> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mcp-use.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Response Helpers

> Deprecated helpers that map to standard MCP CallToolResult shapes. Prefer raw wire returns.

<Warning>
  Response helpers are **deprecated**. Prefer returning the official MCP envelopes directly — `{ content: […] }` for tools, `{ contents: […] }` for resources, `{ messages: […] }` for prompts. Helpers remain for upgrade compatibility and map to those same shapes.
</Warning>

Helpers build a tool-shaped `CallToolResult`. Resource and prompt callbacks may still return them; the server converts to `ReadResourceResult` / `GetPromptResult`. Use the [Response helpers API reference](/typescript/api-reference/server/response-helpers) for signatures.

## Prefer raw returns

```typescript theme={null}
import { MCPServer } from "mcp-use";

server.tool(
  { name: "get-time", description: "Return the current server time" },
  async () => ({
    content: [{ type: "text", text: new Date().toISOString() }],
  }),
);

server.tool(
  {
    name: "get-status",
    description: "Return server status",
    outputSchema: z.object({
      status: z.string(),
      checkedAt: z.string(),
    }),
  },
  async () => {
    const data = {
      status: "ok",
      checkedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
    };
    return {
      content: [{ type: "text", text: JSON.stringify(data) }],
      structuredContent: data,
    };
  },
);
```

## Migration map

| Deprecated helper           | Prefer                                                                                                  |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `text(s)`                   | `{ content: [{ type: "text", text: s }] }`                                                              |
| `object(data)`              | `{ content: [{ type: "text", text: JSON.stringify(data) }], structuredContent: data }`                  |
| `array(xs)`                 | `{ content: [{ type: "text", text: JSON.stringify(xs) }], structuredContent: xs }` (no `{ data }` wrap) |
| `error(msg)`                | `{ isError: true, content: [{ type: "text", text: msg }] }`                                             |
| `image(data, mime)`         | `{ content: [{ type: "image", data, mimeType: mime }] }`                                                |
| `widget({ props, output })` | Bind `view: { name }` and return `{ content, structuredContent: props }`                                |
| Resource `text(s)`          | `{ contents: [{ uri: uri.href, mimeType: "text/plain", text: s }] }`                                    |
| Prompt `text(s)`            | `{ messages: [{ role: "user", content: { type: "text", text: s } }] }`                                  |

## Deprecated helpers (compat)

| Use case               | Helper                           |
| ---------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| Plain text             | `text()`                         |
| Markdown / HTML / …    | `markdown()`, `html()`, …        |
| Structured JSON        | `object()`, `array()`            |
| Failed tool result     | `error()`                        |
| Several content blocks | `mix()`                          |
| Embedded resource      | `resource()`                     |
| View props (legacy)    | `widget()`                       |
| Media                  | `image()`, `audio()`, `binary()` |

```typescript theme={null}
import { text } from "mcp-use";

// Still works — prefer the raw shape above
server.tool(
  { name: "get-time", description: "Return the current server time" },
  async () => text(new Date().toISOString()),
);
```

## API details

<Card title="Response helpers API reference" icon="terminal" href="/typescript/api-reference/server/response-helpers" horizontal>
  Look up every helper signature, parameter, return type, and structured-content behavior.
</Card>