What is the Model Context Protocol (MCP)?

The problem MCP solves

AI models are far more useful when they can act on the outside world: read files, query databases, generate media, call services. The challenge was that every integration was bespoke. MCP fixes this with one protocol, often described as a USB-C port for AI: a single standard connector instead of a different cable for every device.

An MCP client (the AI app) connects to an MCP server (the capability provider) and the two speak the same language regardless of who built them.

Clients and servers

On the client side are tools like Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, Zed, and VS Code. On the server side is anything an agent might want to use: file systems, GitHub, Slack, databases, and creative tools like the AetherWave MCP server for music, image, and video generation.

Because MCP is open, the ecosystem grows quickly: a new server is instantly usable by every existing client, and a new client immediately works with every existing server.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who created MCP?

Anthropic introduced the Model Context Protocol in November 2024 and released it as an open standard, which has since been adopted broadly across AI coding tools and assistants.

Is MCP only for Claude?

No. MCP is an open protocol. While Anthropic created it, MCP servers and clients are used across many AI tools including Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, and others.