Since its release as an open standard, MCP has grown a broad ecosystem.
SDKs
Official and community SDKs exist for many languages, handling protocol details so developers can focus on tools and data.
Hosts
Chat assistants, IDEs, coding agents, desktop applications and agent frameworks act as MCP hosts. Support for specific features — transports, sampling, elicitation — varies by host.
Servers
Thousands of servers exist, from official integrations maintained by software vendors to community projects. Categories include developer tools, databases, file systems, productivity apps, browsers and cloud platforms.
Registries
Directories and registries help people find servers. Listing in a registry isn't a security endorsement.
Assessing a Server
- Who maintains it — the vendor or an unknown party?
- Is the source available and actively maintained?
- What permissions and credentials does it need?
- Does it have write or destructive tools?
- How does it handle authentication and data?
Governance
The protocol is developed in the open with a published specification and versioning. Check which specification version your hosts and servers support, as features evolve.