Introduction: What is the MCP Server?

The MCP Server (Model Context Protocol) is a revolutionary tool in Angular CLI that supercharges our development environment with AI assistance.
Think of it as a Swiss Army knife for Angular developers offering:

• Live documentation directly in your IDE
• Code modernization tools for legacy code
• Interactive learning paths for beginners
• AI-powered code analysis

Basic Setup

Step-by-Step Configuration

1. Update Angular CLI (v20.3.5+):

npm install -g @angular/cli@20.3.5

2. Create mcp.json (project root):

//MCP Server Configuration(JSON file)
{
  "servers": {
    "angular-cli": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@angular/cli@20.3.5",
        "mcp",
        "--experimental-tool",
        "modernize",
        "onpush-zoneless-migration",
        "find_examples"
      ]
    }
  }
}

search_documentation Tool

How Developers Interact with It

Developers can query Angular’s official documentation through:

1. Direct CLI Commands

ng mcp search_documentation --query="standalone components" --version=21

2. AI Assistant Integration
   Example prompts:

• “Show me best practices for signals”
• “How to implement lazy loading in Angular 21?”
• “Compare template-driven vs reactive forms”

3. IDE Plugins (VS Code/WebStorm)
   Right-click code ? “Search Angular Docs for ‘@Input()'”

Code Modernization (modernize)

Example: Migrating from *ngIf to @if

Before:

<div *ngIf="user; else loading">
  {{ user.name }}
</div>
<ng-template #loading>Loading...</ng-template>

After Modernization:

@if (user()) {
  <div>{{ user().name }}</div>
} @else {
  <div>Loading...</div>
}

Executed CLI Command:

ng generate @angular/core:control-flow-migration --path src/app

Common Errors & Solutions

Future Perspectives (Angular 21+)

• Enhanced AI Tutor Features
  Context-aware code suggestions
• Automated Test Generation
  AI-driven unit test creation
• VS Code Integration
  Real-time linting with MCP insights

Key Benefits of MCP Server

1. Real-time Knowledge Access
   Direct integration with angular.dev docs
2. AI-Powered Code Optimization
   Context-aware modernization commands
3. Structured Learning Paths
   Guided tutorials with hands-on exercises

Beginner FAQ

Q: Does MCP work with older Angular versions?
A: Recommended for v20.3.5+. Older versions have limited functionality.

Q: How to handle migration errors?
A: Always:

1. Run --dry-run first
2. Create backups
3. Test in isolated branches

Q: Best way to learn modern Angular?
A: Follow the AI Tutor’s “Smart Recipe Box” project – it teaches through practical implementation while explaining core concepts.