MCP Guides & Tutorials

Practical guides to help you get the most out of MCP servers — whether you're just getting started or building advanced AI workflows.

BeginnerOverview

MCP Servers for Beginners: Everything You Need to Know

New to MCP? This plain-English guide explains what MCP servers are, why they matter, how they work, and which ones to install first — no technical experience needed.

6 min read
BeginnerInstallation

How to Install Your First MCP Server

A step-by-step walkthrough for complete beginners. You'll go from zero to a working MCP server in under 10 minutes — no prior experience needed.

5 min read
Claude DesktopCurated List2026

Best MCP Servers for Claude Desktop in 2026

The highest-impact MCP servers to install in Claude Desktop right now — file access, GitHub, databases, browser automation, and more. Curated picks with install commands.

7 min read
Developer ToolsCurated List

Best MCP Servers for Developers in 2026

A curated list of the most useful MCP servers for software engineers — covering code execution, Git, databases, terminal access, and documentation search.

8 min read
CursorIDESetup Guide

How to Use MCP Servers with Cursor

Set up MCP servers inside the Cursor AI editor. This guide covers the config format, step-by-step setup, and an example with the GitHub and filesystem servers.

5 min read
DatabasesComparison

Best Database MCP Servers Compared (2026)

Compare the top database MCP servers for PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, MongoDB, and Redis. Pros, cons, and install commands for each.

6 min read
ArchitectureRemote Servers

Local vs Remote MCP Servers: Which Should You Use?

Understand the key differences between locally-installed and cloud-hosted MCP servers, and learn which setup is right for your workflow.

4 min read
ConceptsAPIArchitecture

MCP vs Function Calling: What Is the Difference?

Understand the key differences between MCP and function calling in the Anthropic API. Learn when to use each approach and how they complement each other.

5 min read
DevelopmentTypeScriptAdvanced

How to Build Your Own MCP Server in 10 Minutes

Build a custom MCP server from scratch using the TypeScript MCP SDK. Expose any function as an AI tool and use it immediately in Claude Desktop or Cursor.

10 min read
SecurityBest Practices

MCP Security Best Practices: Keeping Your Setup Safe

How to use MCP servers safely — covering permission scoping, server vetting, credential management, and a pre-install checklist for every server you add.

5 min read

New to MCP?

Start with our beginner's overview of the protocol.

What is MCP?