Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard developed by Anthropic that defines how AI assistants can connect to external data sources and tools. It provides a standardized way for AI applications to access context from various systems without custom integrations for each source.

MCP enables AI assistants to: access files and documents, query databases, interact with APIs, use development tools, and connect to enterprise systems. The protocol defines server and client components that communicate via a well-defined schema, making it easier to build and share integrations.

For AI engineers, MCP represents a shift toward more interoperable AI tooling. Understanding MCP helps with: building extensible AI applications, creating reusable tool integrations, connecting Claude to custom data sources, and participating in the growing ecosystem of MCP-compatible tools and servers.