Dad Joke Server

A Python-based MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that generates creative dad joke prompts. Connect your AI agent to this server and request dad jokes on any topic in various styles!

While this project was entirely vibe slopped, shoutout to OrenGrinker's Dad Joke MCP Server for inspiration and possibly examples the vibe coding LLM referenced.

Features

• 🎪 8 Joke Styles: pun, wordplay, observational, anti-humor, question-answer, one-liner, knock-knock, and classic
• 🛠️ MCP Tools: joke_styles and build_dad_joke_prompt for automated prompt building
• 🌐 Network Support: Runs over SSE (Server-Sent Events) transport with standardized endpoints (/sse and /messages)
• 📝 Extensive Logging: Full request/response logging with structured JSON format
• 🐳 Docker Ready: Complete Docker configuration for standalone deployment

How It Works

When you request a dad joke through an MCP client:

1. User Request: "Add a dad joke about fish"
2. MCP Server Returns: A prompt like "You are an expert comedian skilled with puns. Create a joke about fish that is appropriate for a workplace."
3. AI Agent Executes: The prompt and generates the actual joke
4. Result: "Why was the fish unsuccessful? He dropped out of school!"

Installation

Local Installation

1. Clone or navigate to the project directory:

   cd joke-poc-mcp-server
   

2. Create a virtual environment (recommended):

   python3 -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
   

3. Install dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

4. Configure environment (optional):

   cp .env.example .env
   # Edit .env with your preferred settings
   

5. Run the server:

   python -m src.server
   

The server will start on http://0.0.0.0:8000 by default.

• SSE Connection: http://localhost:8000/sse (or /messages for compatibility)
• Message Posting: http://localhost:8000/messages

Docker Installation

1. Build and run with Docker Compose:

   docker-compose up -d
   

2. View logs:

   docker-compose logs -f dad-joke-mcp
   

3. Stop the server:

   docker-compose down
   

Alternatively, use Docker directly:

# Build the image
docker build -t dad-joke-mcp-server .

# Run the container
docker run -d -p 8000:8000 --name dad-joke-mcp dad-joke-mcp-server

# View logs
docker logs -f dad-joke-mcp

Configuration

Configure the server using environment variables or a .env file:

Variable	Default	Description
HOST	0.0.0.0	Server host address
PORT	8000	Server port
LOG_LEVEL	INFO	Logging level (DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR, CRITICAL)
LOG_FORMAT	json	Log format (json or text)
LOG_FILE	logs/dad-joke-mcp.log	Log file path
LOG_TO_FILE	false	Enable file logging
LOG_REQUESTS	true	Log incoming requests
LOG_RESPONSES	true	Log outgoing responses

MCP Client Configuration

Claude Desktop

Add to your Claude Desktop configuration (~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json on macOS):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dad-joke": {
      "url": "http://localhost:8000/sse"
    }
  }
}

Cline (VS Code Extension)

Add to your Cline MCP settings:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dad-joke": {
      "url": "http://localhost:8000/sse",
      "transport": "sse"
    }
  }
}

Usage

Prompts

Use the dad_joke prompt to generate a prompt for an LLM:

• Required: topic
• Optional: style (default: classic)

Tools

The server provides tools for automated interaction:

1. joke_styles: Returns a list of all available joke styles.

   • Arguments: None

2. build_dad_joke_prompt: Programmatically generates a dad joke prompt.

   • Arguments:
     • topic (string, required): The subject of the joke.
     • style (string, optional): The style of the joke.

Available styles:

• pun - Clever wordplay and multiple meanings
• wordplay - Creative word combinations and homophones
• observational - Funny observations about everyday situations
• anti-humor - Subverted expectations with literal punchlines
• question-answer - Classic "Why did..." or "What do you call..." format
• one-liner - Short, punchy single-sentence jokes
• knock-knock - Traditional knock-knock joke format
• classic - Traditional dad joke style (default)

Examples

Cursor

build_dad_joke_prompt( football ) and use the output as a prompt and then append the result of that prompt to the test.txt file. Only append the result, oo not include the call to the tool or the parameters. Calls the tool and uses the output as a prompt

append /dad-joke/dad_joke to the test.txt file Uses the prompt (the slash will trigger a dialog asking for the topic and style)

Logging

The server provides extensive logging with full request/response details:

JSON Format (Default)

{
  "timestamp": "2026-02-01T20:24:00.123Z",
  "logger": "dad_joke_mcp",
  "level": "INFO",
  "message": "Generated dad joke prompt",
  "request_id": "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
  "topic": "fish",
  "style": "classic",
  "prompt_length": 145
}

Text Format

Set LOG_FORMAT=text for human-readable logs:

2026-02-01 20:24:00,123 - dad_joke_mcp - INFO - Generated dad joke prompt

Architecture

┌─────────────────┐
│   MCP Client    │
│ (Claude/Cursor) │
└────────┬────────┘
         │ SSE/HTTP
         ▼
┌─────────────────┐
│  Dad Joke MCP   │
│     Server      │
│                 │
│  ┌───────────┐  │
│  │ Prompts / │  │
│  │   Tools   │  │
│  │ Handlers  │  │
│  └───────────┘  │
│                 │
│  ┌───────────┐  │
│  │  Logger   │  │
│  │ (JSON)    │  │
│  └───────────┘  │
└─────────────────┘

Development

Running Tests

# Install dev dependencies
pip install -e ".[dev]"

# Run tests
pytest

Project Structure

joke-poc-mcp-server/
├── src/
│   ├── __init__.py       # Package initialization
│   ├── config.py         # Configuration management
│   └── server.py         # Main MCP server
├── Dockerfile            # Docker image definition
├── docker-compose.yml    # Docker Compose configuration
├── pyproject.toml        # Project metadata
├── requirements.txt      # Python dependencies
├── .env.example          # Example environment config
└── README.md             # This file

Troubleshooting

Server won't start

• Check if port 8000 is already in use: lsof -i :8000
• Verify Python version: python --version (requires 3.11+)
• Check logs for error messages

MCP client can't connect

• Ensure server is running: curl http://localhost:8000/sse
• Verify firewall settings allow connections on port 8000
• Check client configuration matches server host/port (ensure using /sse for GET)

No logs appearing

• Set LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG for verbose logging
• Verify LOG_REQUESTS=true and LOG_RESPONSES=true
• Check console output or log file if LOG_TO_FILE=true

License

Free, as in beer... use this for anything, no attribution required, steal this code, say it's your own, etc.

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Made with ❤️ and terrible puns