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Builder tools · Intermediate

MCP & Connectors: Plug Claude into Your Tools

Let Claude read your files, calendar, email and apps through the Model Context Protocol.

4 lessons 52 min Certificate
Steps for
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Lesson 1 · 10 min · Windows

MCP explained in five minutes

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets AI apps talk to tools and data in one consistent way. Think of it as USB-C for AI: one plug shape, many devices.

  • An MCP server exposes tools (e.g. "search my files", "create calendar event").
  • An MCP client (Claude app, Claude Code) discovers those tools and uses them when helpful.
  • You stay in control: you choose which servers to add and approve sensitive actions.

What people connect

  • Files and notes (your second brain)
  • Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive
  • GitHub, Notion, Slack, databases
  • Website scrapers and search tools

Two places to use it

  1. Claude app → connectors: point-and-click, signed in with your accounts.
  2. Claude Code → claude mcp add: run servers on your own computer.

Where the config lives

Windows steps

Claude Code stores MCP settings per project (a .mcp.json file when shared) or in your user config under %USERPROFILE%\.claude.

Quick quiz

Pass 2 of 3
1. What's the best analogy for MCP?
2. What does an MCP server do?
3. Who decides which servers Claude can use?
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Quick assignment

To do

List 3 tools you'd like Claude to reach and one task for each it could do for you.

Hint: e.g. Calendar → 'find a free hour for gym this week'.

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