Model Context Protocol (MCP)#

MCP standardizes how AI models interact with external data sources and tools.

The Architecture#

  • MCP Host: The application running the AI (e.g., Claude Desktop, Cursor).
  • MCP Client: Connects the host to servers.
  • MCP Server: Exposes local tools, files, or APIs to the client securely.

Capabilities#

  1. Resources: Read-only data (files, API responses).
  2. Tools: Executable functions (run scripts, hit APIs).
  3. Prompts: Reusable prompt templates.

MCP allows developers to write a tool once and use it across any compatible AI assistant.