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What is the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and how do you design good tools for an agent?

MCP standardized how agents plug into tools and data, but tool design is what makes or breaks reliability. The signal is knowing what MCP actually standardizes and the principles behind a tool the model can call correctly from its description alone.

Updated Aug 2026 · Grounded in real Applied AI Engineer interview loops and written to a senior-engineer editorial bar.

MCP standardized how agents plug into tools and data, but tool design is what makes or breaks reliability. The signal is knowing what MCP actually standardizes and the principles behind a tool the model can call correctly from its description alone.

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