---
title: Introduction to MCP
slug: introduction-to-mcp
description: Discover Model Context Protocol (MCP) with Make: how it works, benefits, key concepts, and MCP options.
image: https://archbee-image-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/oAyFj2GHlBeBVWF5OAir2/gCXC_7mtkmW6Sg6myTKbR_8.png
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-02-03T09:05:13.069Z
---

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a protocol that helps AI and external systems communicate easily and securely. 

Make MCP server is Make's own MCP server that connects Make to AI. Once connected, they build on each other's strengths: Make gives AI access to its large network of connections to third-party services and data, while AI intelligently chooses the right Make resource for each task.  

## Benefits of using MCP

MCP offers several benefits, both in general and when used with Make through Make MCP server. 

**Benefits of MCP**

- Extend what AI can do for you and what it knows with external tools and resources
- One universal connection to any tool or data source 
- Give AI real-time access to external data beyond its training data
- Allow AI to perform specific actions for you in external systems based on requests

**Benefits of Make MCP server**

- Use one MCP server to access a wide range of tools instead of multiple servers
- Gain visibility into the tools that AI uses, with all tool runs visible in Make 
- Use tools that you built in Make  to help AI perform specific tasks, so you control the tools used and support reliable and cost-effective AI decision-making

## Key concepts

In the context of Make, MCP uses these core concepts:

- **MCP client:** AI applications and coding tools, such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Cursor, that call MCP tools using MCP. 
- **MCP tools: **The tools available on an MCP server that MCP clients use to perform actions, for example, listing and adding customers in a CRM system. In Make, MCP tools are active, on-demand scenarios and other elements of your Make account.
- **MCP server**: Programs that provide MCP tools, resources, and prompts to MCP clients. 
- **MCP resources:** Static files, such as text, images, and video, that an MCP server shares with the MCP client to reference. 
- **Make MCP server**: Make acting as a server that exposes MCP tools to MCP clients.
- **Scenario: **The automated workflow that you build in Make. 
- **Transport method**: The format for exchanging data between MCP servers and clients, for example, Streamable HTTP and Server-Sent-Events (SSE). 
- **Connection method**: The method used to securely authenticate connections to an MCP server, for example, OAuth or MCP tokens. 

## How MCP works with Make 

Once you connect MCP clients like Claude to Make, your scenarios and other Make resources are available as callable tools. When you send an MCP client a request, the MCP client reviews tools, chooses the right one based on its name and description, runs the tool, and retrieves the outputs. 

## Options for using MCP with Make 

You have two ways to use MCP with Make: **Make MCP server **and** MCP toolboxes**.

### Make MCP server

[Make MCP server](docId:95jjtReuq1qmRYiBxVBkX) connects Make to MCP clients to allow clients to perform actions for you. It provides access to both **scenario run **tools and **management **tools. There is no option to limit MCP client access to a specific set of scenarios or give access to other users. 

Use it when you want to:

- Run scenarios and manage your Make account from a MCP client
- Set up quickly without the need to restrict the available tools 

### MCP toolboxes

[MCP toolboxes](docId\:JqY6i5aCFIm-kOm9ERv7A) are dedicated Make MCP servers that consist of a specific set of scenarios used as tools. With easy tool selection and the option to generate multiple keys, they're ideal when different clients need different sets of tools. 

Use it when you want to: 

- Control which tools are available to MCP clients
- Securely share different tool sets with team members and clients

To get started, refer to the documentation of the MCP feature that best suits your needs.