MCP Servers: The New Infrastructure for AI Agents

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open source protocol launched by Anthropic in November 2024 that standardizes how AI models access data, tools, and services. MCP servers are becoming as common as web servers — build once, connect every AI. Now governed by the Linux Foundation, MCP is supported by OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and most major AI companies.

Updated: March 2026•8 min read•By Paul Gosnell

What Is MCP?

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open source protocol launched by Anthropic in November 2024. It standardizes how AI models access data, tools, and external services — replacing brittle custom integrations with a universal standard.

MCP became so widely adopted that Anthropic moved it to the Linux Foundation's Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF). Now OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and most major AI companies support it.

Think of MCP like HTTP for AI agents. Just as web servers expose content via HTTP, MCP servers expose tools and data for AI consumption.

Universal

One protocol for all AI agents. Build once, use everywhere.

Open Standard

Linux Foundation governed. Not locked to any vendor.

Growing Ecosystem

Hundreds of pre-built servers. Catalog expanding daily.

Popular MCP Servers

GitHub MCP

Development

100+ tools for repos, PRs, issues, code search

Playwright MCP

Automation

Browser automation and web scraping

Sentry MCP

Monitoring

Real-time error tracking in your editor

Context7 MCP

Documentation

Live documentation fetching

Notion MCP

Productivity

Knowledge base access

Miro MCP

Collaboration

Visual collaboration with AI coding tools

PostgreSQL MCP

Data

Database queries and schema exploration

Slack MCP

Communication

Message search and channel management

Why Build MCP Servers?

Build Once, Use Everywhere

One MCP server works with Claude, GPT, Gemini, and any MCP client

Tool Discovery

AI agents can explore available tools without hardcoded knowledge

Standard Security

Consistent authentication and authorization patterns

Ecosystem Growth

Tap into the growing catalog of pre-built MCP servers

The Shift Is Happening

Azure MCP is now built into Visual Studio 2026. Miro, Notion, GitHub — everyone's shipping MCP servers. Running an MCP server is becoming as fundamental as running a web server.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is MCP (Model Context Protocol)?

MCP is an open source protocol launched by Anthropic in November 2024 that standardizes how AI models access data, tools, and services. It's become the universal method for AI agents to trigger external actions, now governed by the Linux Foundation's Agentic AI Foundation.

What is an MCP server?

An MCP server is a service that exposes tools, data, or capabilities to AI agents via the Model Context Protocol. Think of it like a web server, but for AI - it lets LLMs interact with external systems like databases, APIs, browsers, and more.

Why are MCP servers becoming so popular?

MCP servers solve the integration problem. Instead of building custom API integrations for each AI tool, you build one MCP server and every MCP-compatible AI (Claude, GPT, Gemini) can use it. Running an MCP server is becoming as common as running a web server.

What are some popular MCP servers?

Popular MCP servers include: GitHub MCP (100+ tools for repo management), Playwright MCP (browser automation), Notion MCP (knowledge access), Sentry MCP (error tracking), Context7 MCP (live documentation), and Miro MCP (visual collaboration).

How do I build an MCP server?

You can build MCP servers in Python using FastMCP or in TypeScript using the MCP SDK. Define your tools as functions, expose them via the protocol, and any MCP client can discover and use them.

Is MCP only for Anthropic/Claude?

No. While Anthropic created MCP, it's now an open standard under the Linux Foundation. OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and others have adopted it. Azure MCP is built into Visual Studio 2026, and most major AI tools support MCP.

What's the difference between MCP and regular APIs?

APIs require custom integration code for each AI tool. MCP provides a universal protocol - build once, work everywhere. MCP also includes tool discovery, so AI agents can explore what's available without hardcoded knowledge.

Can you help build MCP servers?

Yes. We help teams design and build MCP servers that expose their internal tools, databases, and services to AI agents. This includes architecture, security, and deployment to production.

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