MCP (Model Context Protocol)
Also called Model Context Protocol, MCP server
An open standard that lets AI apps connect to tools and data sources, like a universal plug for AI integrations.
The Model Context Protocol is an open standard, introduced by Anthropic in late 2024 and now supported across many AI products, for connecting AI applications to external tools and data. Instead of every app building custom integrations for every service, a service can offer an MCP server once, and any MCP-compatible app can use it.
An MCP server exposes three main things: tools (actions the model can take, such as creating a ticket), resources (data it can read, such as files or database records), and prompts (reusable templates). An MCP client, built into an AI app such as a chat assistant, coding tool or agent framework, discovers what a server offers and makes it available to the model.
MCP has made it much easier to give AI assistants access to calendars, code repositories, design files, databases and internal systems. That access needs care. Connecting a server gives the model real capabilities, and content returned from servers can contain prompt injection. Use servers from sources you trust, grant the narrowest permissions that work, and review actions before they run.
Example
A developer adds a GitHub MCP server and a database MCP server to their coding assistant. They can then ask, "Find open bugs labelled checkout and check how many orders failed yesterday", and the assistant uses both servers to answer.
Common mistake
Installing MCP servers casually because they are easy to add. Each server can read data or take actions on your behalf. Treat installing one like installing software: check who made it, what it can access, and turn on approval prompts for actions that change things.