Always enable MCP Apps UI; remove remote_mcp_ui_apps flag gate

The remote_mcp_ui_apps flag is fully rolled out on the hosted server, but
the OSS server still defaulted it off. Make MCP Apps unconditional:

- _meta.ui is always emitted, stripped only when the client explicitly
  does not advertise the io.modelcontextprotocol/ui capability
- ui_get is always registered
- write tools defer to MCP App forms by default (still opt-out via
  mcp_apps_disable_form_deferral)
- remove MCPAppsFeatureFlag and its AllowedFeatureFlags/InsidersFeatureFlags
  entries
- update tests and regenerate docs

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Author: SamMorrowDrums

README.md

@@ -704,6 +704,7 @@ The following sets of tools are available:
 <summary><picture><source media="(prefers-color-scheme: dark)" srcset="pkg/octicons/icons/person-dark.png"><source media="(prefers-color-scheme: light)" srcset="pkg/octicons/icons/person-light.png"><img src="pkg/octicons/icons/person-light.png" width="20" height="20" alt="person"></picture> Context</summary>
 
 - **get_me** - Get my user profile
+  - **MCP App UI**: `ui://github-mcp-server/get-me`
   - No parameters required
 
 - **get_team_members** - Get team members
@@ -715,6 +716,12 @@ The following sets of tools are available:
   - **OAuth Challenge Scopes**: `read:org`
   - `user`: Username to get teams for. If not provided, uses the authenticated user. (string, optional)
 
+- **ui_get** - Get UI data
+  - **OAuth Challenge Scopes**: `repo`, `read:org`
+  - `method`: The type of data to fetch (string, required)
+  - `owner`: Repository owner (required for all methods) (string, required)
+  - `repo`: Repository name (required for labels, assignees, milestones, branches, issue fields, reviewers) (string, optional)
+
 </details>
 
 <details>
@@ -983,6 +990,7 @@ The following sets of tools are available:
 
 - **issue_write** - Create or update issue/pull request
   - **OAuth Challenge Scopes**: `repo`
+  - **MCP App UI**: `ui://github-mcp-server/issue-write`
   - `assignees`: Usernames to assign to this issue (string[], optional)
   - `body`: Issue body content (string, optional)
   - `duplicate_of`: Issue number that this issue is a duplicate of. Required when state_reason is 'duplicate'. (number, optional)
@@ -1238,6 +1246,7 @@ The following sets of tools are available:
 
 - **create_pull_request** - Open new pull request
   - **OAuth Challenge Scopes**: `repo`
+  - **MCP App UI**: `ui://github-mcp-server/pr-write`
   - `base`: Branch to merge into (string, required)
   - `body`: PR description (string, optional)
   - `draft`: Create as draft PR (boolean, optional)
@@ -1316,6 +1325,7 @@ The following sets of tools are available:
 
 - **update_pull_request** - Edit pull request
   - **OAuth Challenge Scopes**: `repo`
+  - **MCP App UI**: `ui://github-mcp-server/pr-edit`
   - `base`: New base branch name (string, optional)
   - `body`: New description (string, optional)
   - `draft`: Mark pull request as draft (true) or ready for review (false) (boolean, optional)

cmd/github-mcp-server/generate_docs.go

@@ -222,9 +222,7 @@ func writeToolDoc(buf *strings.Builder, tool inventory.ServerTool) {
 		fmt.Fprintf(buf, "  - **OAuth Challenge Scopes**: `%s`\n", strings.Join(scopes, "`, `"))
 	}
 
-	// MCP App UI metadata (only rendered when the remote_mcp_ui_apps flag
-	// applied to the inventory; for the no-flags README this section is
-	// stripped by inventory.ToolsForRegistration before rendering).
+	// MCP App UI metadata.
 	if ui, ok := tool.Tool.Meta["ui"].(map[string]any); ok {
 		if uri, ok := ui["resourceUri"].(string); ok && uri != "" {
 			fmt.Fprintf(buf, "  - **MCP App UI**: `%s`\n", uri)

docs/feature-flags.md

@@ -86,70 +86,6 @@ as output formatting) won't appear here.
 
