# MCP (Model Context Protocol)

> An open protocol created by Anthropic that standardizes how AI assistants connect to external data sources and tools.

Category: Architecture

Source: https://chipp.ai/ai/glossary/mcp-model-context-protocol

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open protocol created by Anthropic that standardizes how AI assistants and agents connect to external data sources, tools, and systems. Think of it as a universal adapter that allows any AI model to work with any external service through a consistent interface.

Before MCP, each AI application had to build custom integrations for every tool and data source. MCP provides a standard way to: discover available tools (what can the AI do?), describe tool capabilities (what parameters does each tool accept?), execute tool calls (run the tool and get results), and manage context (share relevant information with the AI).

MCP architecture includes: MCP servers (expose tools and resources to AI systems), MCP clients (AI applications that consume tools), transport layer (communication protocol between clients and servers), and tool definitions (standardized descriptions of available capabilities).

For AI agent builders, MCP is significant because it creates an ecosystem of reusable tools. Instead of building custom integrations from scratch, builders can connect their agents to pre-built MCP servers for popular services like Asana, Fireflies, GitHub, and more.

On Chipp, Pro Actions use MCP to give AI agents access to external tools. Builders can connect to existing MCP servers or build custom ones, enabling their agents to take actions in any connected system during conversations.

## Related Terms

- [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://chipp.ai/ai/glossary/mcp-protocol.md): An open protocol standardizing how AI assistants connect to external data sources and tools through a universal interface.
- [Function Calling](https://chipp.ai/ai/glossary/function-calling.md): The ability of AI models to identify when a conversation requires calling an external function or API, and to generate the structured parameters needed to make that call.
- [API](https://chipp.ai/ai/glossary/api.md): Application Programming Interface — a set of rules allowing different software applications to communicate and exchange data.
- [AI Agents](https://chipp.ai/ai/glossary/ai-agents.md): Autonomous AI systems that can perceive their environment, make decisions, and take actions to achieve specific goals.

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This term is part of the [Chipp AI Glossary](https://chipp.ai/ai/glossary), a reference of AI concepts written for builders and businesses.

Build AI agents with no code at https://chipp.ai.