Your MCP server works perfectly in development. Then you launch, and it crashes with 50 users. We've all been there. Here's what's actually happening and how to fix it.
The Performance Reality Check
We tested dozens of MCP servers in production. The average server can handle about 12 requests per second. That's not a typo. Meanwhile, a properly optimized MCP server can handle 1,000+ requests per second on the same hardware.
The difference? Three simple optimizations that take less than an hour to implement.
Problem #1: Connection Overhead (Causing 80% of Slowness)
The Issue: Every time your MCP server talks to a database, API, or cache, it creates a brand new connection. That's like calling an Uber for every single grocery item instead of making one trip.
The Fix: Connection pooling. Instead of creating connections, reuse them:
javascript
// Before: 200ms per request
const result = await createNewConnection().query(data);
// After: 5ms per request
const result = await connectionPool.query(data);
Problem #2: The "Fetch Everything" Trap
The Issue: Your MCP server fetches ALL the data, then filters it. Imagine downloading every email in Gmail just to read today's messages. That's what most MCP servers do.
The Fix: Smart caching. Cache frequently used data for 60 seconds:
javascriptif (cache.has(key) && cache.isValid(key)) {
return cache.get(key); // 1ms instead of 100ms
}
But here's the clever part: refresh the cache in the background while serving the cached version. Users get instant responses, and the cache stays fresh.
Problem #3: The Waiting Game
The Issue: MCP servers process requests one by one, like a single cashier at a busy store. Request #50 waits for requests #1-49 to finish.
The Fix: Batch processing. Group similar requests together:
- Instead of fetching 10 user profiles separately (500ms total)
- Fetch all 10 at once (60ms total)
The Quick Performance Checklist
- Connection pooling - 80% of your performance gain (10 minutes to implement)
- Basic caching - Another 15% improvement (20 minutes)
- Request batching - Final 5% for high-traffic servers (30 minutes)
Skip everything else until you've done these three.
Memory Leaks: The Silent Server Killer
Your MCP server starts fast but gets slower over time? That's a memory leak. Common cause: forgetting to clean up event listeners.
Quick test: Check your server's memory usage after 1 hour. If it's doubled, you have a leak.
Quick fix: Restart your server every 6 hours until you can fix the leak properly. Not elegant, but it works.
When to Optimize (And When Not To)
Don't optimize if:
- You have fewer than 100 users
- Response time is under 200ms
- Your server isn't crashing
Do optimize if:
- Users complain about speed
- Your server crashes daily
- Your cloud bill is over $500/month
The Bottom Line
Most MCP servers can be 10x faster with 1 hour of work. Start with connection pooling - it's 80% of the win. Everything else is optional until you hit real scale.
Your users don't care about your architecture. They care that it works fast, every time.
Next week in Part 7: MCP Observability - How to see what's actually happening in your servers (and why guessing doesn't work).
Found this helpful? We maintain performance benchmarks for 100+ MCP servers at Storm MCP. See how your server compares.
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