The model context protocol (MCP) was introduced by Anthropic as a standard to define tools that can be used by LLMs.
The MCP server allows LLMs to executes code and retrieval relevant information as text.
Architecture
MCP vs tool calling
- In MCP, the host/client application is not defining the tools
- increases safety
MCP vs RAG
MCP is a protocol, i.e., a way of implementing a solution. RAG describes an array of information retrieval techniques. You could build a RAG system that respects the MCP protocol, making it available to all MCP client applications. This convergence would be beneficial to application developers.
For teams, adopting the MCP can reduce the design burden. The capabilities of MCP are flexible and the standardization allows to hide implementation details. Your application can remain modular by implementing several specialized MCP instead of a monolithic server.