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MCP Tools vs Resources vs Prompts: When to Use Each Primitive (SOLVED)

Project BasedMCPEasy10 min read

TL;DR — Quick Answer

Tools are model-invokable actions with side effects; resources are read-only contextual data the host can fetch; prompts are reusable templated instructions. Choose tools for mutations, resources for grounding, prompts for standardized workflows.

The Interview Question

In the Model Context Protocol, explain the difference between tools, resources, and prompts. When should an MCP server expose each, and how does a host typically consume them?

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