What is MCP?
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard introduced by Anthropic in late 2024 for connecting AI models to external tools, data sources, and environments. Think of it as a USB-C port for AI:a universal interface that lets any LLM talk to any service.MCP is to AI tools what HTTP is to the web:a shared protocol that means you build once and work everywhere.
The Problem MCP Solves
Before MCP, every AI integration was custom. Each LLM needed its own glue code to talk to your API. Build one MCP server, and every MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, your own apps) can use it.How MCP Works
MCP has three core primitives:| Primitive | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Tools | Functions the LLM can call | search_products(query), send_email(to, body) |
| Resources | Read-only data the LLM can access | Database schemas, config files, API docs |
| Prompts | Reusable message templates | ”Summarize this document”, “Write a SQL query for…” |
Transport Options
MCP servers communicate with clients using:- stdio: local process communication (fastest, great for dev)
- HTTP/SSE: remote communication over HTTP (great for deployment)
- Streamable HTTP: latest spec for bidirectional streaming
What Can You Build?
AI-Powered APIs
Wrap any REST API, database, or service as an MCP server so LLMs can interact with it naturally.
Workflow Automation
Build multi-step workflows (e-commerce, onboarding, data pipelines) where the AI follows a defined path.
Internal Tools
Give employees an AI assistant that can search docs, query databases, file tickets, and more.
AI-Native Apps
Build applications where the AI is the primary interface, backed by MCP server capabilities.
Why Not Just Use a Plain MCP Server?
Plain MCP servers work great for simple cases. But as your tool count grows, problems emerge:| Problem | What happens | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Context bloat | All tools sent to the LLM every turn | Higher costs, slower responses |
| Wrong tool selection | LLM picks delete_user when it should pick search_user | Dangerous in production |
| No ordering | LLM can call checkout before add_to_cart | Broken workflows |
| No session state | Each tool call is stateless | Can’t build multi-step flows |
What is Concierge?
Learn how Concierge solves these problems →