MCP & Tool Protocols
Protocol
An agreed set of rules that systems use to communicate with each other.
Example
Client and server follow the same protocol for requests, results, and errors.
Why it matters
It reduces ambiguity about how connected systems should exchange messages.
You'll hear it
“They use the same protocol, but different supported versions.”
Can you control it?
Set by the team
The people building or running the AI choose this setup. An everyday user generally needs their help to change how this part works.
Common questions
- Does a shared protocol guarantee trustworthy content?
- No. Agreement on communication rules does not establish honesty or accuracy.
- Can a protocol allow optional features?
- Yes. Implementations may support different subsets of capabilities.
- Does the protocol determine the business purpose?
- No. The same communication rules can support many different applications.