MCP
Model Context Protocol
An open protocol for connecting AI applications to external tools data sources and reusable prompts.
Plain English
A standard interface that lets an AI client discover and use outside capabilities.
In context
MCP defines roles and message patterns for hosts clients and servers so integrations can expose contextual resources and actions consistently.
Example
“The internal documentation service is exposed to the assistant through an MCP server.”
When you'll hear this
- AI integration
- tooling design
- platform architecture
Common misunderstanding
MCP standardizes context exchange but does not by itself decide permissions trust boundaries or tool quality.
Also known as
model context protocol
Commonly used by
Related terms
Updated: 2026-08-27
