mapbox-mcp-runtime-patterns

What this skill does

# Mapbox MCP Runtime Patterns

This skill provides patterns for integrating the Mapbox MCP Server into AI applications for production use with geospatial capabilities.

## What is Mapbox MCP Server?

The [Mapbox MCP Server](https://github.com/mapbox/mcp-server) is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides AI agents with geospatial tools:

**Offline Tools (Turf.js):**

- Distance, bearing, midpoint calculations
- Point-in-polygon tests
- Area, buffer, centroid operations
- Bounding box, geometry simplification
- No API calls, instant results

**Mapbox API Tools:**

- Directions and routing
- Reverse geocoding
- POI category search
- Isochrones (reachability)
- Travel time matrices
- Static map images
- GPS trace map matching
- Multi-stop route optimization

**Utility Tools:**

- Server version info
- POI category list

**Key benefit:** Give your AI application geospatial superpowers without manually integrating multiple APIs.

## Understanding Tool Categories

Before integrating, understand the key distinctions between tools to help your LLM choose correctly:

### Distance: "As the Crow Flies" vs "Along Roads"

**Straight-line distance** (offline, instant):

- Tools: `distance_tool`, `bearing_tool`, `midpoint_tool`
- Use for: Proximity checks, "how far away is X?", comparing distances
- Example: "Is this restaurant within 2 miles?" → `distance_tool`

**Route distance** (API, traffic-aware):

- Tools: `directions_tool`, `matrix_tool`
- Use for: Navigation, drive time, "how long to drive?"
- Example: "How long to drive there?" → `directions_tool`

### Search: Type vs Specific Place

**Category/type search**:

- Tool: `category_search_tool`
- Use for: "Find coffee shops", "restaurants nearby", browsing by type
- Example: "What hotels are near me?" → `category_search_tool`

**Specific place/address**:

- Tool: `search_and_geocode_tool`, `reverse_geocode_tool`
- Use for: Named places, street addresses, landmarks
- Example: "Find 123 Main Street" → `search_and_geocode_tool`

### Travel Time: Area vs Route

**Reachable area** (what's within reach):

- Tool: `isochrone_tool`
- Returns: GeoJSON polygon of everywhere reachable
- Example: "What can I reach in 15 minutes?" → `isochrone_tool`

**Specific route** (how to get there):

- Tool: `directions_tool`
- Returns: Turn-by-turn directions to one destination
- Example: "How do I get to the airport?" → `directions_tool`

### Cost & Performance

**Offline tools** (free, instant):

- No API calls, no token usage
- Use whenever real-time data not needed
- Examples: `distance_tool`, `point_in_polygon_tool`, `area_tool`

**API tools** (requires token, counts against usage):

- Real-time traffic, live POI data, current conditions
- Use when accuracy and freshness matter
- Examples: `directions_tool`, `category_search_tool`, `isochrone_tool`

**Best practice:** Prefer offline tools when possible, use API tools when you need real-time data or routing.

## Installation & Setup

### Option 1: Hosted Server (Recommended)

**Easiest integration** - Use Mapbox's hosted MCP server at:

```
https://mcp.mapbox.com/mcp
```

No installation required. Simply pass your Mapbox access token in the `Authorization` header.

**Benefits:**

- No server management
- Always up-to-date
- Production-ready
- Lower latency (Mapbox infrastructure)

**Authentication:**

Use token-based authentication (standard for programmatic access):

```
Authorization: Bearer your_mapbox_token
```

**Note:** The hosted server also supports OAuth, but that's primarily for interactive flows (coding assistants, not production apps).

### Option 2: Self-Hosted

For custom deployments or development:

```bash
npm install @mapbox/mcp-server
```

Or use directly via npx:

```bash
npx @mapbox/mcp-server
```

**Environment setup:**

```bash
export MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN="your_token_here"
```

## Reference Files

Detailed integration patterns and production guidance are organized into reference files. Load the ones relevant to your task.

- **Pydantic AI** -- Type-safe Python agents
  Load: `references/pydantic-ai.md`

- **CrewAI** -- Multi-agent orchestration
  Load: `references/crewai.md`

- **Smolagents** -- Lightweight HuggingFace agents
  Load: `references/smolagents.md`

- **Mastra** -- Multi-agent TypeScript systems
  Load: `references/mastra.md`

- **LangChain** -- Conversational AI with tool chaining
  Load: `references/langchain.md`

- **Custom Agent** -- Zillow/TripAdvisor/DoorDash-style patterns, architecture diagrams, hybrid approach
  Load: `references/custom-agent.md`

- **Use Cases** -- Real Estate, Food Delivery, Travel Planning examples
  Load: `references/use-cases.md`

- **Production Patterns** -- Caching, batch operations, tool descriptions, error handling, security, rate limiting, testing
  Load: `references/production.md`

## Resources

- [Mapbox MCP Server](https://github.com/mapbox/mcp-server)
- [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io)
- [Pydantic AI](https://ai.pydantic.dev/)
- [Mastra](https://mastra.ai/)
- [LangChain](https://docs.langchain.com/oss/javascript/langchain/overview/)
- [Mapbox API Documentation](https://docs.mapbox.com/api/)

## When to Use This Skill

Invoke this skill when:

- Integrating Mapbox MCP Server into AI applications
- Building AI agents with geospatial capabilities
- Architecting Zillow/TripAdvisor/DoorDash-style apps with AI
- Choosing between MCP, direct APIs, or SDKs
- Optimizing geospatial operations in production
- Implementing error handling for geospatial AI features
- Testing AI applications with geospatial tools