LessAI ToolsAI plugin directory

MCP explained — A shared way for AI applications to connect tools

The Model Context Protocol is an open protocol for communication between AI applications and external tools or information sources.

An everyday example

An assistant connects to a documentation service through MCP and queries material the service is authorized to provide.

When you’ll encounter it

Check for a suitable MCP server and client support when an assistant needs external tools or data.

What to watch for

Adding a connection does not grant every permission. Check the server, dependencies, authentication and allowed operations.

Related terms & sources

Prepared from the public sources below. Examples illustrate the concept. Reviewed on 2026-10-15.

Sources and ranking

This directory lists AI development plugins with public source code and a clear purpose. Browse by task, then open an introduction to learn what a project does, who it is for, and what you need to get started. It covers selected projects, not every AI plugin.

How do the three plugin types differ?

Tool connections (MCP) let AI assistants use external tools such as browsers, code repositories and databases. MCP is the protocol used for these connections.

Reusable skills give a compatible AI assistant instructions and guidance for a particular task.

Editor plugins run inside the software you use to write code, adding AI chat, completions or suggested edits.

How does “Most starred” work?

Projects are sorted by their total GitHub stars. Stars indicate interest; they are not downloads, active users or quality scores. A skill pack counts as one project.

What does “Recently updated” mean?

It uses the most recent code push, which may not be a new release. The 7-day filter checks that project update time; ranking still uses all-time stars. Each introduction shows when its star count was collected.

Introductions are based on public project documentation. These projects have not each been installed and tested here. Check the project documentation for setup, compatibility and service costs.

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