MCP
Also: model context protocol
The Model Context Protocol: an open standard for connecting models to external tools and data through a common interface, so an agent can use many tools without a bespoke integration for each.
MCP, the Model Context Protocol, is an open standard that defines a common way for a model-based application to talk to external tools, data sources, and services. Instead of writing custom glue for every tool, a client speaks MCP and any MCP-compatible server, for a file system, a database, a web search, becomes available to it.
For local AI it matters because it lets a locally-run model plug into the same growing ecosystem of tools as hosted assistants, while keeping the model and data on your own machine. It underpins much of what makes tool use and agents practical. See tool use and MCP.