New mcp client quickstart

docs/ai/quickstarts/build-mcp-client.md

@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+---
+title: Quickstart - Create a minimal MCP client using .NET
+description: Learn to create a minimal MCP client and connect it to an MCP server using .NET
+ms.date: 05/27/2025
+ms.topic: quickstart
+ms.custom: devx-track-dotnet, devx-track-dotnet-ai
+author: alexwolfmsft
+---
+
+# Create a minimal MCP client using .NET
+
+In this quickstart, you build a minimal [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](../get-started-mcp.md) client using the [C# SDK for MCP](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/csharp-sdk). You also learn how to configure the client to connect to an MCP server, such as the one created in the [Build a minimal MCP server](build-mcp-server.md) quickstart.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- [.NET 8.0 SDK or higher](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download)
+- [Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/)
+
+> [!NOTE]
+> The MCP client you build in the sections ahead connects to the sample MCP server from the [Build a minimal MCP server](build-mcp-server.md) quickstart. You can also use your own MCP server if you provide your own connection configuration.
+
+## Create the .NET host app
+
+Complete the following steps to create a .NET console app. The app acts as a host for an MCP client that connects to an MCP server.
+
+### Create the project
+
+1. In a terminal window, navigate to the directory where you want to create your app, and create a new console app with the `dotnet new` command:
+
+   ```console
+   dotnet new console -n MCPHostApp
+   ```
+
+1. Navigate into the newly created project folder:
+
+   ```console
+   cd MCPHostApp
+   ```
+
+1. Run the following commands to add the necessary NuGet packages:
+
+   ```console
+   dotnet add package Azure.AI.OpenAI --prerelease
+   dotnet add package Azure.Identity
+   dotnet add package Microsoft.Extensions.AI
+   dotnet add package Microsoft.Extensions.AI.OpenAI --prerelease
+   dotnet add package ModelContextProtocol --prerelease
+   ```
+
+1. Open the project folder in your editor of choice, such as Visual Studio Code:
+
+    ```console
+    code .
+    ```
+
+### Add the app code
+
+Replace the contents of `Program.cs` with the following code:
+
+:::code language="csharp" source="snippets/mcp-client/program.cs" :::
+
+The preceding code accomplishes the following tasks:
+
+- Initializes an `IChatClient` abstraction using the [`Microsoft.Extensions.AI`](/dotnet/ai/microsoft-extensions-ai) libraries.
+- Creates an MCP client and configures it to connect to your MCP server.
+- Retrieves and displays a list of available tools from the MCP server, which is a standard MCP function.
+- Implements a conversational loop that processes user prompts and utilizes the tools for responses.
+
+## Run and test the app
+
+Complete the following steps to test your .NET host app:
+
+1. In a terminal window open to the root of your project, run the following command to start the app:
+
+   ```console
+   dotnet run
+   ```
+
+1. Once the app is running, enter a prompt to run the **ReverseEcho** tool:
+
+    ```console
+    Reverse the following: "Hello, minimal MCP server!"
+    ```
+
+1. Verify that the server responds with the echoed message:
+
+    ```output
+    !revres PCM laminim ,olleH
+    ```
+
+## Related content
+
+[Get started with .NET AI and the Model Context Protocol](../get-started-mcp.md)

docs/ai/quickstarts/build-mcp-server.md

@@ -110,4 +110,5 @@ Configure GitHub Copilot for Visual Studio Code to use your custom MCP server:
 
 ## Related content
 
+[Build a minimal MCP client](build-mcp-client.md)
 [Get started with .NET AI and the Model Context Protocol](../get-started-mcp.md)

docs/ai/quickstarts/snippets/mcp-client/MinimalMCPClient.csproj

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+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
+
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
+    <TargetFramework>net9.0</TargetFramework>
+    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
+    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <PackageReference Include="Azure.AI.OpenAI" Version="2.2.0-beta.4" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Azure.Identity" Version="1.13.2" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.AI" Version="9.5.0" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.AI.OpenAI" Version="9.4.3-preview.1.25230.7" />
+    <PackageReference Include="ModelContextProtocol" Version="0.1.0-preview.11" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+</Project>

docs/ai/quickstarts/snippets/mcp-client/Program.cs

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+using Azure.AI.OpenAI;
+using Azure.Identity;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.AI;
+using ModelContextProtocol.Client;
+using ModelContextProtocol.Protocol.Transport;
+
+// Create an IChatClient using Azure OpenAI.
+IChatClient client =
+    new ChatClientBuilder(
+        new AzureOpenAIClient(new Uri("<your-azure-openai-endpoint>"),
+        new DefaultAzureCredential())
+        .GetChatClient("gpt-4o").AsIChatClient())
+    .UseFunctionInvocation()
+    .Build();
+
+// Create the MCP client
+// Configure it to start and connect to your MCP server.
+var mcpClient = await McpClientFactory.CreateAsync(
+    new StdioClientTransport(new()
+    {
+        Command = "dotnet run",
+        Arguments = ["--project", "<path-to-your-mcp-server-project>"],
+        Name = "Minimal MCP Server",
+    }));
+
+// List all available tools from the MCP server.
+Console.WriteLine("Available tools:");
+var tools = await mcpClient.ListToolsAsync();
+foreach (var tool in tools)
+{
+    Console.WriteLine($"{tool}");
+}
+Console.WriteLine();
+
+// Conversational loop that can utilize the tools via prompts.
+List<ChatMessage> messages = [];
+while (true)
+{
+    Console.Write("Prompt: ");
+    messages.Add(new(ChatRole.User, Console.ReadLine()));
+
+    List<ChatResponseUpdate> updates = [];
+    await foreach (var update in client
+        .GetStreamingResponseAsync(messages, new() { Tools = [.. tools] }))
+    {
+        Console.Write(update);
+        updates.Add(update);
+    }
+    Console.WriteLine();
+
+    messages.AddMessages(updates);
+}

docs/ai/toc.yml

@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ items:
     href: quickstarts/ai-templates.md
   - name: Build a minimal MCP server
     href: quickstarts/build-mcp-server.md
+  - name: Build a minimal MCP client
+    href: quickstarts/build-mcp-client.md
 - name: Concepts
   items:
   - name: How generative AI and LLMs work