Host
The LLM application (like Claude Desktop or IDEs) that initiates connections to MCP servers and manages the overall user experience.
Host
A host is the LLM application that initiates connections to MCP servers and manages the overall user experience. Hosts contain MCP clients and coordinate between the user, the language model, and external capabilities provided by servers.
Examples of Hosts
| Host Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Claude Desktop | Anthropic's desktop application with built-in MCP support |
| IDEs | Development environments with MCP integration |
| Chatbots | Conversational AI applications |
| Autonomous Agents | AI systems that operate independently |
Host Responsibilities
- Connection Management - Establish and maintain connections to servers
- User Interface - Present server capabilities to users
- Authorization - Handle user approval for tool executions
- Context Orchestration - Coordinate between multiple servers
- Error Handling - Manage failures and timeouts gracefully
Architecture Role
User
↓
Host Application
├── MCP Client A → Server A
├── MCP Client B → Server B
└── MCP Client C → Server C
Configuration
Hosts typically configure servers through:
- Configuration files (JSON, YAML)
- Environment variables
- Runtime settings
- User preferences
Related Terms
- MCP Client
- MCP Server
- Transport