fastmcp/docs/python-sdk/fastmcp-server-providers-base.mdx

---
title: base
sidebarTitle: base
---

# `fastmcp.server.providers.base`


Base Provider class for dynamic MCP components.

This module provides the `Provider` abstraction for providing tools,
resources, and prompts dynamically at runtime.

Example:
    ```python
    from fastmcp import FastMCP
    from fastmcp.server.providers import Provider
    from fastmcp.tools import Tool

    class DatabaseProvider(Provider):
        def __init__(self, db_url: str):
            super().__init__()
            self.db = Database(db_url)

        async def list_tools(self) -> list[Tool]:
            rows = await self.db.fetch("SELECT * FROM tools")
            return [self._make_tool(row) for row in rows]

        async def get_tool(self, name: str) -> Tool | None:
            row = await self.db.fetchone("SELECT * FROM tools WHERE name = ?", name)
            return self._make_tool(row) if row else None

    mcp = FastMCP("Server", providers=[DatabaseProvider(db_url)])
    ```


## Classes

### `Provider` <sup><a href="https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp/blob/main/src/fastmcp/server/providers/base.py#L49" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>


Base class for dynamic component providers.

Subclass and override whichever methods you need. Default implementations
return empty lists / None, so you only need to implement what your provider
supports.


**Methods:**

#### `add_transform` <sup><a href="https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp/blob/main/src/fastmcp/server/providers/base.py#L75" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
add_transform(self, transform: Transform) -> None
```

Add a transform to this provider.

Transforms modify components (tools, resources, prompts) as they flow
through the provider. They're applied in order - first added is innermost.

**Args:**
- `transform`: The transform to add.


#### `list_tools` <sup><a href="https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp/blob/main/src/fastmcp/server/providers/base.py#L239" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
list_tools(self) -> Sequence[Tool]
```

Return all available tools.

Override to provide tools dynamically. Returns ALL versions of all tools.
The server handles deduplication to show one tool per name.


#### `get_tool` <sup><a href="https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp/blob/main/src/fastmcp/server/providers/base.py#L247" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
get_tool(self, name: str, version: VersionSpec | None = None) -> Tool | None
```

Get a specific tool by name.

Default implementation filters list_tools() and picks the highest version
that matches the spec.

**Args:**
- `name`: The tool name.
- `version`: Optional version filter. If None, returns highest version.
     If specified, returns highest version matching the spec.

**Returns:**
- The Tool if found, or None to continue searching other providers.


#### `list_resources` <sup><a href="https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp/blob/main/src/fastmcp/server/providers/base.py#L271" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
list_resources(self) -> Sequence[Resource]
```

Return all available resources.

Override to provide resources dynamically. Returns ALL versions of all resources.
The server handles deduplication to show one resource per URI.


#### `get_resource` <sup><a href="https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp/blob/main/src/fastmcp/server/providers/base.py#L279" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
get_resource(self, uri: str, version: VersionSpec | None = None) -> Resource | None
```

Get a specific resource by URI.

Default implementation filters list_resources() and returns highest
version matching the spec.

**Args:**
- `uri`: The resource URI.
- `version`: Optional version filter. If None, returns highest version.

**Returns:**
- The Resource if found, or None to continue searching other providers.


#### `list_resource_templates` <sup><a href="https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp/blob/main/src/fastmcp/server/providers/base.py#L302" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
list_resource_templates(self) -> Sequence[ResourceTemplate]
```

Return all available resource templates.

Override to provide resource templates dynamically. Returns ALL versions.
The server handles deduplication.


#### `get_resource_template` <sup><a href="https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp/blob/main/src/fastmcp/server/providers/base.py#L310" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
get_resource_template(self, uri: str, version: VersionSpec | None = None) -> ResourceTemplate | None
```

Get a resource template that matches the given URI.

Default implementation lists all templates, finds those whose pattern
matches the URI, and returns the highest version matching the spec.

**Args:**
- `uri`: The URI to match against templates.
- `version`: Optional version filter. If None, returns highest version.

**Returns:**
- The ResourceTemplate if a matching one is found, or None to continue searching.


#### `list_prompts` <sup><a href="https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp/blob/main/src/fastmcp/server/providers/base.py#L333" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
list_prompts(self) -> Sequence[Prompt]
```

Return all available prompts.

Override to provide prompts dynamically. Returns ALL versions of all prompts.
The server handles deduplication to show one prompt per name.


#### `get_prompt` <sup><a href="https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp/blob/main/src/fastmcp/server/providers/base.py#L341" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
get_prompt(self, name: str, version: VersionSpec | None = None) -> Prompt | None
```

Get a specific prompt by name.

Default implementation filters list_prompts() and picks the highest version
matching the spec.

**Args:**
- `name`: The prompt name.
- `version`: Optional version filter. If None, returns highest version.

**Returns:**
- The Prompt if found, or None to continue searching other providers.


#### `get_tasks` <sup><a href="https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp/blob/main/src/fastmcp/server/providers/base.py#L368" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
get_tasks(self) -> Sequence[FastMCPComponent]
```

Return components that should be registered as background tasks.

Override to customize which components are task-eligible.
Default calls list_* methods, applies provider transforms, and filters
for components with task_config.mode != 'forbidden'.

Used by the server during startup to register functions with Docket.


#### `lifespan` <sup><a href="https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp/blob/main/src/fastmcp/server/providers/base.py#L442" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
lifespan(self) -> AsyncIterator[None]
```

User-overridable lifespan for custom setup and teardown.

Override this method to perform provider-specific initialization
like opening database connections, setting up external resources,
or other state management needed for the provider's lifetime.

The lifespan scope matches the server's lifespan - code before yield
runs at startup, code after yield runs at shutdown.


#### `enable` <sup><a href="https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp/blob/main/src/fastmcp/server/providers/base.py#L471" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
enable(self) -> None
```

Enable components by removing from blocklist, or set allowlist with only=True.

**Args:**
- `keys`: Keys to enable (e.g., "tool\:my_tool@" for unversioned, "tool\:my_tool@1.0" for versioned).
- `tags`: Tags to enable - components with these tags will be enabled.
- `only`: If True, switches to allowlist mode - ONLY show these keys/tags.


#### `disable` <sup><a href="https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp/blob/main/src/fastmcp/server/providers/base.py#L487" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
disable(self) -> None
```

Disable components by adding to the blocklist.

**Args:**
- `keys`: Keys to disable (e.g., "tool\:my_tool@" for unversioned, "tool\:my_tool@1.0" for versioned).
- `tags`: Tags to disable - components with these tags will be disabled.