MCP tool
A server that exposes tools/resources/prompts via the Model Context Protocol (Anthropic 2024). MCP clients (Claude Desktop, Cursor, IDE plugins) connect and get access to tools. Standard interface for LLM tool integration.
MCP-server examples: filesystem (read/write files), GitHub (API access), database (run SQL), Slack (send messages), browser (Playwright control). Local MCP servers run as stdin/stdout processes, remote via HTTP+SSE. Tool definition: name + description + JSON schema. LLM calls tools via a standard protocol regardless of which MCP server provides them. Open registry: glama.ai/mcp/servers — 1000+ community MCP servers 2024-2025. Distinct from function calling: function calling is LLM-vendor-specific, MCP is an open standard. Industry momentum: OpenAI + Google announced MCP support 2025.