You will be able to
- Create a Python MCP server that exposes tools, resources, and prompts to AI clients.
- Connect an MCP server to a database and run queries safely through it.
- Add authentication to an MCP server so only authorized clients can call its tools.
- Test an MCP server with a client and debug common connection and schema errors.
- Structure a larger MCP project so new capabilities can be added without rewriting the core server.
Good to know first
- Intermediate Python, including functions, decorators, and async/await basics.
- Comfort using a terminal, virtual environments, and installing packages with pip or uv.
- Basic understanding of what an API and JSON are.
- Basic SQL for reading and writing database tables.
Syllabus
8 lessons and a final project
- 1
Introduction: what MCP does and why it matters Free
This lesson explains what the Model Context Protocol (MCP) is and why an MCP server lets an AI assistant use your own tools, data and services. It sets up the big picture for the rest of the course, where you will build and secure a server.
- 2
Project setup and your Python environment for an MCP server Beyond Pass
This lesson shows how a serious MCP server project is set up: you pick an authorization architecture, then create a clean Python environment and project folder before writing any server code. You learn why isolated environments matter and how to check that your setup works.
4 build steps2 exercises3 questions - 3
Building the first tools in an MCP server Beyond Pass
You will write the first tool for a Python MCP server using FastMCP, using a decorator to turn a normal function into a tool an AI assistant can call. You will also see how the server file is set up with imports, a name, and the load of environment variables.
1 code6 build steps2 exercises3 questions - 4
Exposing resources and prompts in an MCP server Beyond Pass
This lesson shows how an MCP server offers resources (data the AI can read) and prompts (ready-made message templates), alongside tools. It also shows how authentication with a bearer token is wired in, as the video builds it with Stytch.
1 build step3 exercises3 questions - 5
Connecting the MCP server to an authorization server Beyond Pass
This lesson shows how the MCP server's OAuth metadata endpoint is wired to an authorization server (Stytch) using an environment variable, and how to check that the connection works. You will see why a placeholder like an empty list fails and how a real domain from configuration fixes it.
2 code5 build steps2 exercises3 questions - 6
Adding authentication and authorization to an MCP server Beyond Pass
This lesson shows how an MCP server can require users to log in before its tools are used, using an authentication service (Stytch) as the login provider. It explains the difference between authentication (who you are) and authorization (what you may do), and how the pieces fit together.
1 code4 build steps2 exercises3 questions - 7
Connecting a client and testing end to end Beyond Pass
You will see how a client connects to an MCP server, lists the tools it offers, and calls them to check the whole chain works from request to database. The chapter shows the test loop you use to find and fix problems across the server, the database layer and the client.
2 code3 build steps2 exercises3 questions - 8
Error handling, deployment, and wrap-up Beyond Pass
This final part of the MCP server build shows how to handle "no notes found" cases in a tool, how to expose the OAuth protected-resource metadata endpoint that clients use to find your auth server, and how to run the server and check it is alive. It ends with a quick recap of what the whole server does.
2 code2 build steps2 exercises3 questions
Final project
Build a Secure Notes MCP Server
Build a small Python MCP server that stores notes per user in a database. It exposes tools, a resource and a prompt, and only logged-in clients can use it. It pulls the whole course together: setup, FastMCP, auth metadata, database access, testing and error handling.
Its 7 tasks open with Beyond Pass.
Free preview · Lesson 1 in full
Introduction: what MCP does and why it matters
This lesson explains what the Model Context Protocol (MCP) is and why an MCP server lets an AI assistant use your own tools, data and services. It sets up the big picture for the rest of the course, where you will build and secure a server.
Lessons 2–8 and the final project
They open with Beyond Pass: every lesson of every course, in full. One payment: $14.99 for 90 days or $29 for a year. No subscription.
Made by Beyond from the video “Build ANYTHING With an Advanced MCP Server (Python, Authentication, Databases & More)” by Tech With Tim. The video plays in YouTube's own player. Watch it on YouTube · All lessons