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