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What is MCP? The Model Context Protocol Explained

MCP is the new standard that lets AI assistants connect to any tool or data source. Here's everything you need to know.

MCPHub Team2025-06-15 6 min read

What is MCP?


The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard created by Anthropic that defines how AI assistants like Claude communicate with external tools, APIs, and data sources. Think of it as a universal adapter — like USB-C for AI.


Before MCP, every AI integration was custom-built. Want Claude to read your files? Write a custom tool. Want it to query a database? Another bespoke integration. MCP standardizes all of this.


How MCP Works


MCP follows a client-server architecture:


  • MCP Client: The AI assistant (e.g., Claude Desktop, Cursor, your custom app)
  • MCP Server: A lightweight process that exposes tools, resources, and prompts

    • When you install an MCP server, the AI can discover its capabilities automatically and call tools by name — no custom glue code required.


    Why MCP Matters


    For Developers

  • Build once, works everywhere (any MCP-compatible AI)
  • Standardized error handling and streaming
  • Official SDKs for Python, TypeScript, Go, and more
  • Growing ecosystem with 1000+ community servers

    • For AI Users

  • Install servers from a growing marketplace
  • Mix and match capabilities
  • No vendor lock-in
  • Privacy-first (servers run locally by default)

    • The MCP Ecosystem Today


    As of 2025, MCP has been adopted by:

  • Anthropic (Claude Desktop, Claude API)
  • Microsoft (Copilot, GitHub Copilot)
  • Google (Gemini)
  • Cursor, Zed, Continue (code editors)
  • Hundreds of tool providers (Cloudflare, Stripe, Vercel, etc.)

    • Getting Started


    1. Install Claude Desktop

    2. Pick a server from MCPHub

    3. Follow the install command

    4. Restart Claude Desktop — your new tools appear automatically


    That's it. No configuration files, no API keys (unless the service needs one), no code.


    The Future


    MCP is rapidly becoming the standard for AI tool integration. Major cloud providers, IDEs, and SaaS platforms are all building MCP servers. The protocol is also expanding with new primitives like sampling (AI-to-AI communication) and roots (scoped filesystem access).


    Browse the full directory at MCPHub to find servers for your workflow.

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