Resources & Prompts: Use Cases
π‘ New to Resources & Prompts? Read the User Guide first for fundamentals.
Overview
Resources and Prompts supercharge how AI agents interact with your MCP server. This guide shows real-world examples across different industries and use cases.Common Use Cases
1. API Documentation as a Resource
Scenario: Your API has complex authentication flows that arenβt obvious from the OpenAPI spec. Solution: Create a resource with step-by-step auth instructions.2. Business Rules as Resources
Scenario: Your API has business logic (e.g., βorders over $1000 require manager approvalβ). Solution: Create a βbusiness-rulesβ resource documenting these constraints.3. Response Formatting Prompts
Scenario: You want AI agents to always format responses in a specific way. Solution: Create a βformat-responseβ prompt template.4. Multi-Step Workflow Prompts
Scenario: Creating a user requires 3 API calls in a specific order. Solution: Create a workflow prompt that lists the steps.5. Error Handling Prompts
Scenario: Your API returns cryptic error codes that need translation. Solution: Create an βexplain-errorβ prompt.6. Configuration Schemas as Resources
Scenario: Your API accepts complex configuration objects. Solution: Provide a JSON schema as a resource.Industry-Specific Examples
E-Commerce APIs
Resources:product-categories- Valid category IDs and hierarchyshipping-rules- Shipping zones, rates, and restrictionstax-rates- Tax calculation rules by regioninventory-status-codes- What each status means
create-order-workflow- Step-by-step order creationprocess-refund- Refund handling with validationgenerate-invoice- Consistent invoice formatting
Payment APIs
Resources:supported-currencies- Valid currency codes and conversion ratesfee-structure- Transaction fees by payment methodcompliance-rules- PCI DSS and regional compliance requirementserror-codes- Payment error codes and recovery actions
format-receipt- Standardized payment receiptdispute-workflow- Chargeback handling stepsreconciliation-report- Daily settlement summary format
CRM APIs
Resources:lead-stages- Valid pipeline stages and transitionscontact-fields- Custom field definitionsautomation-triggers- Available automation eventspermission-matrix- Role-based access rules
qualify-lead- Lead qualification questionnairemeeting-summary- Standardized call notes formatfollow-up-email- Template for follow-up communications
Analytics APIs
Resources:metric-definitions- What each metric meansdimension-options- Valid grouping dimensionsdate-range-limits- Maximum query rangesaggregation-rules- How data is rolled up
weekly-report- Standard weekly metrics summaryanomaly-alert- Consistent anomaly notification formatcomparison-analysis- Period-over-period comparison template
Project Management APIs
Resources:project-templates- Available project templatesstatus-transitions- Valid status change rulespriority-definitions- What each priority level meanspermission-levels- Who can do what
standup-summary- Daily standup report formatsprint-review- Sprint completion summaryrisk-assessment- Standardized risk evaluation template
Advanced Patterns
Combining Resources and Prompts
Pattern: Reference resources within prompts for maximum effectiveness.Dynamic Context Resources
Pattern: Include environment-specific information.Validation Prompts
Pattern: Pre-validate before expensive operations.Getting Started Checklist
- Start small β Add 1-2 resources and 1-2 prompts
- Focus on pain points β What questions do users ask most?
- Test with real scenarios β Have Claude use your resources and prompts
- Iterate based on usage β Check logs to see whatβs being accessed
- Document patterns β Share successful templates with your team