, SubscribeRequestParam,
+        ClientNotification, CustomClientNotification, ResourceUpdatedNotificationParam,
+        ServerCapabilities, ServerInfo, SubscribeRequestParam,
     },
 };
-use tokio::sync::Notify;
+use serde_json::json;
+use tokio::sync::{Mutex, Notify};
 use tracing_subscriber::{layer::SubscriberExt, util::SubscriberInitExt};
 
 pub struct Server {}
@@ -93,3 +95,73 @@ async fn test_server_notification() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     client.cancel().await?;
     Ok(())
 }
+
+type CustomNotificationPayload = (String, Option<serde_json::Value>);
+
+struct CustomServer {
+    receive_signal: Arc<Notify>,
+    payload: Arc<Mutex<Option<CustomNotificationPayload>>>,
+}
+
+impl ServerHandler for CustomServer {
+    async fn on_custom_notification(
+        &self,
+        notification: CustomClientNotification,
+        _context: rmcp::service::NotificationContext<rmcp::RoleServer>,
+    ) {
+        let CustomClientNotification { method, params, .. } = notification;
+        let mut payload = self.payload.lock().await;
+        *payload = Some((method, params));
+        self.receive_signal.notify_one();
+    }
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_custom_client_notification_reaches_server() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    let _ = tracing_subscriber::registry()
+        .with(
+            tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter::try_from_default_env()
+                .unwrap_or_else(|_| "debug".to_string().into()),
+        )
+        .with(tracing_subscriber::fmt::layer())
+        .try_init();
+
+    let (server_transport, client_transport) = tokio::io::duplex(4096);
+    let receive_signal = Arc::new(Notify::new());
+    let payload = Arc::new(Mutex::new(None));
+
+    {
+        let receive_signal = receive_signal.clone();
+        let payload = payload.clone();
+        tokio::spawn(async move {
+            let server = CustomServer {
+                receive_signal,
+                payload,
+            }
+            .serve(server_transport)
+            .await?;
+            server.waiting().await?;
+            anyhow::Ok(())
+        });
+    }
+
+    let client = ().serve(client_transport).await?;
+
+    client
+        .send_notification(ClientNotification::CustomClientNotification(
+            CustomClientNotification::new(
+                "notifications/custom-test",
+                Some(json!({ "foo": "bar" })),
+            ),
+        ))
+        .await?;
+
+    tokio::time::timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(5), receive_signal.notified()).await?;
+
+    let (method, params) = payload.lock().await.clone().expect("payload set");
+    assert_eq!("notifications/custom-test", method);
+    assert_eq!(Some(json!({ "foo": "bar" })), params);
+
+    client.cancel().await?;
+    Ok(())
+}