What the Model Context Protocol (MCP) is and how to install your first server
A clear explanation of the Model Context Protocol (MCP): what it is, why they call it the USB-C of AI, the 10 essential servers, and how to install the first one in 5 minutes.
Direct answer: The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard from Anthropic that connects AI models with external tools and data: files, GitHub, Notion, databases, or browsers. It is installed by configuring an MCP server in the client (Claude, Claude Code, Codex, or Cursor), and the recommended first ones are filesystem or github, ready in under 5 minutes.
MCP, the USB-C of artificial intelligence
Before MCP, connecting a model to a tool required custom development for every model-tool combination. MCP standardizes it: any server speaking the protocol works with any client supporting it. That's why it's called the USB-C of AI: a universal connector for context.
The protocol is open and already supported by Claude, Claude Code, OpenAI Codex CLI, Cursor, Windsurf, and dozens more clients. This means a PackIA MCP guide serves you for all your tools, not just one.
The 10 MCP servers I would install first
From our analysis of verified repositories, these are the servers with the most immediate return: filesystem (access to your files), github (issues, PRs, and repos), playwright (browser automation), context7 (up-to-date library documentation), supabase (databases), notion, slack, postgres, fetch (web), and memory (persistent memory across sessions).
The official servers from the modelcontextprotocol project are the most stable and audited. The community ones we curate in the packs pass an activity, stars, and recent maintenance filter before entering a guide.
- filesystem and github: the essentials for any developer
- playwright: turns Claude into an autonomous browser
- context7: stops the model from inventing obsolete APIs
- memory: gives continuity to your projects across sessions
Install your first MCP server in 5 minutes
In Claude Desktop: Settings → Developer → Edit configuration, and add the server in claude_desktop_config.json with its npx command. In Claude Code: claude mcp add server-name -- command. The filesystem server, for example, only needs the npx executable and the path of the folder you want to share.
Typical mistakes: not having Node.js installed (almost all servers use npx), giving access to overly broad folders, and stacking 15 servers before mastering 2. Start with filesystem + github, verify they appear in the connectors panel, and add more by niche. Each PackIA MCP guide includes the exact copyable JSON configuration.
Frequently asked questions
Is MCP only from Anthropic, or does it work with ChatGPT?
Anthropic created MCP, but it is an open standard. OpenAI officially adopted it in 2025 for its Agents SDK and Codex CLI, and Google supports it in Gemini. An MCP server works with any compatible client.
Is it safe to give an MCP server access to my files?
Official servers are open source and auditable. The recommendation is to limit scope (specific folders, not the whole disk), review the code if it's community-built, and use servers that run locally whenever possible.
Do I need to know how to code to use MCP?
Not to use existing servers: they are configured with a JSON file. It does help if you want to create your own server, although more no-code generators exist every day.