MCP: Providing standardized external tool access for large language models

MCP ( Model-Context Protocol ) is an open protocol that provides a standardized way for large language models to securely access external tools, data sources, and services. Unlike traditional plugin systems, MCP adopts a client-server architecture to achieve seamless integration between the model and external systems through standardized protocol interfaces.

Main Advantages of MCP

• Standardized Interface: Defines a unified protocol specification to avoid separate development and integration solutions for each application.
• Security: Ensures secure access to external tools through strict permission controls and sandbox mechanisms.
• Scalability: Supports various types of tools, from simple API calls to complex data processing workflows.
• Interoperability: Clients supporting MCP can use compatible services to achieve cross-platform compatibility.

Web3 and MCP Application Scenarios

In the Web3 space, MCP can provide rich blockchain interaction capabilities for large language models:

• Asset Inquiry: Check the balance and transaction history of various tokens
• On-chain operations: sending transactions, deploying contracts, invoking smart contracts
• DeFi Integration: Interact with decentralized exchanges, lending protocols, liquidity mining, and other DeFi applications.
• Cross-chain operations: Support multi-chain asset management and cross-chain transfers
• NFT Management: Query, Transfer, Trade NFT Assets

This article will build a simple Web3 MCP service using Node.js and TypeScript, explaining the working principles of MCP and best practices.

Create Project

1. Create a project folder and initialize
2. Install the necessary dependencies
3. Configure TypeScript
4. Modify the package.json configuration

Write Server

1. Instantiate provider
2. Write tool logic
3. Start the service and add error handling

Debugging Services

Package the JavaScript output, and then execute modelcontextprotocol/inspector for debugging.

Perfect the logic and reference it in the development environment

Improve more functions, such as supporting multiple EVM networks, querying gas, sending transactions, querying token information, and other common methods. After packaging, reference in a development environment that supports MCP integration.

Usage Example

In the AI assistant of the development environment, you can interact with the codebase using natural language:

• Query the balance of a specific address on the testnet
• Transfer a specific amount of ETH to a designated address

Future Outlook

The combination of MCP and Web3 has opened up a new world full of possibilities for us. Directions to explore in the future include:

• Support for more blockchains (such as Bitcoin, Solana, Tron)
• Integrate cross-chain functionality to achieve asset exchange between different chains.
• DeFi Protocol Integration
• NFT Market Operations
• Complex cross-chain asset management

These features are expected to be achieved through simple conversations, significantly simplifying the complexity of Web3 interactions.