Concept 09
Model Context Protocol
The open-source standard created by Anthropic that enables AI models to securely and uniformly connect to any external tool - databases, APIs, applications and files - without custom integration code.
The problem MCP solves
One protocol. Infinite connections.
Before MCP, every AI had to be manually connected to each external tool through a custom, one-off integration. 10 tools ร 10 AI models = 100 different integrations to build, maintain and update.
MCP introduces a single standard: any tool implementing the protocol works instantly with any compatible AI model - no custom code, no maintenance overhead, no integration fragility.
The simple analogy
MCP is to AI what USB-C is to devices: a universal port that works with everything. Before MCP, every AI needed a different cable (custom integration) for each service. MCP is the universal connector.
Architecture - the 3 actors
Host Application
Claude, ChatGPT, Make.com - The application that contains the AI
MCP Client (embedded in Host)
MCP Client
Manages all communication with external MCP servers
MCP Protocol (JSON-RPC 2.0 ยท SSE ยท HTTP)
MCP Servers - External Tools
Gmail
Google Drive
Salesforce CRM
GitHub
PostgreSQL
Slack
Web Search
Custom API
Key advantages
Universal Standardization
A single protocol for all integrations. Build an MCP Server once and it works with every compatible AI - no re-integration required.
Security by Design
AI never has direct access to your systems - the MCP server mediates every interaction, enforcing precise access control.
Rapidly Growing Ecosystem
Thousands of open-source MCP Servers available: GitHub, Slack, PostgreSQL, Salesforce, Notion, Jira and many more.
Universal AI Compatibility
Any agent implementing MCP Client can use any MCP Server - no additional custom code required.
Adopted by major AI providers
Anthropic (Claude)OpenAI (ChatGPT)Google (Gemini)
Microsoft (Copilot)Make.com