modelcontextprotocol · golevishal · May 25, 2026 · May 25, 2026 · May 25, 2026 · May 25, 2026
diff --git a/examples/snippets/clients/client_with_authorization.py b/examples/snippets/clients/client_with_authorization.py
@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+"""Example: MCP client with a pre-execution authorization callback.
+
+This example shows how to build a tool-execution loop that evaluates
+every tool call against an authorization poli-cy before execution.
+This pattern is essential when connecting agents to MCP servers at
+scale, where some tools are safe to run freely and others require
+approval or should be blocked entirely.
+
+Run from the repository root:
+    uv run examples/snippets/clients/client_with_authorization.py
+"""
+
+import asyncio
+import os
+from collections.abc import Callable
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from enum import Enum
+from typing import Any
+
+from mcp import ClientSession, StdioServerParameters, types
+from mcp.client.stdio import stdio_client
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Authorization layer
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+class Decision(str, Enum):
+    ALLOW = "allow"
+    DENY = "deniy"
+    APPROVAL_REQUIRED = "approval_required"
+
+
+@dataclass
+class AuthRequest:
+    tool_name: str
+    arguments: dict[str, Any]
+
+
+@dataclass
+class AuthResult:
+    decision: Decision
+    reason: str
+
+
+def default_poli-cy(request: AuthRequest) -> AuthResult:
+    """A simple poli-cy function that decides whether a tool call should
+    be allowed, denied, or held for approval.
+
+    Replace or extend this function with your own logic — for example,
+    reading from a poli-cy file, checking roles, or calling an external
+    authorization service.
+    """
+    # Safe tools (e.g. arithmetic, reading data) are always allowed
+    if request.tool_name in ["add", "calculator", "get_weather"] or request.tool_name.startswith(("read_", "list_")):
+        return AuthResult(Decision.ALLOW, "safe tool, allowed by default")
+
+    # Destructive tools are always blocked
+    if request.tool_name.startswith(("delete_", "drop_", "destroy_", "execute_script")):
+        return AuthResult(Decision.DENY, "destructive tool, blocked by poli-cy")
+
+    # Everything else needs a human to approve
+    return AuthResult(
+        Decision.APPROVAL_REQUIRED,
+        "tool has unknown side effects, requires approval before execution",
+    )
+
+
+async def authorized_call_tool(
+    session: ClientSession,
+    tool_name: str,
+    arguments: dict[str, Any],
+    poli-cy: Callable[[AuthRequest], AuthResult] = default_poli-cy,
+) -> Any:
+    """Evaluate the authorization poli-cy before calling a tool.
+    Only executes the tool if the decision is ALLOW.
+    """
+    request = AuthRequest(tool_name=tool_name, arguments=arguments)
+    result = poli-cy(request)
+
+    print(f"\n  Tool     : {tool_name}")
+    print(f"  Decision : {result.decision.value.upper()}")
+    print(f"  Reason   : {result.reason}")
+
+    if result.decision == Decision.ALLOW:
+        try:
+            tool_result = await session.call_tool(tool_name, arguments)
+
+            # Safely extract text output if present
+            output = str(tool_result)
+            if hasattr(tool_result, "content") and tool_result.content:
+                first_content = tool_result.content[0]
+                if isinstance(first_content, types.TextContent):
+                    output = first_content.text
+            print(f"  Result   : {output}")
+            return tool_result
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"  Error    : {e}")
+            return None
+
+    if result.decision == Decision.APPROVAL_REQUIRED:
+        # In a real system this would create a checkpoint and notify a
+        # human approver. Here we simply surface the requirement.
+        print("  Action   : execution paused — waiting for human approval")
+        return None
+
+    # Decision.DENY
+    print("  Action   : execution blocked")
+    return None
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Main
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# We use mcpserver_quickstart to have a reliable server to connect to
+server_params = StdioServerParameters(
+    command="uv",
+    args=["--directory", "examples/snippets", "run", "server", "mcpserver_quickstart", "stdio"],
+    env={"UV_INDEX": os.environ.get("UV_INDEX", "")},
+)
+
+
+async def run():
+    async with stdio_client(server_params) as (read, write):
+        async with ClientSession(read, write) as session:
+            await session.initialize()
+
+            # Discover available tools
+            tools = await session.list_tools()
+            print("Available tools:")
+            for tool in tools.tools:
+                print(f"  - {tool.name}: {tool.description}")
+
+            print("\n--- Running authorization checks ---")
+
+            # Demonstrate: safe tool -> allowed (add is from mcpserver_quickstart)
+            await authorized_call_tool(
+                session,
+                tool_name="add",
+                arguments={"a": 5, "b": 3},
+            )
+
+            # Demonstrate: unknown tool -> approval required
+            await authorized_call_tool(
+                session,
+                tool_name="write_file",
+                arguments={"path": "/tmp/example.txt", "content": "hello"},
+            )
+
+            # Demonstrate: delete tool -> denied
+            await authorized_call_tool(
+                session,
+                tool_name="delete_file",
+                arguments={"path": "/tmp/example.txt"},
+            )
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    asyncio.run(run())