AI tools need to connect to external data and tools. But how? There are three main approaches:
1. MCP (Model Context Protocol)
Standard, open, growing fast
- Created by Anthropic for Claude
- Now supported by Cursor, Windsurf, and others
- Standardized JSON-based protocol
- Growing ecosystem: 900+ tools
2. Plugins (ChatGPT-style)
Proprietary, platform-locked
- Only works on one platform
- Requires approval process
- Limited to specific AI products
3. Custom Extensions (VS Code-style)
Flexible but complex
- Full control but lots of work
- No standard protocol
- Hard to reuse across tools
My Recommendation
If you are building AI integrations in 2025, MCP is the way to go. It is open, standardized, and the ecosystem is exploding.
Browse 900+ MCP tools at mcphello.com — quality scored, one-click install, free.
What integration approach do you prefer?
Top comments (0)