The Laymans Guide to the MCP
This article is for those of you who may have already heard of "MCP", but aren't exactly sure what the fuss is all about.
What is MCP, Really?
The Model Context Protocol (or MCP for short) is a format that standardizes a way in which AI systems (specifically LLMs) can connect with external services, enabling access to tools and data sources in a consistent, reliable way.
By default, LLMs are limited to the functions baked into their environmental toolbox by their creators.
MCP fixes that by being a sort of "universal language" that allows AI systems to understand and interact with external tool or services that follows the protocol, making it possible for LLMs to seamlessly work with a wide range of applications and APIs without needing custom integrations for each one.
Think of it as access to toolbox(es)
You want your AI to be a smart assistant? Well, to really help you out, it needs access to "tools". Basically, things like indexes, weather data, calculators, or file readers.
MCP is what tells the AI:
- What tools it can access
- How to use each one properly
- How to pass information back and forth
A real-world example
Say you ask, “What’s the weather in Tokyo this weekend?”. Without access to a weather index, the AI will either a. scrape web data to give a close-enough answer, or b. make something up.
By giving the AI access to, say, a weather service MCP server, the model is then able to query the data source and provide you with an accurate response.
However, and perhaps more interestingly, MCP servers can come with something called "authorization headers" (ie. sign in with Google) that can allow the AI to do things such as order Uber eats on your behalf!
Why Does this Matter?
Before the MCP standard, developers had to build one-off integrations for every new AI tool. This was time-consuming, potentially expensive, and often a delicate process.
Now, MCP provides a standard interface, which makes it easier for developers to build and scale new tools while keeping things running smoothly, letting AI do more without any extra engineering. In fact, the protocol is so streamlined that virtually anybody can create and setup an MCP connection or server with the multitude of launch services that have emerged on top of the MCP system, such as this API-to-server generator.
Now let's get you get started
Here at mcpservers.com, we've built a registry and trial system from the ground up with a user-centered focus and a mission to achieve: spread the gospel of the MCP and let's make give AI the full power of the human internet.