 <!-- START AUTOMATED FEATURE FLAG TOOLS -->
 
-### `remote_mcp_ui_apps`
-
-- **create_pull_request** - Open new pull request
-  - **OAuth Challenge Scopes**: `repo`
-  - **MCP App UI**: `ui://github-mcp-server/pr-write`
-  - `base`: Branch to merge into (string, required)
-  - `body`: PR description (string, optional)
-  - `draft`: Create as draft PR (boolean, optional)
-  - `head`: Branch containing changes (string, required)
-  - `maintainer_can_modify`: Allow maintainer edits (boolean, optional)
-  - `owner`: Repository owner (string, required)
-  - `repo`: Repository name (string, required)
-  - `reviewers`: GitHub usernames or ORG/team-slug team reviewers to request reviews from (string[], optional)
-  - `title`: PR title (string, required)
-
-- **get_me** - Get my user profile
-  - **MCP App UI**: `ui://github-mcp-server/get-me`
-  - No parameters required
-
-- **issue_write** - Create or update issue/pull request
-  - **OAuth Challenge Scopes**: `repo`
-  - **MCP App UI**: `ui://github-mcp-server/issue-write`
-  - `assignees`: Usernames to assign to this issue (string[], optional)
-  - `body`: Issue body content (string, optional)
-  - `duplicate_of`: Issue number that this issue is a duplicate of. Required when state_reason is 'duplicate'. (number, optional)
-  - `issue_fields`: Issue field values to set or clear. Each item requires 'field_name' and exactly one of 'value', 'field_option_name', or 'delete: true'. (object[], optional)
-  - `issue_number`: Issue number to update (number, optional)
-  - `labels`: Labels to apply to this issue (string[], optional)
-  - `method`: Write operation to perform on a single issue.
-    Options are:
-    - 'create' - creates a new issue.
-    - 'update' - updates an existing issue.
-     (string, required)
-  - `milestone`: Milestone number (number, optional)
-  - `owner`: Repository owner (string, required)
-  - `parent_issue_number`: Issue number of the parent issue. Only used when method is 'create' and cannot be combined with issue_fields. The new issue is created and attached to this parent in the same operation. (number, optional)
-  - `parent_owner`: Repository owner of the parent issue. Must be provided with parent_repo. Omit both to use owner and repo. Only used when method is 'create' and parent_issue_number is provided. (string, optional)
-  - `parent_repo`: Repository name of the parent issue. Must be provided with parent_owner. Omit both to use owner and repo. Only used when method is 'create' and parent_issue_number is provided. (string, optional)
-  - `repo`: Repository name (string, required)
-  - `state`: New state (string, optional)
-  - `state_reason`: Reason for the state change. Ignored unless state is changed. (string, optional)
-  - `title`: Issue title (string, optional)
-  - `type`: Type of this issue. For updates, pass null to remove the current type. Only use if issue types are enabled for this repository. Use list_issue_types to get valid type values for this repository or its owner organization. If the repository doesn't support issue types, omit this parameter. (string | null, optional)
-
-- **ui_get** - Get UI data
-  - **OAuth Challenge Scopes**: `repo`, `read:org`
-  - `method`: The type of data to fetch (string, required)
-  - `owner`: Repository owner (required for all methods) (string, required)
-  - `repo`: Repository name (required for labels, assignees, milestones, branches, issue fields, reviewers) (string, optional)
-
-- **update_pull_request** - Edit pull request
-  - **OAuth Challenge Scopes**: `repo`
-  - **MCP App UI**: `ui://github-mcp-server/pr-edit`
-  - `base`: New base branch name (string, optional)
-  - `body`: New description (string, optional)
-  - `draft`: Mark pull request as draft (true) or ready for review (false) (boolean, optional)
-  - `maintainer_can_modify`: Allow maintainer edits (boolean, optional)
-  - `owner`: Repository owner (string, required)
-  - `pullNumber`: Pull request number to update (number, required)
-  - `repo`: Repository name (string, required)
-  - `reviewers`: GitHub usernames or ORG/team-slug team reviewers to request reviews from (string[], optional)
-  - `state`: New state (string, optional)
-  - `title`: New title (string, optional)
-
 ### `issues_granular`
 
 - **add_issue_comment_reaction** - Add Reaction to Issue or Pull Request Comment

docs/insiders-features.md

@@ -26,70 +26,6 @@ The list below is generated from the Go source. It covers tool **inventory and s
 
