MCP server
An MCP server is a program or hosted endpoint that exposes tools, resources or prompts to an MCP client.
What it means
An MCP server publishes a list of tools with names, descriptions and input schemas. When the client needs a capability, it sends a tool call to the server and receives a result. A search MCP server exposes tools such as search, fetch or ask. The server does the work, such as querying an index or reading a page, and returns text.
Servers can run on your machine, usually through npx or uvx, or on a vendor's infrastructure at a URL. The choice affects setup, updates and where your key is stored. Read each server's tool list before connecting, because the tool names reveal what the agent will do. A good server also documents its rate limits, error messages and the exact fields in each result, because those details decide how well an agent can recover from a failed call.
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Cite this entry
https://searchmcpserver.com/glossary/mcp-server/