# Connect and debug agent tools

Editorial revision: 2026-10-30. Product documentation dates and access limits are shown on individual listings.

> What helps me build and check an agent's tool connection?

Choose the layer you need: a framework to expose a tool, a client to inspect the connection, or a ready integration. MCP connects applications to tools and context; A2A agent communication is a separate protocol. A shared protocol label does not establish compatibility or authorize writes.

A hand-picked shortlist from the Agent Search Engine index. Every pick is a real listing; the repository, pricing-category and activity figures are recorded catalogue fields, not performance tests. Browse on the web: https://agentsearchengine.app/use/connect-and-debug-agent-tools

## Editorial starting points

### Build an MCP interface: fastmcp
- Costs not checked · SDK / library · 28k★ · Python · Open source · recorded license: Apache-2.0 · repository push 3 days ago
- **Setup:** Developer — Python / deployment
- **Why:** FastMCP documents Python servers and clients for exposing and consuming MCP tools. Verify the actual version, transport, authentication and application-specific permission checks.
- [Capability source](https://gofastmcp.com/getting-started/welcome)
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/fastmcp) · [official](https://gofastmcp.com/)

### Inspect and debug: MCP Inspector (official)
- Free · Infrastructure · 11k★ · TypeScript · License not checked · repository push 7 days ago
- **Setup:** Developer — local tooling / server access
- **Why:** The official MCP Inspector provides clients for examining and testing servers. A successful discovery or tool call checks that interaction, not every product version, permission or failure path.
- [Capability source](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/2026-07-28/tools/inspector)
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/mcp-inspector) · [official](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/2026-07-28/tools/inspector)

### Use an existing integration: github-mcp-server
- Costs not checked · MCP server · 34k★ · Go · Open source · recorded license: MIT · repository push 3 days ago
- **Setup:** Client configuration — GitHub permissions
- **Why:** GitHub's official server supplies repository-related tools. Confirm transport support, authentication and enabled toolsets in your client; begin with access to a disposable read-only resource.
- [Capability source](https://github.com/github/github-mcp-server)
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/github-mcp-server) · [official](https://github.com/github/github-mcp-server)

## What to watch for
Test one harmless read with the exact client and server versions, then examine timeout, revoked-access and malformed-result handling. Check tool arguments, result destinations and service charges. Enabling a protocol does not make a remote tool trustworthy or grant permission for consequential actions. These documented starting points were not executed or benchmarked by ASE.

[Check client setup, protocol compatibility and permissions](https://agentsearchengine.app/guides/connect-mcp-server)

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Source: [Agent Search Engine](https://agentsearchengine.app) — more task-first guides: https://agentsearchengine.app/use