An LLM does not need to understand MCP
17 days ago
- #LLM
- #Tool-Calling
- #MCP
- Model Context Protocol (MCP) standardizes tool calling for agents, but LLMs don't inherently understand or need MCP.
- LLMs generate tool call snippets based on provided context but don't execute the calls themselves; the developer handles execution.
- MCP simplifies tool integration by acting as a universal adapter, reducing custom code for each tool.
- Tool calling involves providing tool definitions (name, description, inputs) in the prompt, and the LLM predicts the appropriate tool call.
- Context engineering is crucial for effective AI systems, ensuring the LLM has the right inputs to generate useful outputs.
- MCP benefits developers by managing tool complexity, enabling reuse, and maintaining consistent formats without LLM awareness.
- The separation of concerns—LLMs predict tool calls, while developers execute them—is key to efficient agentic loops.