Reference glossary
MCP terms, explained for teams shipping hosted agent tools.
Definitions, implementation notes, and FAQs for the Model Context Protocol concepts that show up in generated tools, endpoint maps, hosted MCP runtimes, SDK bundles, and production security reviews.
Core
CoreToolLearn what an MCP tool is, how tools/list exposes tool schemas, and how Astrail turns API operations into safe hosted MCP tools.Read definitionCoreResourceUnderstand MCP resources, resource URIs, when to use resources instead of tools, and how hosted MCP servers expose contextual data.Read definitionCorePromptLearn what MCP prompts are, how they package reusable workflows, and when to use prompts with generated MCP tools.Read definition
Protocol
ProtocolJSON-RPCA practical explanation of how MCP uses JSON-RPC 2.0 for initialize, tools/list, tools/call, errors, and hosted HTTP endpoints.Read definitionProtocoltools/listLearn how tools/list lets MCP clients discover available tools, schemas, descriptions, and safe invocation metadata.Read definitionProtocoltools/callUnderstand MCP tools/call, including argument validation, tool routing, structured results, and hosted runtime safeguards.Read definitionProtocolSchemaLearn how MCP schemas describe tool inputs and structured outputs, and why schema validation matters for generated MCP endpoints.Read definitionProtocolstdioLearn how MCP stdio transport works, when local MCP servers use stdin/stdout, and how it compares with hosted HTTP endpoints.Read definitionProtocolSSE/HTTPUnderstand MCP Streamable HTTP, SSE response streams, POST requests, GET streams, and hosted MCP endpoint behavior.Read definition
Runtime
RuntimeEndpoint mapA practical guide to endpoint maps, the routing layer that connects MCP tool names to upstream API operations and SDK methods.Read definitionRuntimeHosted MCP endpointLearn what a hosted MCP endpoint is, how HTTP JSON-RPC works, and how Astrail secures generated MCP servers for agents.Read definition
Packaging
Security
SecurityAuth scopesLearn how OAuth scopes, API keys, public tools, and private hosted MCP endpoints shape authorization for tool discovery and invocation.Read definitionSecurityRate limitUnderstand MCP rate limits for hosted endpoints, abuse protection, per-route buckets, global spray limits, and Retry-After behavior.Read definitionSecuritySSRFLearn what SSRF means for hosted MCP tools, website-to-MCP generation, private network blocking, and safe URL handling.Read definition