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[Online][Series] MCP 101: Understanding the Model Context Protocol
Model Context Protocol (MCP) is changing how AI models connect to tools, data, and real-world environments - in a clean, consistent, and scalable way.
In this opening session, we’ll unpack what MCP is, why it exists, and where it fits in the modern AI stack. Whether you’re brand new to MCP or just MCP-curious, you’ll leave with a clear mental model of the key building blocks (clients, servers, resources, tools) and how context flows end-to-end.
This session is designed to set the foundation for everything that follows - with practical examples and real-world use cases to make the concepts click.
Outline
What problem MCP solves (and why it matters now)
MCP vs traditional tool integrations
Core concepts - clients, servers, resources, and tools
How context flows in MCP (the end-to-end mental model)
Real-world use cases and examples
What we’ll build in the next sessions
What’s next
And the fun doesn’t end here - we’ve got more MCP sessions coming up:
Session 2: Hands-On MCP - Building Your Own MCP Server
Session 3: Production MCP - Deployment, Versioning & Monitoring