[Anthropic] Introduction to Model Context Protocol

Introducing MCP

• chat interface using llm with github mcp tools

• tool functions
  • to handle all of github’s functionality. we’d have to create an incredible number of tools schemas and functions
    • this is all code that we (developers) have to write test and maintain

  → shifts the burden of tools definition and execution onto MCP servers

• Q&A
  • how is different from just calling a service’s api directly?
    • mcp servers provide tool schema + functions
    • if you want to directly call an API directly, you’ll be authoring those on your own
  • sounds like MCP servers and tool use are the same thing
    • MCP servers provide tool schemas + functions already defined for you (kinda bigger concept)