What Is the Model Context Protocol?
MCP is an open standard that gives agents and LLMs a uniform interface to tools and data, eliminating the fragmented glue code that has made agentic integrations hard to build and maintain.
MCP Basics
Learn the Model Context Protocol from first principles - what it is, its three core primitives, how the client/server model works, and when to use it for infrastructure automation.
17 minutes read
Categories:
Tools, Resources, and Prompts
MCP defines three primitives - tools, resources, and prompts - that together cover the full range of what an agent needs to interact with an external system.
MCP Clients and Servers
MCP uses a client/server model where the agent acts as a client connecting to one or more servers that expose capabilities - understanding this split is fundamental to designing safe, composable integrations.
When to Use MCP for Infrastructure
MCP is the right integration layer when multiple agents need consistent, auditable access to infrastructure capabilities - understanding where it fits versus simpler alternatives prevents over-engineering.