MCP, from first principles to safe production connections
Learn MCP through protocol boundaries, tool design, Python implementations, remote transport, REST APIs, and safe database access.
GUIDE OUTCOME
The goal is not to memorize MCP terminology, but to decide where it belongs, what it should expose, and where control must remain.
- Published articles
- 07
- Planned topics
- 03
LEARNING TRACK
Understand the protocol and its boundaries
Separate MCP from APIs and function calling, then choose between Tools, Resources, and Prompts.
- MCPWhat Is MCP? A Beginner-Friendly Guide to MCP, APIs, and Function CallingA beginner-friendly explanation of the Model Context Protocol, how hosts, clients, and servers work together, how MCP differs from REST APIs and function calling, and when building an MCP server makes sense.
- MCPMCP Tools, Resources, and Prompts: Design Decisions Through a Task Management ServiceThis article distinguishes MCP Tools, Resources, and Prompts by who initiates their use—the model, the application, or the user—rather than simply labeling them as actions, data, and instructions. A task management service illustrates read-only Tools, Resources, Prompt-driven workflows, and model-friendly Tool design.
LEARNING TRACK
Build and connect a minimal server
Expose a Tool with the official Python SDK and verify the stdio lifecycle and client configuration.
- MCPBuild a Minimal MCP Server with the Official Python SDK: Expose a create_task Tool over stdioBuild a practical create_task tool with FastMCP from the official Python MCP SDK. The tutorial covers schema-driven validation, JSON persistence, structured output, ToolError, MCP Inspector, and connecting an AI client over stdio.
- MCPHow to Connect an MCP Server to an AI Client: From stdio Configuration to Tool ExecutionLearn how to connect the Filesystem MCP Server to Claude Desktop while understanding what command, args, and env actually do. The article follows the complete stdio flow—from spawning a child process and initialization to tool discovery, execution, and layered troubleshooting.
LEARNING TRACK
Connect existing systems safely
Move through Streamable HTTP, REST APIs, and databases while accounting for authorization, auditability, and transactions.
- MCPHow to Remote an MCP Server with Streamable HTTP: Python, SSE, and DockerMove a stdio-based MCP server to a Streamable HTTP service that multiple clients can access by URL. This guide covers the Python SDK implementation, sessions, JSON versus SSE responses, Docker, Origin validation, and the distinct roles of CORS, TLS, authentication, and authorization.
- MCPBuild an MCP Server for an Existing REST API: Let AI Manage Tasks with PythonUse a runnable GitHub sample to turn an existing FastAPI task API into an AI-accessible MCP tool with the Python SDK and httpx. The article covers cloning and running the project, schemas, structured output, safe error mapping, stdio, Inspector, Codex, and three-layer pytest coverage.
- MCPBuilding an MCP Server for Databases: Safe CRUD Tools with SQLite and MySQLBuild safe database-backed MCP tools without exposing arbitrary SQL. The implementation combines use-case-specific tools, validation, parameterized queries, least-privilege credentials, transactions, and signed confirmation tokens across SQLite and MySQL.
ROADMAP / NEXT
Planned topics
- Authentication and authorization
- Logs, metrics, and audit trails
- Connection troubleshooting