Understanding the Model Context Protocol (MCP): A New Standard for AI Integration
What is MCP? The Model Context Protocol (MCP) lets you build servers that expose data and functionality to LLM applications in a secure, standardized way. Think of it like a web API, but specifically designed for LLM interactions. MCP servers can: Expose data through Resources (think of these sort of like GET endpoints; they are used to load information into the LLM’s context) Provide functionality through Tools (sort of like POST endpoints; they are used to execute code or otherwise produce a side effect) Define interaction patterns through Prompts (reusable templates for LLM interactions) And more! Why MCP? MCP helps you build agents and complex workflows on top of LLMs. LLMs frequently need to integrate with data and tools, and MCP provides: ...