---
title: "MCP Foundation: Tools, Prompts, and Resources"
description: "Understanding the core concepts that power connected AI systems"
---

import { Aside, CardGrid, Card, LinkCard } from '@astrojs/starlight/components';

<Aside type="note" title="🚧 Coming Soon">
**Essential MCP concepts guide in development!** This comprehensive explanation of Model Context Protocol fundamentals will cover all the core concepts that power connected AI systems.

**Core concepts you'll master:**
- **Tools**: How AI capabilities are exposed and accessed
- **Completions**: AI response generation in connected environments  
- **Prompts**: Advanced prompting patterns for connected AI
- **Elicitation**: Extracting optimal responses from connected AI systems
- **Roots**: Access control and permission hierarchies
- **Resources**: Data sources and system integrations

**Expected availability:** Next development cycle
</Aside>

## MCP Fundamental Concepts

Understanding these core concepts is essential for building sophisticated connected AI systems.

<CardGrid>
  <Card title="🛠️ Tools" icon="wrench">
    The fundamental building blocks that give AI systems access to real-world capabilities and system functions.
  </Card>
  
  <Card title="💬 Completions" icon="message">
    How AI generates responses when connected to multiple systems and data sources simultaneously.
  </Card>
  
  <Card title="📝 Prompts" icon="edit">
    Advanced prompting techniques specifically designed for connected AI environments and multi-system coordination.
  </Card>
  
  <Card title="🎯 Elicitation" icon="target">
    Sophisticated techniques for extracting optimal performance from connected AI systems.
  </Card>
  
  <Card title="🌳 Roots" icon="tree">
    Access control hierarchies and permission systems that govern what connected AI can access and modify.
  </Card>
  
  <Card title="📦 Resources" icon="package">
    The data sources, system integrations, and external capabilities that connected AI systems can utilize.
  </Card>
</CardGrid>

## Prerequisites

<LinkCard
  title="Build Your First Connected AI System"
  description="Start with the MCP Foundation Workshop to gain hands-on experience before diving into theory"
  href="/advanced/tutorials/mcp-foundation-workshop/"
/>

---

*MCP concepts form the theoretical foundation for all connected AI development. Master these principles to build sophisticated AI ecosystems.*