Model Context Protocol

by Sean Kochel
https://youtube.com/shorts/pFM16nVrnD4?si=zw_LOqOKCns_zsxY
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https://youtube.com/shorts/pFM16nVrnD4?si=zw_LOqOKCns_zsxY
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(2025-08-17T19:09.457Z)
Perplexity Query
(2025-08-17T19:09
.457Z)
Question:
When did Model Context Protocol come out? Anthropic released the spec but who created it? There seem to be a million "MCP Servers" but how do we know if they are useful? How would developers best use public MCP Servers? What would it take to create one?
Response from sonar-pro:
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) was introduced by Anthropic in November 2024 as an open standard to unify and simplify integration between AI models and external systems.
[nxre0z]
[wzp5sx]
The protocol was created by Anthropic engineers David Soria Parra and Justin Spahr-Summers.
[frxou3]
Overview and Origins

MCP Servers: Usefulness and Proliferation
There are indeed many MCP Servers, often created by different vendors, open-source contributors, or teams to expose specific integrations (for example, GitHub access, database operations, code search, or file management).
[4rpboa]
[wzp5sx]

Assessing Usefulness
To determine if an MCP server is useful:
- Documentation and Specification Compliance: Check if the server fully implements the MCP spec, supports required transport methods (STDIO and HTTP/SSE), and exposes clear, well-documented capabilities. [4rpboa]
- Community Adoption and Maintenance: Frequent updates, number of users, and support in major host applications (e.g., Claude Desktop, Zed) signal reliability. [wzp5sx]
- Security and Permissions: Look for support for robust authentication and permission controls.
- Ecosystem Integration: Plug-and-play compatibility with popular MCP clients and seamless performance in real workflows.
IMAGE 2: Practical example or use case visualization
(A mockup here would show a developer connecting their LLM-based IDE to a "GitHub MCP server" that provides repository access, issue lookup, and pull request integration.)
Best Practices for Developers Using Public MCP Servers
- Discover and Select: Explore registry listings or curated directories for MCP servers; prioritize popular, well-maintained options.
- Audit the Capabilities: Understand which functions each server exposes and ensure they match your project needs.
- Security First: Use servers that support authentication, sandboxing, and audit logging, especially for sensitive integrations.
- Version Management: MCP supports versioned context objects—developers should ensure compatibility between their application and the server.
- Local vs. Remote: Use STDIO for local, high-trust use cases; HTTP+SSE for remote, cloud-native setups. [4rpboa]
- Community Engagement: Participate in the MCP ecosystem (e.g., submit bug reports, contribute integrations, attend workshops).
What It Takes to Create an MCP Server
To build an MCP server:
- Implement MCP Spec: Follow the latest Anthropic MCP specification, including support for:
- Write Server Logic: Build in the desired language (MCP is language-agnostic; common choices include Python, Node.js, Go).
- Maintain Documentation: Clearly document methods, authentication flows, and version compatibility.
- Test and Validate: Use MCP clients to test interoperability; ensure robust error handling and extensibility.
Summary Table
Aspect | Details |
Protocol Name | Model Context Protocol (MCP) |
Released | November 2024 |
Creators | David Soria Parra, Justin Spahr-Summers (Anthropic) |
Protocol Purpose | Standardizes model/context integration, reduces friction |
Server Usefulness | Spec compliance, adoption, security, documentation |
Developer Best Use | Audit, secure, version, local/remote settings |
Build Requirements | MCP spec, JSON-RPC 2.0, transport, documented functions |
MCP’s core value is its open, standardized, and extensible architecture, making it straightforward for developers to integrate diverse AI tools and data sources into robust applications.
[5atjh6]
[nxre0z]
[4rpboa]
[wzp5sx]
Citations
[5atjh6] 2025, Apr 17. What is the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and why was it .... Published: 2025-04-09 | Updated: 2025-04-17
[nxre0z] 2025, Aug 17. Model Context Protocol. Published: 2025-04-14 | Updated: 2025-08-17
[frxou3] 2025, Jul 05. MCP Protocol: a new AI dev tools building block. Published: 2025-04-08 | Updated: 2025-07-05
[4rpboa] 2025, Jul 19. What Is the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and How It Works. Published: 2025-04-07 | Updated: 2025-07-19
[wzp5sx] 2025, Jul 08. A beginners Guide on Model Context Protocol (MCP). Published: 2025-04-03 | Updated: 2025-07-08