MCP & Tool Protocols
Tool registry
A catalog of tools available for an AI system to discover or invoke.
Example
A registry lists the tools available from all connected MCP servers.
Why it matters
It gives an application a manageable inventory of available capabilities.
You'll hear it
“Which tools are actually available in this session?”
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 listing a tool grant permission to run it?
- Not necessarily. Access and approvals can be handled separately.
- Can an outdated registry cause failures?
- Yes. It may advertise tools or versions that no longer work.
- Can two tools have confusingly similar names?
- Yes. Clear descriptions help distinguish their purposes and consequences.