> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.duvo.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How MCP works on Duvo

> Understand the two directions Duvo speaks MCP — driving Duvo from an MCP host like Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, or ChatGPT, and bringing your own MCP servers into Duvo as Connections.

The [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) is an open standard that lets AI assistants and platforms exchange tools, context, and data. Duvo speaks MCP in **two directions**, and this section of the docs is organized around them.

If you're new to MCP, the [official MCP documentation](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/getting-started/intro) is a good starting point.

## The two directions

### 1. Drive Duvo from an MCP host — the Duvo MCP server

Duvo runs a hosted MCP server. Connect a host like Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, or ChatGPT to it, and every Duvo Public API endpoint becomes a tool that host can call — start Runs, inspect Cases, manage Files, all from an assistant chat. This is the main way teams use MCP with Duvo, and it's the counterpart to the [Duvo CLI](/cli): another way to operate Duvo from outside the dashboard.

Start here: **[The Duvo MCP server](/mcp/duvo-mcp-server)**.

### 2. Bring your own MCP into Duvo — Custom MCP Connections

Run an MCP server of your own — for an internal system, a legacy platform, or a custom API — and add it to Duvo as a Connection. Your Agents then call its tools alongside built-in Connections like Gmail or Snowflake.

Start here: **[Connect a custom MCP to Duvo](/mcp/custom-mcp-servers)**, and **[Build an MCP server for Duvo](/mcp/building-mcp-servers)** if you're implementing the server yourself.

## Which direction do you need?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="The Duvo MCP server" icon="server" href="/mcp/duvo-mcp-server">
    Drive Duvo from Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, ChatGPT connectors, or another host.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Available MCP Tools" icon="wrench" href="/mcp/available-tools">
    See exactly which Duvo actions are available as MCP tools.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Embedding Duvo as a tool" icon="plug" href="/mcp/embedding-duvo">
    Call Duvo Agents as tools from your own AI agent or copilot.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Connect a custom MCP to Duvo" icon="link" href="/mcp/custom-mcp-servers">
    Let your Duvo Agents call tools from a custom internal system.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Build an MCP server for Duvo" icon="hammer" href="/mcp/building-mcp-servers">
    Build an MCP server from scratch to expose your own tools.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## The two directions at a glance

|                             | Duvo as MCP server                                                                 | Custom MCP Connections                              |
| --------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| **Who runs the server**     | Duvo                                                                               | You                                                 |
| **Endpoint**                | `https://api.duvo.ai/v2/mcp`                                                       | A public HTTPS URL you provide                      |
| **What tools it exposes**   | Every Duvo Public API endpoint                                                     | Whatever your MCP server implements                 |
| **Who's the client (host)** | Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, ChatGPT connectors, or any MCP-compatible app | Duvo Agents                                         |
| **Authentication**          | OAuth or API key                                                                   | None, API key, custom headers, or OAuth (DCR-aware) |
| **Setup time**              | Minutes — paste the URL into your MCP host                                         | Minutes once your server is deployed and reachable  |

## How MCP fits alongside the CLI and API

MCP is one of three ways to drive Duvo from outside the dashboard, all built on the same [Public API](/api-reference):

* **The Duvo MCP server** is a thin layer over the Public API — the same authentication, rate limits, and permissions apply. Best when you want to operate Duvo conversationally from an AI host.
* **The [Duvo CLI](/cli)** wraps the same API for terminal-first and CI/CD workflows.
* **The [Public API](/api-reference)** itself is the foundation both build on — use it directly when you're writing your own integration.

Custom MCP Connections are different: they don't drive Duvo, they extend what your Agents can do. They appear in the dashboard alongside other Connections, and Agents use them the same way they use Gmail or Slack.

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="The Duvo MCP server" icon="server" href="/mcp/duvo-mcp-server">
    Connect a host and start calling Duvo tools.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Custom MCP connection page" icon="link" href="/user-guide/connections/available-connections/custom-mcp">
    Custom MCP in the Available Connections catalog.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Public API Reference" icon="code" href="/api-reference">
    The API both the MCP server and CLI wrap.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>