 <!-- START AUTOMATED INSIDERS TOOLS -->
 
-### `remote_mcp_ui_apps`
-
-- **create_pull_request** - Open new pull request
-  - **OAuth Challenge Scopes**: `repo`
-  - **MCP App UI**: `ui://github-mcp-server/pr-write`
-  - `base`: Branch to merge into (string, required)
-  - `body`: PR description (string, optional)
-  - `draft`: Create as draft PR (boolean, optional)
-  - `head`: Branch containing changes (string, required)
-  - `maintainer_can_modify`: Allow maintainer edits (boolean, optional)
-  - `owner`: Repository owner (string, required)
-  - `repo`: Repository name (string, required)
-  - `reviewers`: GitHub usernames or ORG/team-slug team reviewers to request reviews from (string[], optional)
-  - `title`: PR title (string, required)
-
-- **get_me** - Get my user profile
-  - **MCP App UI**: `ui://github-mcp-server/get-me`
-  - No parameters required
-
-- **issue_write** - Create or update issue/pull request
-  - **OAuth Challenge Scopes**: `repo`
-  - **MCP App UI**: `ui://github-mcp-server/issue-write`
-  - `assignees`: Usernames to assign to this issue (string[], optional)
-  - `body`: Issue body content (string, optional)
-  - `duplicate_of`: Issue number that this issue is a duplicate of. Required when state_reason is 'duplicate'. (number, optional)
-  - `issue_fields`: Issue field values to set or clear. Each item requires 'field_name' and exactly one of 'value', 'field_option_name', or 'delete: true'. (object[], optional)
-  - `issue_number`: Issue number to update (number, optional)
-  - `labels`: Labels to apply to this issue (string[], optional)
-  - `method`: Write operation to perform on a single issue.
-    Options are:
-    - 'create' - creates a new issue.
-    - 'update' - updates an existing issue.
-     (string, required)
-  - `milestone`: Milestone number (number, optional)
-  - `owner`: Repository owner (string, required)
-  - `parent_issue_number`: Issue number of the parent issue. Only used when method is 'create' and cannot be combined with issue_fields. The new issue is created and attached to this parent in the same operation. (number, optional)
-  - `parent_owner`: Repository owner of the parent issue. Must be provided with parent_repo. Omit both to use owner and repo. Only used when method is 'create' and parent_issue_number is provided. (string, optional)
-  - `parent_repo`: Repository name of the parent issue. Must be provided with parent_owner. Omit both to use owner and repo. Only used when method is 'create' and parent_issue_number is provided. (string, optional)
-  - `repo`: Repository name (string, required)
-  - `state`: New state (string, optional)
-  - `state_reason`: Reason for the state change. Ignored unless state is changed. (string, optional)
-  - `title`: Issue title (string, optional)
-  - `type`: Type of this issue. For updates, pass null to remove the current type. Only use if issue types are enabled for this repository. Use list_issue_types to get valid type values for this repository or its owner organization. If the repository doesn't support issue types, omit this parameter. (string | null, optional)
-
-- **ui_get** - Get UI data
-  - **OAuth Challenge Scopes**: `repo`, `read:org`
-  - `method`: The type of data to fetch (string, required)
-  - `owner`: Repository owner (required for all methods) (string, required)
-  - `repo`: Repository name (required for labels, assignees, milestones, branches, issue fields, reviewers) (string, optional)
-
-- **update_pull_request** - Edit pull request
-  - **OAuth Challenge Scopes**: `repo`
-  - **MCP App UI**: `ui://github-mcp-server/pr-edit`
-  - `base`: New base branch name (string, optional)
-  - `body`: New description (string, optional)
-  - `draft`: Mark pull request as draft (true) or ready for review (false) (boolean, optional)
-  - `maintainer_can_modify`: Allow maintainer edits (boolean, optional)
-  - `owner`: Repository owner (string, required)
-  - `pullNumber`: Pull request number to update (number, required)
-  - `repo`: Repository name (string, required)
-  - `reviewers`: GitHub usernames or ORG/team-slug team reviewers to request reviews from (string[], optional)
-  - `state`: New state (string, optional)
-  - `title`: New title (string, optional)
-
 ### `file_blame`
 
 - **get_file_blame** - Get file blame information
@@ -139,31 +75,6 @@ The list below is generated from the Go source. It covers tool **inventory and s
 
