> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.dephy.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.dephy.io/service-mesh/ai-mcp-services/about-mcp.md).

# About MCP

## What is MCP

MCP is an open protocol that standardizes how applications provide context to LLMs. Think of MCP like a USB-C port for AI applications. Just as USB-C provides a standardized way to connect your devices to various peripherals and accessories, MCP provides a standardized way to connect AI models to different data sources and tools.

## Why MCP?

MCP helps you build agents and complex workflows on top of LLMs. LLMs frequently need to integrate with data and tools, and MCP provides:

* A growing list of pre-built integrations that your LLM can directly plug into
* The flexibility to switch between LLM providers and vendors
* Best practices for securing your data within your infrastructure

> For more info about MCP please visit: <https://modelcontextprotocol.io/introduction>

## Why DePHY for MCP?

In short:

* Hosting MCP servers requires professional prgramming skills
* Running every one of MCP servers locally can cost a lot computer resource
* Hosting unknown MCP servers leads to security problem
* Some services(scraping, searching) need a lot of residential IPs

DePHY Service Mesh provides common MCP servers with one unified endpoint, enabling additional features for your AI clients.