MCP + Ollama Local Tool Calling Example
LocalAbout MCP + Ollama Local Tool Calling Example
This Python example shows how a local agent can use Ollama to call functions through MCP. It includes an MCP server exposing addition and multiplication tools, plus a client that interacts with Ollama.
Key features
- 01Run a local LLM with Ollama
- 02Connect to a server through an MCP client
- 03Expose addition and multiplication tools
- 04Let the model select tools based on requests
Use cases
- 01Have a local model calculate a sum
- 02Have a local model multiply numbers
MCP support
The project includes an MCP server exposing `add` and `multiply` tools. Its Python client sends the tools and user request to Ollama, then invokes the tool selected by the model.
Configuration
Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.
We haven’t collected a package or remote endpoint for this server. Follow the instructions in the project README.
Tools
Local servers expose tools only once running on your machine, and the maintainer has not provided a tool list.
Details
From the project READMEMCP + Ollama Local Tool Calling Example
This project demonstrates how a local AI agent can understand user queries and automatically call Python functions using:
- Model Context Protocol (MCP)
- Ollama for running a local LLM (e.g., Llama3)
- Python MCP Client and Server
🔗 Sequence Diagram
sequenceDiagram
participant User
participant MCP_Client
participant Ollama_LLM
participant MCP_Server
User->>MCP_Client: 1) User types: "What is 5 + 8?"
MCP_Client->>Ollama_LLM: 2) Send available tools + user query
Ollama_LLM->>Ollama_LLM: 3) Understand query & tool descriptions
Ollama_LLM->>Ollama_LLM: 4) Select tool: add(a=5, b=8)
Ollama_LLM->>MCP_Client: 5) Return tool_call
MCP_Client->>MCP_Server: 6) Execute add(a=5, b=8)
MCP_Server-->>MCP_Client: 7) Return result: 13
MCP_Client-->>User: 8) Show final answer: 13
📚 Project Structure
.
├── math_server.py # MCP Server exposing add() and multiply() tools
├── ollama_client.py # MCP Client interacting with Ollama
├── README.md # Project documentation
🛠️ Setup Instructions
1. Install Requirements
pip install "mcp[cli] @ git+https://github.com/awslabs/mcp.git" openai==0.28 httpx
Make sure you have Ollama installed and running.
2. Pull or run an LLM model
ollama run llama3
(Ensure the model you run supports tool calling.)
3. Run the MCP Server
python math_server.py
The server exposes two simple tools:
add(a: int, b: int) -> intmultiply(a: int, b: int) -> int
4. Run the MCP Client
python ollama_client.py math_server.py
5. Interact!
Example queries:
Query: What is 5 + 8?
Response: 13
Query: Multiply 7 and 9
Response: 63
The MCP client sends the query and available tools to Ollama. The LLM internally decides which tool to use based on the tool descriptions and user intent.
🚀 How It Works
- MCP Client lists available tools.
- Sends tools + user query to Ollama LLM.
- LLM reasons about the best matching tool.
- LLM generates a
tool_call. - MCP Client invokes the function via the MCP Server.
- Final result is returned and displayed.
✅ No manual hardcoding! ✅ Everything runs locally! ✅ Fully autonomous!
📢 Why This Matters
This pattern enables building smart local AI agents that:
- Understand user intent
- Dynamically select the correct actions
- Operate fully offline and locally
It opens doors for:
- Autonomous developers
- Local intelligent assistants
- Secure AI workflows
🏷️ Hashtags for Sharing
#MCP #ModelContextProtocol #Ollama #LocalLLM #FunctionCalling #Python #AI #DeveloperTools #AIEngineering #AutonomousAgents
🙌 Credits
"Smarter AI agents start with understanding how they think!"
Next Steps: Add Streamlit UI or Dockerize this project 🚀
Comments
New to MCP?
From what the protocol is to installing your first server, these answers cover most first questions.
An open protocol that defines how AI applications connect to external tools and data in a uniform way. Clients talk to the model; MCP servers provide tools, resources and prompt templates. They exchange standard messages, so one server can be reused by many clients.