Model Context Protocol (MCP) standardizes how large language models (LLMs) and AI applications or agents connect to external data sources. MCP servers let you use their tools, resources, and prompts to take actions and get updated data from their backend service.
What's the difference between local and remote MCP servers?
- Local MCP servers
- Typically run on your local machine and use the standard input and output streams (stdio) for communication between services on the same device.
- Remote MCP servers
- Run on the service's infrastructure and offer an HTTP endpoint to AI applications for communication between the AI MCP client and the MCP server. For more information about MCP architecture, see MCP architecture.
What's next
- Learn how to use Knowledge Catalog local MCP server.
- Learn how to use Knowledge Catalog remote MCP server.
- Try Knowledge Catalog use cases.