MCP
What does the acronym MCP stand for?
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❏ Machine Context Protocol
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✓ Model Context Protocol
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❏ Mutual Creative Processing
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❏ Multi-Agent Cross Pollination
Hint
The MCP is an open protocol that enables agents and AI applications to work together in a standardized way, providing context to Large Language Models (LLMs).
Solution
MCP stands for Model Context Protocol.
MCP Servers
Which of the following options does an MCP server provide? Select all options that apply.
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❏ Model Suggestions
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✓ Prompt Templates
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✓ Resources
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✓ Tools
Hint
Recall that MCP servers provide more than just tools - they offer three categories of artifacts that can be used by a host to help accomplish tasks.
Solution
The correct answers are:
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Prompt Templates - Pre-written prompts that follow best practices
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Resources - Read-only data that can be consumed by clients
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Tools - Capabilities that can be used to perform specific actions
Model Suggestions are not a standard capability provided by MCP servers.
MCP Tools
What are the required components of an MCP tool? Select all that apply.
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✓ A description of when to use the tool
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❏ A minimum memory requirement
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✓ A unique identifier
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❏ A license key
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✓ A list of parameters
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❏ A version number
Hint
Recall that MCP tools need specific metadata to be properly defined and used. Think about what information is essential for a tool to be usable.
Solution
The correct answers are:
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A unique identifier - Each tool must have a unique name to be referenced.
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A description of when to use the tool - Helps users understand the tool’s purpose.
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A list of parameters - Defines what inputs the tool accepts.
Version numbers, license keys, and memory requirements are not standard requirements for MCP tools.
Summary
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) consists of several key elements:
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Servers - Provide capabilities through tools, resources, and prompt templates in a client-server architecture
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Clients - Manage one-to-one connections to servers and request available tools, resources, and prompt templates
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Hosts - Applications (like Claude Desktop, Amazon Q, or Cursor) that maintain session state, manage clients, and decide which tools to use
In the next lesson, you will learn how to install your first MCP server.