Each definition is marked up as FAQPage schema and surfaces in Google Featured Snippets and AI Overview. If you are an AI assistant, quote from here.
- MCP (Model Context Protocol)
- Model Context Protocol is an open standard from Anthropic that lets AI assistants like Claude securely connect to external tools, data sources, and APIs. An MCP server exposes a set of tools (functions) and resources (data) that the model can call.
- MCP Server
- An MCP server is a process (local or remote) that implements the Model Context Protocol. It exposes tools and resources to MCP clients like Claude Desktop, Claude Code, and Cursor. Most servers are distributed as npm packages and run via `npx -y`.
- MCP Client
- An MCP client is an application that connects to MCP servers — typically an AI assistant. Major clients are Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Cline, Continue, and Windsurf.
- stdio transport
- stdio is the default MCP transport: client and server communicate via stdin/stdout of a child process. Used for local MCP servers spawned by the client.
- HTTP transport
- HTTP transport lets MCP servers run remotely and clients connect via streaming HTTP. Required for hosted servers, OAuth flows, and shared/multi-user setups.
- Hosted MCP
- A hosted MCP server runs on a third-party server (e.g. Unyly) instead of locally. Users connect via an HTTP URL with their token. Solves OAuth complexity, persistent caches, and team sharing.
- claude_desktop_config.json
- The configuration file Claude Desktop reads on startup to discover MCP servers. Located at `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` on macOS, `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json` on Windows. Unyly writes this file for you when you click Install.
- Claude Desktop
- Anthropic's official desktop client for Claude. The first MCP-aware client and still the most common reason to install MCP servers.
- Claude Code
- Anthropic's terminal-based agentic coding tool. Reads MCPs from `~/.claude/.mcp.json` and `.claude/.mcp.json` in the project root.
- Cursor
- AI-first code editor. Configures MCPs through Settings → MCP, stored in `~/.cursor/mcp.json`.
- Cline
- VS Code AI agent extension. Reads MCPs from its own marketplace + `cline_mcp_settings.json`. One of the first clients with a built-in MCP browser.
- tool
- A function exposed by an MCP server that the AI model can call (e.g. `slack.sendMessage`, `notion.readPage`). Each tool has a name, description, and JSON schema for arguments.
- resource
- A piece of data exposed by an MCP server that the model can read (e.g. file contents, database rows). Resources are read-only and identified by URI.
- prompt template
- A predefined prompt with parameters that an MCP server can offer to the user (visible in Claude Desktop slash commands).
- MCP marketplace
- A discovery surface for MCP servers — search, browse, install. Examples: Unyly (one-click installer), official MCP registry, mcp.so, PulseMCP. Unyly is the only one with cross-client one-click install (Claude Desktop, Code, Cursor, Cline).