Normalize Reporting Of Failed Connection.

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Introduction

In the world of software development, connectivity issues can be a major headache. When a connection fails, it's essential to provide clear and concise error messages to help users troubleshoot and resolve the issue. In this article, we'll explore the importance of normalizing reporting of failed connections and provide a detailed analysis of the current implementation of the Streamable HTTP transport.

The Problem

The Streamable HTTP transport, like the SSE transport, is designed to establish a connection with a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server. However, when the connection is refused, the Streamable HTTP transport does not immediately report the error. Instead, it stays in the "Disconnected" state for about a minute before displaying an error message. This can lead to confusion and frustration for users, as they may not understand what's causing the issue.

Current Implementation

Let's take a closer look at the current implementation of the Streamable HTTP transport. When a connection is refused, the transport logs an error message, but it does not provide any additional information about the cause of the error. The error message is cryptic and does not give users any clues about how to resolve the issue.

SSE ECONREFUSED Logs

Here's an example of the logs generated by the SSE transport when a connection is refused:

[1] New SSE connection. NOTE: The sse transport is deprecated and has been replaced by streamable-http
[1] Query parameters: [Object: null prototype] {
[1]   url: 'http://localhost:3001/',
[1]   transportType: 'sse'
[1] }
[1] SSE transport: url=http://localhost:3001/, headers=Accept
[1] Error in /sse route: SseError: SSE error: TypeError: fetch failed: connect ECONNREFUSED ::1:3001, connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:3001
[1]     at EventSource._eventSource.onerror (H:\modelcontextprotocol\inspector\node_modules\@modelcontextprotocol\sdk\src\client\sse.ts:133:23)
[1]     at EventSource.scheduleReconnect_fn (H:\modelcontextprotocol\inspector\node_modules\eventsource\src\EventSource.ts:557:5)
[1]     at <anonymous> (H:\modelcontextprotocol\inspector\node_modules\eventsource\src\EventSource.ts:441:5)
[1]     at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:105:5) {
[1]   code: undefined,
[1]   event: {
[1]     type: 'error',
[1]     message: 'TypeError: fetch failed: connect ECONNREFUSED ::1:3001, connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:3001',
[1]     code: undefined,
[1]     defaultPrevented: false,
[1]     cancelable: false,
[1]     timeStamp: 2422561.2383
[1]   }
[1] }

Streamable HTTP ECONREFUSED Logs

Here's an example of the logs generated by the Streamable HTTP transport when a connection is refused:

[1] New streamable-http connection
[1] Query parameters: [Object: null prototype] {
[1]   url: 'http://localhost:3001/',
[1]   transportType: 'streamable-http'
[1] }
[1] Connected to Streamable HTTP transport
[1] Connected MCP client to backing server transport
[1] Created streamable web app transport e020a675-58df-4165-bc34-a20b4ba4763c
[1] Error from MCP server: TypeError: fetch failed
[1]     at node:internal/deps/undici/undici:13502:13
[1]     at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:105:5)
[1]     at async StreamableHTTPClientTransport.send (H:\modelcontextprotocol\inspector\node_modules\@modelcontextprotocol\sdk\src\client\streamableHttp.ts:394:24) {
[1]   [cause]: AggregateError [ECONNREFUSED]:
[1]       at internalConnectMultiple (node:net:1139:18)
[1]       at afterConnectMultiple (node:net:1712:7) {
[1]     code: 'ECONNREFUSED',
[1]     [errors]: [ [Error], [Error] ]
[1]   }
[1] }

Solution

To normalize reporting of failed connections, we need to provide clear and concise error messages that give users clues about how to resolve the issue. Here are some possible solutions:

  1. Immediate Error Reporting: The Streamable HTTP transport should immediately report the error when a connection is refused. This will help users understand what's causing the issue and take corrective action.
  2. Detailed Error Messages: The error messages should be detailed and provide information about the cause of the error. This will help users troubleshoot and resolve the issue more efficiently.
  3. User-Friendly Language: The error messages should be written in user-friendly language that's easy to understand. This will help users who are not technical experts to understand the issue and take corrective action.

Conclusion

In conclusion, normalizing reporting of failed connections is essential to provide a better user experience. The Streamable HTTP transport should immediately report the error when a connection is refused and provide detailed error messages that give users clues about how to resolve the issue. By implementing these changes, we can improve the overall user experience and make it easier for users to troubleshoot and resolve connectivity issues.

Recommendations

Based on our analysis, we recommend the following changes to the Streamable HTTP transport:

  1. Immediate Error Reporting: The Streamable HTTP transport should immediately report the error when a connection is refused.
  2. Detailed Error Messages: The error messages should be detailed and provide information about the cause of the error.
  3. User-Friendly Language: The error messages should be written in user-friendly language that's easy to understand.

Q: What is the current issue with the Streamable HTTP transport?

A: The current issue with the Streamable HTTP transport is that it does not immediately report a connection error when a connection is refused. Instead, it stays in the "Disconnected" state for about a minute before displaying an error message.

Q: Why is this a problem?

A: This is a problem because it can lead to confusion and frustration for users. They may not understand what's causing the issue and may not know how to resolve it.

Q: What are some possible solutions to this problem?

A: Some possible solutions to this problem include:

  1. Immediate Error Reporting: The Streamable HTTP transport should immediately report the error when a connection is refused.
  2. Detailed Error Messages: The error messages should be detailed and provide information about the cause of the error.
  3. User-Friendly Language: The error messages should be written in user-friendly language that's easy to understand.

Q: How can we improve the user experience?

A: We can improve the user experience by providing clear and concise error messages that give users clues about how to resolve the issue. This will help users troubleshoot and resolve connectivity issues more efficiently.

Q: What are some best practices for normalizing reporting of failed connections?

A: Some best practices for normalizing reporting of failed connections include:

  1. Use clear and concise language: Error messages should be easy to understand and provide clear information about the cause of the error.
  2. Provide detailed information: Error messages should provide detailed information about the cause of the error, including any relevant error codes or messages.
  3. Use user-friendly language: Error messages should be written in user-friendly language that's easy to understand.

Q: How can we test and validate the changes to the Streamable HTTP transport?

A: We can test and validate the changes to the Streamable HTTP transport by:

  1. Testing with different scenarios: Test the transport with different scenarios, including successful connections and failed connections.
  2. Validating error messages: Validate that the error messages are clear and concise and provide detailed information about the cause of the error.
  3. Gathering user feedback: Gather feedback from users to ensure that the changes meet their needs and expectations.

Q: What are the benefits of normalizing reporting of failed connections?

A: The benefits of normalizing reporting of failed connections include:

  1. Improved user experience: Clear and concise error messages will improve the user experience and make it easier for users to troubleshoot and resolve connectivity issues.
  2. Reduced support requests: By providing clear and concise error messages, we can reduce the number of support requests and improve the overall efficiency of our support team.
  3. Increased user satisfaction: By providing clear and concise error messages, we can increase user satisfaction and improve the overall reputation of our product.

Q: How can we measure the success of the changes to the Streamable HTTP transport?

A We can measure the success of the changes to the Streamable HTTP transport by:

  1. Tracking user feedback: Track user feedback and satisfaction ratings to ensure that the changes meet their needs and expectations.
  2. Monitoring support requests: Monitor support requests and track the number of requests related to connectivity issues.
  3. Analyzing error rates: Analyze error rates and track the number of errors related to connectivity issues.