Glossaire MCP : clients, serveurs, outils, ressources, prompts et transports

Client

Definition: An AI assistant application that connects to MCP servers to access tools and data.

Examples: Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Continue

In Corcava context: Your AI assistant (like Claude Desktop) that uses Corcava MCP to manage tasks and projects.

Connect Any Client →

Server

Definition: A service that provides tools, resources, and data to MCP clients via the MCP protocol.

Examples: Corcava MCP server, file system server, code search server

In Corcava context: The Corcava MCP server at https://mcp.corcava.com that provides task and project management tools.

Project Management MCP Server →

Tool

Definition: A function that the MCP server provides, which clients can call to perform actions or retrieve data.

Examples: list_tasks, create_task, start_time_tracking

In Corcava context: Tools like list_tasks to get your tasks, or create_task to add new tasks to Corcava.

Corcava MCP Tools →

Resource

Definition: Read-only data or content that MCP servers provide to clients (less common than tools).

Examples: Documentation, templates, reference data

In Corcava context: While Corcava MCP primarily uses tools, resources could include project templates or documentation.

Prompt

Definition: Natural language instructions you give to your AI assistant, which it uses to decide which MCP tools to call.

Examples: "List my tasks due this week" or "Create a task for reviewing the API design"

In Corcava context: You tell Claude "List my Corcava tasks" and Claude calls the list_tasks tool to get your tasks.

50 Prompt Pack →

Transport

Definition: The communication method used between MCP clients and servers.

Types:

• STDIO: Standard input/output (for local servers)
• HTTP/SSE: HTTP with Server-Sent Events (for remote servers)

In Corcava context: Corcava MCP uses HTTP/SSE transport since it's a remote server. Continue uses SSE, while Cursor uses HTTP.

Remote vs Local →

Tool Call

Definition: When a client requests a server to execute a tool with specific parameters.

Example: Client calls list_tasks with filter due_date: "this_week"

In Corcava context: When you ask Claude to list tasks, Claude makes a tool call to Corcava's list_tasks tool.

Tool Discovery

Definition: The process where a client requests the list of available tools from a server.

Example: Client calls tools/list to see what tools the server provides

In Corcava context: When you first connect, your client discovers Corcava's tools (list_tasks, create_task, etc.).

MCP Protocol

Definition: The standardized communication protocol that defines how clients and servers interact.

Components: Tool discovery, tool calls, error handling, authentication

In Corcava context: Corcava MCP follows the MCP protocol standard, ensuring compatibility with all MCP clients.

MCP Architecture →

API Key

Definition: Authentication token used to authorize MCP client access to Corcava MCP server.

Format: Included in Authorization header as Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

In Corcava context: You create an API key in Corcava Settings → Integrations, then add it to your MCP client config.

API Key Management →

Workspace

Definition: Your Corcava workspace containing projects, tasks, and team members.

In Corcava context: MCP tools operate within your workspace, so you can manage tasks and projects via AI assistants.

Remote MCP Server

Definition: An MCP server hosted remotely (like Corcava) rather than running locally on your machine.

Benefits: No local setup, always available, multi-user support

In Corcava context: Corcava MCP is a remote server at https://mcp.corcava.com, accessible from anywhere.

Remote vs Local →

STDIO Transport

Definition: Standard input/output transport for local MCP servers that run as processes on your machine.

Use case: Local file system servers, code analysis tools

Note: Corcava MCP uses HTTP/SSE (remote), not STDIO

SSE (Server-Sent Events)

Definition: A transport method where the server streams responses to the client in real-time.

Use case: Continue uses SSE for remote MCP servers like Corcava

In Corcava context: When using Continue, Corcava MCP streams responses via SSE for efficient communication.

Continue Setup →

Tool Parameters

Definition: Input arguments passed to a tool when making a tool call.

Example: Calling list_tasks with project_id: "123" and status: "open"

In Corcava context: When you ask for "tasks due this week", Claude passes due_date: "this_week" to the tool.

Tool Response

Definition: Data returned by a tool after execution, which the client uses to respond to your prompt.

Example: list_tasks returns an array of task objects

In Corcava context: When you list tasks, Corcava returns task data (title, status, due date, etc.) that Claude formats for you.