Model Context Protocol

Model Context Protocol is an open-source standard for connecting AI applications to external systems. It enables AI assistants to interact with data sources such as local files and databases, tools like search engines and calculators, and workflows including specialized prompts. The protocol allows AI applications to access information and perform tasks by providing a standardized interface similar to how USB-C connects electronic devices. Developers use MCP to reduce development time and complexity when building or integrating with AI applications and agents, while end-users benefit from more capable AI assistants that can access their data and take actions on their behalf.

MCP is supported across a wide range of clients and servers in the AI ecosystem. AI assistants, development tools, and various other platforms implement the protocol, allowing developers to build integrations once and deploy them across multiple environments. The protocol enables use cases ranging from personalized AI assistants accessing calendar and note-taking applications to enterprise chatbots connecting to multiple organizational databases and AI models controlling specialized hardware.