Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Model Context Protocol support across OpenHands platforms

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that allows OpenHands to communicate with external tool servers, extending the agent’s capabilities with custom tools, specialized data processing, external API access, and more. MCP is based on the open standard defined at modelcontextprotocol.io.

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How MCP Works

When OpenHands starts, it:

1. Reads the MCP configuration
2. Connects to configured servers (SSE, SHTTP, or stdio)
3. Registers tools provided by these servers with the agent
4. Routes tool calls to appropriate MCP servers during execution

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MCP Support Matrix

Platform	Support Level	Configuration Method	Documentation
Agent Canvas	✅ Full Support	Customize > MCP Servers in the UI	MCP Settings
SDK	✅ Full Support	Programmatic configuration	SDK MCP Guide
OpenHands Cloud	✅ Full Support	Cloud UI settings	Cloud GUI

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Getting Started with MCP

• For detailed configuration: See MCP Settings
• For SDK integration: See SDK MCP Guide
• For scoping MCP servers to an agent profile in Agent Canvas: See Agent Profiles
• For architecture details: See MCP Architecture