MCP overview

MCP is Slab5's agent interface for connecting AI clients to workspace tools. Tools expose business actions, not raw database access.

Use MCP when you are connecting an agent. Use REST when you are building an app. MCP tools and REST routes operate on the same workspace data, scopes, module enablement, audit events, usage events, and structured errors.

Slab5 can also connect to external MCP servers from AgentGrid. External MCP tools are discovered live, reviewed by workspace owners, risk-scored, and executed through Slab5 policy checks before AgentGrid or App Studio can use them. See External MCP tools for the owner approval and execution model.

Tool design

Every tool has an input schema, output schema, required scopes, request ID, clear errors, audit logging, usage metering, idempotency guidance, and an API equivalent. The gateway executes initialize, ping, tools/list, and tools/call against the same app-plane services used by REST.

Hosted clients connect to a workspace address, https://mcp.slab5.com/v1/w/{workspace-slug}, and discover the server through OAuth protected-resource metadata under the same /v1 base path. The workspace segment is routing context only and must not contain secrets. One client can hold several Slab5 connections by adding one connector per workspace.