What MCP is

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The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open protocol that standardises how AI applications connect to external systems. Before MCP, each assistant needed its own custom integration for each data source or tool. MCP offers a shared interface, so one server can serve any compatible client.

The problem it solves

Without a standard, connecting several assistants to several services means building a separate integration for every pair. With a shared protocol, each service implements the protocol once and each client implements it once.

What MCP is not

  • It is not a model. It does not make an assistant smarter by itself.
  • It is not a single product. It is a specification, with SDKs and many independent implementations.
  • It does not decide what is safe. Security depends on how you configure and build the servers and clients.

Where you meet it

You might use MCP through an assistant app that lists connected servers, such as a file store or issue tracker. Or you might build a server that exposes your own internal system.

Check the official MCP documentation and SDK repositories for the current specification version, because the protocol evolves.