What is MCP (Model Context Protocol)?

MCP is the standard way to plug apps and data into AI assistants like Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor, so they can act on your real work.

Plugs: 6; listed

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets AI apps like Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor connect to other software. A small program called an MCP server gives the AI tools it can use, such as reading your Notion pages or opening a pull request on GitHub.

Also called MCP, Model Context Protocol, MCP server, MCP meaning.

MCP stands for Model Context Protocol. It is a shared set of rules, so any AI app that speaks MCP can use any tool that speaks MCP, the way any USB-C cable fits any USB-C port.

There are three parts, and the names trip people up:

MCP host: the AI app you use, like Claude Desktop, Claude Code, ChatGPT, Cursor or VS Code.
MCP server: a program that gives the AI tools and data from one service. The Notion MCP server lets the AI search and edit your pages. The GitHub MCP server lets it read code and open pull requests.
MCP client: the connector inside the host that talks to one server. The host makes one client per server, so you never set it up yourself.

A server can run in two places. A local server runs on your own computer, like the Playwright server that opens a browser on your machine. A remote (hosted) server runs on the vendor's side and you add it with a web address and a sign-in, like Linear or Atlassian.

A server can offer three kinds of things. Tools are actions the AI can take, like "create issue" or "run SQL query". Resources are data it can read, like a file or a database schema. Prompts are ready-made instructions the server ships with.

Anthropic released MCP as open source in November 2024. In December 2025 it donated MCP to the Agentic AI Foundation, part of the Linux Foundation, so no single company owns it.

Related:Tool calling (function calling)APIAgent skills MCP connectorCLI tools for agentsAgent2Agent protocol (A2A)

MCP is a common plug that lets an AI assistant use other software. You add an MCP server for an app, and the assistant can then look things up and take actions there, like filing a Linear issue or querying a Supabase database. The one thing to know first: a server can do whatever its account can do, so connect it with the narrowest access you can.

Most people never touch the protocol itself. In Claude and ChatGPT you add a hosted server by its web address and sign in. In Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code you can also run local servers from a short config entry. Each tool call is shown to you, and many clients ask before running one.

Good for

Anyone who wants Claude or ChatGPT to read and update the apps they already use
Developers who want Claude Code, Cursor or VS Code to work with GitHub, databases and browsers
Teams deciding which AI integrations are safe to turn on
Builders who want one integration that works in many AI apps

Comparison

Use a hosted server when the app offers one, since you only sign in. Use a local server when the AI needs your own files, browser or programs.

Option	Runs on	Setup	Works in	Can reach
Local server	Your computer	Config file	Desktop and coding apps	Your files, programs
Remote server	Vendor's cloud	Web address, sign-in	Web, desktop, mobile	Your online account

Code

claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
        "/Users/username/Desktop",
        "/Users/username/Downloads"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Runs the reference filesystem server with access to two folders. Replace username with your own.

Related plugs

Often compared with

API
CLI tools for agents
Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
Agent2Agent protocol (A2A)
Agent skills
Agent Client Protocol (ACP)
Tool calling (function calling)

Questions

What does MCP stand for?

Model Context Protocol. It is an open standard for connecting AI apps to outside tools and data, first released by Anthropic in November 2024.

What is an MCP server?

A program that gives an AI app tools and data from one service. The Stripe MCP server, for example, lets Claude or ChatGPT look up customers and create refunds in your Stripe account. It can run on your computer (local) or on the vendor's side (remote).

What is the difference between an MCP host, client and server?

The host is the AI app you use, like Claude Desktop or Cursor. The server is the program that offers tools for one service. The client is the link the host opens to each server, one per server, and the host manages it for you.

Is MCP the same as an API?

No. An API is how one program talks to one service, and every API is different. MCP is one shared format that AI apps understand, and many MCP servers are a thin layer over a service's API. See MCP vs API for more.

Does ChatGPT support MCP?

Yes. You can add a remote MCP server in ChatGPT, and it shows up as a plugin you can use in chats. ChatGPT reaches the server over the internet, so it needs a public web address or OpenAI's Secure MCP Tunnel.

Is MCP free?

Yes. The protocol and its official SDKs are open source, and Anthropic gave MCP to the Linux Foundation's Agentic AI Foundation in December 2025. A given server may still need a paid account with the service behind it.

Is MCP safe?

It is as safe as the server you connect and the access you give it. A server acts with your account's permissions, and text it reads can try to trick the AI (prompt injection). Use official servers, give the smallest access that works, and read each action before you approve it. See our security guide.

Do I need to code to use MCP?

No. In Claude you add a connector from the directory or paste a server address under Connectors, then sign in. Running a local server in Claude Desktop means editing one small JSON file, which the example on this page shows.

What is the difference between a local and a remote MCP server?

A local server runs on your computer and can reach your files and programs, like Playwright driving your browser. A remote server runs at the vendor and you sign in to it, like Notion. Remote servers work in web and mobile apps; local ones need a desktop or coding app.

How are MCP and Agent Skills different?

MCP connects the AI to outside tools and data. An Agent Skill is a folder of instructions and scripts that teaches the AI how to do a task. They work together: a skill can tell Claude how to use an MCP server well.

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 9

What is the Model Context Protocol (MCP)? · modelcontextprotocol.io
Architecture overview · modelcontextprotocol.io
Introducing the Model Context Protocol · anthropic.com
Donating MCP to the Agentic AI Foundation · anthropic.com
Use connectors to extend Claude's capabilities · support.claude.com
Add custom MCP server · developers.openai.com
Connect to local MCP servers · modelcontextprotocol.io
Connect your plugin to ChatGPT · developers.openai.com
Agent Skills · platform.claude.com