MCP (Multi context protocol aka usb for ai apps allow llm to connect w/ files,datbasescrm,e.t.c.)

Model Context Protocol (technical def): Open Source JSON‑RPC standard (JSON Remote Procedure Call) — a lightweight, language-agnostic protocol for making calls and receiving responses between clients and servers over HTTP — that enables Claude to securely connect with external systems. This openness means any system that supports JSON‑RPC can integrate with Claude using a standard request/response format—whether it's files, APIs, GUIs, databases, or more—so it can orchestrate complex workflows without custom code for each integration.

Real-World Applications

1. Automated Expense Reporting: Claude uses MCP to pull store receipt images from a shared folder, extract key fields (date, amount, vendor) via prompts, populate a corporate expense sheets, and submit reports to the finance system management API.
2. Helpdesk Ticket Resolution: Claude connects to a ticketing platform API, classifies tickets by urgency and category, drafts initial responses, and routes complex issues to specialists.
3. Inventory Reordering: Through MCP’s database connector, Claude checks stock levels, forecasts depletion dates, and places purchase orders via supplier APIs when thresholds are met—ensuring zero stockouts.
4. Executive Dashboard Updates: Claude integrates with CRM, database, and presentation software; it aggregates KPIs, generates updated charts, and refreshes a dashboard slide deck daily—saving executives hours each week for important meetings.
5. Social Media Sentiment Monitoring: Using MCP, Claude retrieves mentions from Twitter and LinkedIn APIs, analyzes sentiment trends with prompts, and alerts the team weekly in slack about emerging PR issues related to the company in real time.

2. Artifacts (Code & Document Snippets)

Definition: Interactive UI section that generate, preview, and insert code snippets, SVGs(use xml to store images), or formatted documents directly within Claude’s interface.

Artifacts allow Claude to share substantial, standalone content with you in a dedicated window separate from the main conversation. Artifacts make it easy to work with significant pieces of content that you may want to modify, build upon, or reference later.

3. Web Search Integration

Definition: Real-time search capability allowing Claude to query live web data, retrieve results, and cite sources (available in paid version). 5 Example Applications:

1. Market Research: Fetch latest industry reports and summarize key findings.
2. News Monitoring: Track competitor announcements and generate briefings.
3. Legal Precedent Lookup: Search case law and extract relevant citations.
4. Product Pricing Comparison: Scrape e-commerce sites for price data.
5. Technical Documentation Retrieval: Locate API docs and pull sample usage.

4. Claude Code (CLI Agent)

Definition: A command-line interface agent that uses MCP under the hood to execute code, manage files, and integrate with dev tools via terminal. 5 Example Applications: