MCP and Connectors
Connectors give Claude access to external services. MCP, short for Model Context Protocol, is a standard used to connect AI applications with tools and data.
These terms overlap: a connector can be backed by MCP.
What MCP provides
An MCP server can expose:
- Tools: actions such as searching pages or creating a record.
- Resources: data the application can read.
- Prompts: reusable interaction templates.
The server’s implementation and your permissions determine what is actually available. See the MCP architecture.
Example
For competitor research, a connected workspace might let Claude read your existing notes and save a draft comparison.
The connection supplies access. Your brief and Skills supply the method.
Start small
- Connect the service where your source material lives.
- Confirm the correct account and workspace.
- Test a read operation on a known item.
- Enable write access only when the workflow needs it.
Ask Claude what tools it can actually use before designing a workflow around them. Connecting an app does not guarantee access to every app feature.
Claude Code also supports configured MCP servers. Setup depends on the server; follow its verified instructions and Claude Code’s MCP documentation.
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