What if you don't need MCP at all?

(mariozechner.at)

237 points jdkee | 2 comments | 16 Nov 25 18:58 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source

Show context

upghost ◴[16 Nov 25 23:31 UTC] No.45949444[source]▶

So I don't disagree with any of the criticisms of MCPs but no one here has mentioned why they are useful, and I'm not sure that everyone is aware that MCP is actually just a wrapper over existing cli/API:

1. Claude Code is aware of what MCPs it has access to at all times.

2. Adding an MCP is like adding to the agent's actuators/vocabulary/tools because unlike cli tools or APIs you don't have to constantly remind it what MCPs it has available and "hey you have access to X" and "hey make an MCP for X" take the same level of effort on the part of the user.

3. This effect is _significantly_ stronger than putting info about available API/cli into CLAUDE.md.

4. You can almost trivially create an MCP that does X by asking the agent to create an MCP that does X. This saves you from having to constantly remind an agent it can do X.

NOTE: I cannot stress enough that this property of MCPs is COMPLETELY ORTHOGONAL to the nutty way they are implemented, and I am IN NO WAY defending the implementation. But currently we are talking past the primary value prop.

I would personally prefer some other method but having a way to make agents extensible is extremely useful.

EXAMPLE:

"Make a bash script that does X."

"Now make an MCP called Xtool that uses X."

replies(6): >>45949541 #>>45949725 #>>45950200 #>>45950221 #>>45950253 #>>45950288 #

1. redhale ◴[17 Nov 25 01:50 UTC] No.45950200[source]▶

>>45949444 #

> 3. This effect is _significantly_ stronger than putting info about available API/cli into CLAUDE.md.

What? Why?

> unlike cli tools or APIs you don't have to constantly remind it what MCPs it has available

I think I'm missing something, because I thought this is what MCP does, literally. It just injects the instructions about what tools it has and how to use them into the context window. With MCP it just does it for you rather than you having to add a bit to your CLAUDE.md. What am I misunderstanding?

replies(1): >>45957737 #

2. cstrahan ◴[17 Nov 25 20:13 UTC] No.45957737[source]▶

>>45950200 (TP) #

You are correct.

I think many here have no idea what exactly MCP is, and think it's some sort of magic sauce that transcends how LLMs usually work.

    “But Brawndo has what plants crave! It's got electrolytes! '...Okay - what are electrolytes? Do you know? Yeah. It's what they use to make Brawndo.' But why do they use them in Brawndo? What do they do?''They're part of what plants crave.'But why do plants crave them?'Because plants crave Brawndo, and Brawndo has electrolytes.”
    ― Idiocracy Movie

↑