“Reflection MCP is a f#@$%ng protocol. Why people get so crazy about it? How much is hype and how much is real technological advance? I mean it is no different from HTTP. That was also a really good solution back in the 90's, but it didn’t get all this attention. Even if it actually open a new era. So why people get all "WOW!" for a simple protocol?”
That blunt observation captures the paradox around Reflection MCP. On paper, it’s just another protocol. In practice, it’s being hyped as the “TCP/IP of AI.”
Protocols Don’t Deserve Hype… Until They Do
Protocols are boring by design. They’re thin contracts: rules for how two parties exchange messages. TCP/IP, SMTP, HTTP — each defined simple, universal handshakes that enabled complex ecosystems.
But here’s the catch: nobody hyped HTTP in 1993. There were no Twitter threads about “distributed hypertext APIs changing the world.” HTTP became world-defining infrastructure by being invisible, open, and boring.
MCP is being treated differently. It’s protocol as product.
The Nature of Protocols: Invisible but Foundational
Think about the internet stack:
- TCP/IP standardized packet switching.
- SMTP standardized email.
- HTTP standardized the web.
All are minimal, all are composable. Their superpower is not marketing; it’s universality. A good protocol succeeds when it disappears. You don’t tweet about TCP; you just use it.
That’s the historical pattern. Until now.
The MCP Frenzy
So why is MCP blowing up? Three reasons:
Branding and Narrative
OpenAI and Anthropic are marketing MCP as the universal API for AI agents. This creates the illusion of inevitability. Developers and VCs want to align early with the “future HTTP of AI.”Protocol as Product
Unlike HTTP, which came from CERN and was unbranded, MCP has corporate ownership and storytelling. It’s being hyped as a product line, not just invisible plumbing.The Hype Feedback Loop
Influencers, investors, and early adopters amplify the narrative because it signals being on the edge. Every LinkedIn thread comparing MCP to TCP/IP pumps the hype cycle.
Technical Core: What MCP Actually Is
Strip away the noise, here’s what MCP brings:
Agent-to-Tool Interoperability
Today’s AI ecosystem is fragmented: LangChain, LlamaIndex, Semantic Kernel, custom APIs. MCP defines a clean handshake and message-passing system so agents, tools, and models can talk.Security Model Baked In
HTTP started wide open. MCP builds permissions, tool contracts, and controlled execution in from the start. Given LLMs can execute arbitrary tool calls, that’s critical.Cross-Vendor Alignment
With OpenAI and Anthropic on board, MCP has early momentum. If others follow (Meta, Hugging Face, Cohere), MCP could become universal.
HTTP vs MCP: Side by Side
| Feature | HTTP (1990s) | MCP (2020s) |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | CERN, open standard, no corporate owner | OpenAI + Anthropic (corporate branded) |
| Message Style | Request/Response, verbs (GET, POST) | JSON-RPC style, tool contracts, permissions |
| Security | None initially (SSL later) | Built-in permissions, sandboxed execution |
| Adoption Path | Browsers + servers drove it | AI ecosystems + vendors drive it |
| Narrative | Invisible infrastructure | Marketed as “the HTTP of AI” |
The real technical leap isn’t that MCP is smarter than HTTP. It’s that it bakes safety and contracts into the first draft.
Why This Is Real Progress
- Standardized Interop: A chance to avoid today’s chaos of fragmented tool APIs.
- Safety First: Built-in guardrails matter when LLMs are executing actions.
- Potential Universality: If vendors align, MCP could be the glue across AI ecosystems.
Why This Is Half Bullshit
- Adoption Risk: If it stays OpenAI/Anthropic-only, it dies like SOAP.
- Premature Standardization: Overfitting to current models may age badly.
- Protocol as Product: Protocols should be boring. Hype corrodes trust.
This is where the comparison to HTTP matters: HTTP didn’t need hype. It just worked and spread.
Historical Counterpoint: HTTP’s Quiet Rise
HTTP emerged quietly. No one tried to control its narrative. CERN gave it away. Netscape and Mosaic built on it. The ecosystem grew organically.
Contrast that with MCP: trillion-dollar companies, megaphones, and orchestrated narratives. It’s not the tech alone; it’s corporate will.
Lessons for Developers
Don’t Worship Protocols
They’re plumbing. Respect them, but don’t mistake them for the house.Wait for Adoption
Bet lightly until multiple vendors commit.Focus on Higher Layers
The real action isn’t in the pipes it’s in reasoning, orchestration, and memory.
Closing: 50% Hype, 50% Legit
- Real: Standardized interop, safety baked in, multi-vendor potential.
- Hype: Corporate branding, premature standardization, influencer echo chambers.
If MCP sticks, it might become the HTTP of AI. But remember: HTTP became infrastructure because it was boring and open. MCP is being treated as product, not plumbing.
Developers should build as if MCP may succeed — but design as if it may fail. That means focusing on reasoning, orchestration, and modular cognition.
Because in the end, protocols are pipes. Intelligence flows above them.
Author’s note: This piece was inspired by ongoing OrKa development and traces exploring multi-agent reasoning. For more on OrKa, visit orkacore.com.
Top comments (2)
hahahaha This is fun! Smart observations!
I'm happy you enjoyed it! I was mostly me complaining with another AI related hype. But is really interesting how people get on WOW for a simple handshake between services!
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