// ⌘ Agents & Tool Use

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

An open protocol connecting AI apps to external tools and data.

模型上下文协议 MCP 2024 Foundational core

IN PLAIN WORDS

A USB-C port for AI: implement a tool once as an MCP server and any MCP client can use it. Built on JSON-RPC with tools, resources and prompts. Released by Anthropic in Nov 2024.

Used in: Clients such as Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code

TIMELINE · prerequisites → this → what builds on it

2023 Function Call…2024 Model Context Pro…

01Original paper

Introducing the Model Context Protocol (Anthropic)

Anthropic · 官方公告 · 2024

Open ↗ ✓ Verified · 官方页面 HTTP/WebFetch 核实

02Where it sits

Learn the left column first; the right column builds on this one.

Learn first

Function Calling / Tool Use

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Then you can learn

Nothing in the atlas builds on it yet

Related:ReAct (Reason + Act)

Left: prerequisites · right: builds on this · dashed: related. Full map →

03Learning resources

Official docs, explainers, courses and reference code. All links checked.

Official docs

04Where the course teaches it

U82 Agents: Tool Use, MCP, Planning & Memory ReAct, function calling, MCP, reflection, memory, multi-agent systems, computer use and sandboxes. 12 h10 algorithms4 paperslesson ready

On learning paths:AI Application Engineer

For AI / data

Verification: verified, checked 2026-10-21.
JSON: /api/learn/algorithms.json (id: mcp)