Understanding MCP

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open protocol that enables seamless integration between LLM applications and external data sources and tools.

What is MCP? MCP provides a standardized way for AI assistants like Claude to connect with external systems. Think of it as a universal adapter that lets Claude interact with databases, APIs, file systems, and more.

Architecture MCP follows a client-server architecture:

• MCP Hosts: Programs like Claude Desktop that want to access data through MCP
• MCP Clients: Protocol clients that maintain 1:1 connections with servers
• MCP Servers: Lightweight programs that expose data and functionality via the protocol

Key Capabilities

• Resources: Expose data and content from your systems
• Tools: Provide executable functions that Claude can call
• Prompts: Define reusable prompt templates and workflows
• Sampling: Allow servers to request LLM completions through the client