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MCP Registry

What it is

The official central repository and discovery platform for Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. It acts as a standardized directory for tools and integrations that follow the MCP specification.

What problem it solves

It addresses the fragmentation in the MCP ecosystem by providing a single, authoritative source for discovering publicly available MCP servers. It standardizes server metadata using the server.json format, enabling easier publishing and discovery for developers and users.

Where it fits in the stack

Infra / Router: It provides the infrastructure for tool discovery and acts as a registry for routing agent requests to the correct tools.

Typical use cases

  • Extending Agent Capabilities: Discovering new MCP servers to add features like calendar access, database management, or smart home control to AI agents.
  • Developer Publishing: Providing a standardized way for developers to share their custom MCP servers with the community.
  • Protocol Compliance: Ensuring that tools follow the official MCP standards for metadata and communication.

Strengths

  • Authoritative Source: Official central hub for the MCP ecosystem.
  • Community-Owned: Managed by the open-source community with backing from major AI industry players.
  • Standardized Format: Enforces the use of server.json for consistent tool representation.
  • Unified Discovery: Creators publish once, and all consumers can reference the same canonical data.

Limitations

  • Early Stage: Currently in preview, with the ecosystem and server list still actively growing.
  • Metadata Only: Does not host the server binaries or code directly, acting instead as a pointer to other registries (NPM, PyPI, Docker Hub).

When to use it

  • When looking for pre-built integrations for MCP-compatible agents (like Claude Desktop).
  • When developing a new MCP server and wanting to ensure it is discoverable by the community.

When not to use it

  • When requiring private or internal-only tool integrations that should not be public.
  • When using non-MCP compliant tool-calling frameworks.

Sources / references