What is MCP? A Developer's Guide to Model Context Protocol
March 10, 2026 · 1 min read
TL;DR
- MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard for connecting AI applications to external data sources, tools, and workflows
- MCP servers expose capabilities through tools, resources, and prompts that AI clients can discover and use
- Transport options include local stdio for desktop use and HTTP-based protocols for remote servers
What is MCP?
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that defines how AI applications connect to external data sources, tools, and workflows. Think of it as a universal adapter between AI assistants and the systems developers use every day.
How MCP Works
An MCP server exposes three types of capabilities to AI clients:
- Tools — Functions the AI can call (e.g., read a file, run a query)
- Resources — Data the AI can access (e.g., file contents, database schemas)
- Prompts — Pre-built prompt templates for common tasks
Getting Started
The fastest way to try MCP is with Claude Desktop and a local filesystem server. See our setup guides for step-by-step instructions.