 ---
 
-## MCP Apps
-
-[MCP Apps](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/extensions/apps) is an extension to the Model Context Protocol that enables servers to deliver interactive user interfaces to end users. Instead of returning plain text that the LLM must interpret and relay, tools can render forms, profiles, and dashboards right in the chat using MCP Apps.
-
-This means you can interact with GitHub visually: fill out forms to create issues, see user profiles with avatars, open pull requests — all without leaving your agent chat.
-
-### Supported tools
-
-The following tools have MCP Apps UIs:
-
-| Tool | Description |
-|------|-------------|
-| `get_me` | Displays your GitHub user profile with avatar, bio, and stats in a rich card |
-| `issue_write` | Opens an interactive form to create or update issues |
-| `create_pull_request` | Provides a full PR creation form to create a pull request (or a draft pull request) |
-
-### Client requirements
-
-MCP Apps requires a host that supports the [MCP Apps extension](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/extensions/apps). Currently tested and working with:
-
-- **VS Code Insiders** — enable via the `chat.mcp.apps.enabled` setting
-- **Visual Studio Code** — enable via the `chat.mcp.apps.enabled` setting
-
----
-
 ## CSV output for list tools
 
 CSV output mode returns supported list tool responses as CSV instead of JSON. This is intended to reduce response context for agents when scanning or summarising lists of GitHub data.

docs/server-configuration.md

@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ As an intentional exception, content authored by trusted bot accounts (currently
 
 **Best for:** Users who want early access to experimental features and new tools before they reach general availability.
 
-Insiders Mode unlocks experimental features, such as [MCP Apps](#mcp-apps) support. We created this mode to have a way to roll out experimental features and collect feedback. So if you are using Insiders, please don't hesitate to share your feedback with us! Features in Insiders Mode may change, evolve, or be removed based on user feedback.
+Insiders Mode unlocks experimental features, such as [CSV output for list tools](./insiders-features.md#csv-output-for-list-tools). We created this mode to have a way to roll out experimental features and collect feedback. So if you are using Insiders, please don't hesitate to share your feedback with us! Features in Insiders Mode may change, evolve, or be removed based on user feedback.
 
 <table>
 <tr><th>Remote Server</th><th>Local Server</th></tr>
@@ -402,18 +402,18 @@ See [Insiders Features](./insiders-features.md) for a full list of what's availa
 
 [MCP Apps](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/extensions/apps) is an extension to the Model Context Protocol that enables servers to deliver interactive user interfaces to end users. Instead of returning plain text that the LLM must interpret and relay, tools can render forms, profiles, and dashboards right in the chat.
 
-MCP Apps is enabled by [Insiders Mode](#insiders-mode), or independently via the `remote_mcp_ui_apps` feature flag.
+MCP Apps is enabled by default. Tools with MCP Apps UIs advertise them via `_meta.ui` to clients that support the [MCP Apps extension](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/extensions/apps); the metadata is omitted for clients that do not advertise the `io.modelcontextprotocol/ui` capability.
 
 To keep MCP App result views enabled while making write tools execute directly
-instead of first opening an interactive form, also enable the
-`mcp_apps_disable_form_deferral` feature flag. For the remote server, send both
-flags in the request header:
+instead of first opening an interactive form, enable the
+`mcp_apps_disable_form_deferral` feature flag. For the remote server, send the
+flag in the request header:
 
 ```http
-X-MCP-Features: remote_mcp_ui_apps,mcp_apps_disable_form_deferral
+X-MCP-Features: mcp_apps_disable_form_deferral
 ```
 
-For the local server, pass both flags to `--features`.
+For the local server, pass it to `--features`.
 
 **Supported tools:**
 
@@ -422,47 +422,10 @@ For the local server, pass both flags to `--features`.
 | `get_me` | Displays your GitHub user profile with avatar, bio, and stats in a rich card |
 | `issue_write` | Opens an interactive form to create or update issues |
 | `create_pull_request` | Provides a full PR creation form to create a pull request (or a draft pull request) |
+| `update_pull_request` | Opens an interactive form to edit a pull request |
 
 **Client requirements:** MCP Apps requires a host that supports the [MCP Apps extension](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/extensions/apps). Currently tested with VS Code (`chat.mcp.apps.enabled` setting).
 
