Tools for Your LLM: a Deep Dive into MCP

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a standardized protocol that allows Large Language Models (LLMs) to use external tools, turning them into agents capable of retrieving live information or performing actions. An MCP server is a program that implements the protocol, exposing functions that an LLM client can call based on structured JSON messages. The content demonstrates building a simple server in Python to allow an LLM to query movie times and make reservations, highlighting its use for accessing live data or internal systems. However, using MCP introduces significant security risks, as a malicious tool could gain access to a user's system, and it can also lead to increased token usage and latency. While powerful for creating more capable AI assistants, developers must weigh these trade-offs and use MCP with caution.