mcp-typescript-template vs openai-apps-sdk-examples
Two of the top mcp servers and chat-host apps, side by side: score, setup, license, activity and what each review found.
mcp-typescript-template
Express and Effect template for a stateless remote MCP server
openai-apps-sdk-examples
Example MCP servers and widgets for ChatGPT apps on the Apps SDK
| What we compare | mcp-typescript-template | openai-apps-sdk-examples |
|---|---|---|
| Score parts, out of 100 | ||
| Adoption | 0, niche | 72, popular |
| Freshness | 100, active | 68, recent |
| Maintenance | 99, healthy | 1, weak |
| Easy to run | 50, easy | 0, hard |
| Agent-ready | 85, ready | 0, none |
| Facts from GitHub and the README | ||
| Stars | 58 | 2.4k |
| License | MIT (permissive) | MIT (permissive) |
| Last commit | Oct 2026 | Apr 2026 |
| Last release | Sep 2026 | None published |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Docker | Yes | No |
| GPU | Not needed | Not needed |
| arm64 or Apple Silicon | Not stated | Not stated |
mcp-typescript-template
TypeScript 7 project serving a stateless MCP endpoint at /mcp on port 3000 via Express and createMcpHandler from the MCP TypeScript SDK, with Effect for config, logging and errors. Ships echo and elicit_echo tools with outputSchema, structuredContent and annotations, HTTP-boundary and in-memory tests, a Dockerfile and compose with a /health check. For TypeScript teams starting a remote MCP server; no auth.
Who it is for: TypeScript developers building a remote MCP server
Strengths
- Stateless per the 2026-07-28 spec with SDK fallback for older clients
- Tests at the HTTP boundary and against an in-memory client
- Typed tool I/O via Effect Schema adapted to MCP Standard Schema
- Dockerfile and docker-compose with health check
Weaknesses
- No auth or OAuth; remote hosts will need it
- Effect is a hard dependency with a learning curve
- TypeScript 7 compiler plus a TS6 alias for ESLint is unusual tooling
- TypeScript, MCP TypeScript SDK (@modelcontextprotocol/server)
- GitHub template
- Docker
openai-apps-sdk-examples
pnpm workspace with React widget sources, a Vite build that emits hashed HTML/JS/CSS bundles served on port 4444, and paired MCP servers in Node and Python (Pizzaz, kitchen-sink-lite, solar system, shopping cart, an OAuth-gated example). Widgets use the window.openai host API and _meta.ui.resourceUri to render inside ChatGPT. For developers building ChatGPT apps; test via developer mode and an ngrok tunnel.
Who it is for: Developers building ChatGPT apps with MCP and widgets
Strengths
- Node and Python MCP servers for the same widgets
- kitchen-sink-lite covers the full window.openai host API surface
- Shopping-cart example shows widgetSessionId state across tool calls
- Authenticated server demonstrates OAuth-gated tools
Weaknesses
- Examples only; no persistence or deploy config beyond BASE_URL
- Requires ChatGPT developer mode and a public tunnel to test
- Chrome 142+ needs a flag change to render widgets locally
- Maintainers may not review all PRs
- TypeScript, OpenAI Apps SDK, MCP TypeScript SDK, MCP Python SDK
- Needs ChatGPT developer mode, ngrok or a public host for testing