All terms

Glossary

Model Context Protocol

Also: MCP

An open standard through which language models reach tools and data sources: one shared interface instead of one integration per vendor.

Before MCP every tool needed its own connection to every model. The standard inverts that: a server offers tools and resources, any client can use them.

For companies the consequence matters more than the standard itself: the connection to internal systems becomes a reusable component instead of being rebuilt inside every tool.

How you notice it

  • Several AI tools should reach the same internal systems.
  • So far a separate integration was built for every tool.
  • It is unclear who triggers which action on whose behalf.

Frequently asked

What separates a production-ready MCP server from an example?

Four things: permission checks per call on behalf of the requesting user, rate limiting, traceable logging of every tool call, and a cap against loops. The tools themselves are the easy part.

Read moreAgentic coding with spec-driven development