The native MCP interface to Core

Read Core's MCP interface as the source of truth for how an agent queries the estate - why the surface is native rather than adapted, the protocol contract it commits to, and the tools and resources you call.

By the end of this module, you'll be able to:

• Explain why MCP is Core's canonical query surface rather than an adapter bolted onto REST, per ADR-0003.
• State the protocol baseline Core's MCP server commits to: spec revision, transports, schema dialect, and how tool errors are reported.
• Name Core's MCP tools and resources, what each returns, and how query_graph is bounded so it cannot become a general escape hatch.
• Distinguish the read tools from the propose-only request-lifecycle tools, and explain why writes never mutate protected state directly.

Units

1. 01Introduction4 min
2. 02Why MCP is the native surface7 min
3. 03Tools, resources, and propose-only governance7 min
4. 04Knowledge check4 min
5. 05Summary3 min