-<table>
-<tr><th>Remote Server</th><th>Local Server</th></tr>
-<tr valign="top">
-<td>
-
-```json
-{
-  "type": "http",
-  "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/",
-  "headers": {
-    "X-MCP-Features": "remote_mcp_ui_apps"
-  }
-}
-```
-
-</td>
-<td>
-
-```json
-{
-  "type": "stdio",
-  "command": "go",
-  "args": [
-    "run",
-    "./cmd/github-mcp-server",
-    "stdio",
-    "--features=remote_mcp_ui_apps"
-  ],
-  "env": {
-    "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "${input:github_token}"
-  }
-}
-```
-
-</td>
-</tr>
-</table>
-
 ---
 
 ### Scope Filtering

pkg/github/feature_flags.go

@@ -6,9 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/github/github-mcp-server/pkg/inventory"
 )
 
-// MCPAppsFeatureFlag is the feature flag name for MCP Apps (interactive UI forms).
-const MCPAppsFeatureFlag = "remote_mcp_ui_apps"
-
 // MCPAppsDisableFormDeferralFeatureFlag disables handing write-tool calls off
 // to MCP App forms while preserving MCP Apps UI metadata and result views.
 const MCPAppsDisableFormDeferralFeatureFlag = "mcp_apps_disable_form_deferral"
@@ -47,7 +44,6 @@ const FeatureFlagThreadResolutionReason = "thread_resolution_reason"
 // Only flags in this list are accepted; unknown flags are silently ignored.
 // This is the single source of truth for which flags are user-controllable.
 var AllowedFeatureFlags = []string{
-	MCPAppsFeatureFlag,
 	MCPAppsDisableFormDeferralFeatureFlag,
 	FeatureFlagCSVOutput,
 	FeatureFlagIFCLabels,
@@ -64,7 +60,6 @@ var AllowedFeatureFlags = []string{
 // This is the single source of truth for what "insiders" means in terms of
 // feature flag expansion.
 var InsidersFeatureFlags = []string{
-	MCPAppsFeatureFlag,
 	FeatureFlagCSVOutput,
 	FeatureFlagFileBlame,
 	FeatureFlagIssueDependencies,

pkg/github/feature_flags_benchmark_test.go

@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func featureBenchmarkDistributions() []featureBenchmarkDistribution {
 		{
 			name: "mixed",
 			enabled: map[string]bool{
-				MCPAppsFeatureFlag:           true,
+				FeatureFlagCSVOutput:         true,
 				FeatureFlagFileBlame:         true,
 				FeatureFlagIssuesGranular:    true,
 				FeatureFlagIssueDependencies: true,

pkg/github/feature_flags_test.go

@@ -149,12 +149,12 @@ func TestResolveFeatureFlags(t *testing.T) {
 			name:            "no features, no insiders",
 			enabledFeatures: nil,
 			expectedFlags:   nil,
-			unexpectedFlags: []string{MCPAppsFeatureFlag},
+			unexpectedFlags: []string{FeatureFlagCSVOutput},
 		},
 		{
 			name:            "explicit feature enabled",
-			enabledFeatures: []string{MCPAppsFeatureFlag},
-			expectedFlags:   []string{MCPAppsFeatureFlag},
+			enabledFeatures: []string{FeatureFlagCSVOutput},
+			expectedFlags:   []string{FeatureFlagCSVOutput},
 		},
 		{
 			name:            "MCP Apps form deferral can be disabled directly",
@@ -191,8 +191,8 @@ func TestResolveFeatureFlags(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		{
 			name:            "mix of known and unknown flags",
-			enabledFeatures: []string{MCPAppsFeatureFlag, "unknown_flag"},
-			expectedFlags:   []string{MCPAppsFeatureFlag},
+			enabledFeatures: []string{FeatureFlagCSVOutput, "unknown_flag"},
+			expectedFlags:   []string{FeatureFlagCSVOutput},
 			unexpectedFlags: []string{"unknown_flag"},
 		},
 		{
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ func TestResolveFeatureFlags(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		{
 			name:            "explicit plus insiders deduplicates",
-			enabledFeatures: []string{MCPAppsFeatureFlag},
+			enabledFeatures: []string{FeatureFlagCSVOutput},
 			insidersMode:    true,
 			expectedFlags:   InsidersFeatureFlags,
 		},

pkg/github/issues_test.go

@@ -2216,7 +2216,7 @@ func Test_IssueWrite_MCPAppsFeature_UIGate(t *testing.T) {
 	deps := BaseDeps{
 		Client:         client,
 		GQLClient:      githubv4.NewClient(nil),
-		featureChecker: featureCheckerFor(MCPAppsFeatureFlag),
+		featureChecker: featureCheckerFor(),
 	}
 	handler := serverTool.Handler(deps)