---
title: "MCP client: definition and example | Agent MCP Directory"
description: "MCP client: The connector inside a host application that holds one connection to one MCP server. Defined with a sourced example."
canonical: https://agentmcpdirectory.com/glossary/mcp-client
site: "Agent MCP Directory"
last_updated: 2026-11-04
section: "Glossary"
---

# MCP client: definition and example | Agent MCP Directory

> MCP client: The connector inside a host application that holds one connection to one MCP server. Defined with a sourced example.

Source: https://agentmcpdirectory.com/glossary/mcp-client
Site: Agent MCP Directory
Last reviewed: 2026-11-04

# MCP client

MCP client: The connector inside a host application that holds one connection to one MCP server. Example: Vercel lists Claude Code, Cursor and Codex CLI among clients that connect to Vercel MCP. Next in the glossary is MCP gateway: A proxy in front of MCP servers that authenticates callers, injects upstream credentials, filters tools and logs calls.

## Definition

The connector inside a host application that holds one connection to one MCP server.

## Example, with source

Vercel lists Claude Code, Cursor and Codex CLI among clients that connect to Vercel MCP. ([vercel.com](https://vercel.com/docs/agent-resources/vercel-mcp), read 4 November 2026)

## Where it appears on this site

-   [MCP](https://agentmcpdirectory.com/standards/mcp/)
-   [CLIs as an agent surface](https://agentmcpdirectory.com/standards/cli-as-agent-surface/)

## Neighbouring terms

-   [MCP Apps](https://agentmcpdirectory.com/glossary/mcp-apps/): An MCP extension in which a tool points to a ui:// resource the host renders as a sandboxed View.
-   [MCP gateway](https://agentmcpdirectory.com/glossary/mcp-gateway/): A proxy in front of MCP servers that authenticates callers, injects upstream credentials, filters tools and logs calls.
-   [MCP host](https://agentmcpdirectory.com/glossary/mcp-host/): The LLM application that starts client connections and asks the user for consent.

Edition

4 November 2026

Method

[How rows are verified](https://agentmcpdirectory.com/method/)

Data

[CSV and JSON](https://agentmcpdirectory.com/data/)

Markdown

[This page as markdown](https://agentmcpdirectory.com/glossary/mcp-client/index.md)

## Sources

-   [Source for the MCP client example](https://vercel.com/docs/agent-resources/vercel-mcp), read 4 November 2026

Last reviewed 4 November 2026