MCP (Model Context Protocol)

MCP is a protocol for AI models to interact with external tools, resources, and prompts.

Overview

MCP enables AI assistants to:

• Execute Tools (functions)
• Access Resources (files, data)
• Use Prompts (templates)

Transport Types

Type	Description	Use Case
stdio	Standard input/output	Local CLI tools
SSE	Server-Sent Events	Remote servers

Connecting via stdio

1. Select MCP from the protocol dropdown
2. Choose stdio transport
3. Configure the command:
   • Command: npx or path to executable
   • Args: ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/dir"]
   • Env: Environment variables (optional)
4. Click Connect

Example: Filesystem Server

Transport: stdio
Command: npx
Args: ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/Users/me/documents"]

Example: SQLite Server

Transport: stdio
Command: npx
Args: ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sqlite", "/path/to/database.db"]

Connecting via SSE

1. Select MCP from the protocol dropdown
2. Choose SSE transport
3. Enter the Server URL: http://localhost:3000/sse
4. Click Connect

Saving MCP Servers

Istek allows you to save MCP server configurations for quick access:

From Discovery

1. Click Discover in the MCP panel
2. Find a server you want to save
3. Click the bookmark icon next to the server
4. Enter a name for the server
5. Click Save

From Manual Configuration

1. Switch to Manual tab
2. Enter command, arguments, and environment variables
3. Click Save
4. Enter a name and confirm

Managing Saved Servers

Access your saved servers from the Saved tab:

• Connect - Connect to the server with one click
• Delete - Remove the server from your saved list

Saved servers are stored locally and persist across sessions.

Auto-Discovery

Istek can discover MCP servers from common configuration files:

1. Click Discover in the MCP panel

2. Istek scans for configurations in:

   • Claude Desktop config
   • VS Code config
   • Cursor config
   • Windsurf config
   • OpenCode config

3. Select a discovered server to auto-fill settings

4. Optionally save to your Saved list for quick access

After Connection

Once connected, you'll see:

Server Info

• Server name and version
• Protocol version

Tools

List of available tools with:

• Name
• Description
• Input schema

Resources

Available resources with:

• URI
• Name
• MIME type

Prompts

Available prompt templates with:

• Name
• Description
• Required arguments

Calling Tools

1. Select a tool from the Tools dropdown
2. Enter the input JSON based on the schema
3. Click Call Tool

Example: Read File

{
  "path": "/Users/me/documents/notes.txt"
}

Example: SQL Query

{
  "query": "SELECT * FROM users LIMIT 10"
}

Reading Resources

1. Go to the Resources tab
2. Click on a resource URI
3. View the resource content

Using Prompts

1. Go to the Prompts tab
2. Select a prompt
3. Fill in required arguments
4. Click Get Prompt

Popular MCP Servers

Server	Package	Description
Filesystem	@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem	Read/write files
SQLite	@modelcontextprotocol/server-sqlite	Database queries
GitHub	@modelcontextprotocol/server-github	GitHub API
Postgres	@modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres	PostgreSQL
Brave Search	@modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search	Web search

Configuration Examples

Claude Desktop

Location: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path"]
    }
  }
}

Cursor

Location: ~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "servers": {
    "sqlite": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sqlite", "db.sqlite"]
    }
  }
}

Troubleshooting

Connection Failed

• Verify the command is installed (npx, node, etc.)
• Check if the MCP server package exists
• Look for errors in the console

Tool Execution Failed

• Verify input matches the schema
• Check tool-specific requirements (file paths, permissions)
• Review error messages in the response

Server Not Discovered

• Ensure config files exist in expected locations
• Verify JSON syntax is correct
• Check file permissions