What is Model Context Protocol?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard developed by Anthropic that enables AI assistants to securely connect with external data sources and tools. Think of it as a universal adapter that allows AI models like Claude to interact with your databases, APIs, file systems, and other services.

The Problem MCP Solves

Before MCP, connecting AI assistants to external systems required:

• Custom API integrations for each service
• Repeated implementation of similar patterns
• Security concerns with direct API access
• No standardized way to expose data to AI

MCP provides a standardized protocol that solves all these problems.

How MCP Works

MCP follows a client-server architecture:

Component	Role
MCP Host	The AI application (Claude Desktop, Cursor, etc.)
MCP Client	Protocol handler within the host
MCP Server	Your service that exposes tools/resources

┌─────────────┐     ┌────────────┐     ┌─────────────┐
│   Claude    │────▶│ MCP Client │────▶│ MCP Server  │
│  (Host)     │◀────│            │◀────│ (Your Code) │
└─────────────┘     └────────────┘     └─────────────┘

What MCP Servers Can Expose

MCP servers can provide three types of capabilities:

1. Tools - Functions the AI can call (search database, send email)
2. Resources - Data the AI can read (files, database records)
3. Prompts - Reusable prompt templates

Real-World Examples

• GitHub MCP Server: Search repos, create issues, manage PRs
• Slack MCP Server: Send messages, search channels
• Database MCP Server: Query and update database records
• File System MCP Server: Read/write local files

In the next lesson, we'll explore MCP's architecture in detail. :::