Test Your MCP Add-ons
You can test your MCP add-on by validating your MCP server in isolation, then testing end-to-end using the web simulator or on a physical Alexa device.
Before you begin
You must deploy your add-on before you can test it. For deployment steps, see Connect your MCP server to Alexa+.
Test your MCP server in isolation
Before testing end-to-end with Alexa+, validate your MCP server independently. Use the standard MCP Inspector to:
- Verify tool schemas by calling
tools/list - Call tools with valid and invalid inputs to test happy paths and error handling
- Test idempotency by repeating calls with the same parameters
- Export interaction traces for review
This catches server-side issues before they interact with Alexa+ routing and orchestration.
Review with the local inspector
Use the Local Inspector to check how your UI renders across Alexa device surfaces. The Local Inspector is a command line tool that connects to your MCP server, calls your tools, and produces a readiness report against the certification checklist — all within your local development environment.
For details, see Local Inspector.
Test your MCP add-on in the web simulator
After you validate your MCP server in isolation, test the full end-to-end experience using the web simulator. The simulator lets you interact with your add-on through text, preview visual responses on simulated device screens, and inspect response details.
For details on how to use the simulator, see Test in the Web Simulator.
Test your MCP add-on on a physical device
You can also route your simulator session to a physical Alexa device for on-device testing. For details, see Test on a physical device.
Related topics
- Certify and Publish Your MCP Add-ons
- Overview
- Create an MCP Add-on
- Alexa+ MCP Client and App Lifecycle
Last updated: Jul 10, 2026
