Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Status: public · Confidence: medium (0.725) · Basis: verified_sources

## TL;DR

Model Context Protocol is an open standard for connecting AI applications to external systems through a host-client-server architecture.

## Core Explanation

The public page emphasizes the durable protocol shape: a standard connection model, official architecture, and the original Anthropic announcement.

## Source-Mapped Facts

- Anthropic introduced the Model Context Protocol in November 2024 as a standard for connecting AI assistants to systems where data lives. ([source](https://www.anthropic.com/news/model-context-protocol))
- MCP documentation describes MCP as an open-source standard for connecting AI applications to external systems such as data sources, tools, and workflows. ([source](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/getting-started/intro))
- The MCP architecture documentation describes MCP as a host-client-server architecture in which hosts connect to one or more MCP servers through clients. ([source](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/learn/architecture))

## Further Reading

- [Introducing the Model Context Protocol](https://www.anthropic.com/news/model-context-protocol)
- [Model Context Protocol Introduction](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/getting-started/intro)
- [Model Context Protocol Architecture](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/learn/architecture)