What is MCP?
Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard for connecting AI agents to external systems. Think of it as a universal adapter for your infrastructure.
MCP servers handle authentication and permissions. Agents never see your credentials directly.
Why MCP?
| Approach | Security | Maintenance | Ecosystem |
|---|
| Direct API | Full access | Custom code | Limited |
| MCP Protocol | Fine-grained | Standard interface | 100+ servers |
Architecture
Agent → Station MCP Client → MCP Server → External Service
↓
Validates permissions
- Agents only see results, never credentials
- Grant specific operations (read vs write)
- Same servers work with Claude Desktop, Cursor, and Station
Configuring MCP Servers
Add servers to your environment’s template.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"filesystem": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem@latest", "/workspace"]
},
"github": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
"env": {
"GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "{{GITHUB_TOKEN}}"
}
}
}
}
Popular MCP Servers
Filesystem
{
"filesystem": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem@latest", "/path/to/allow"]
}
}
GitHub
{
"github": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
"env": {
"GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "{{GITHUB_TOKEN}}"
}
}
}
PostgreSQL
{
"postgres": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres", "{{DATABASE_URL}}"]
}
}
AWS
{
"aws": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["mcp-server-aws"],
"env": {
"AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID": "{{AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID}}",
"AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY": "{{AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY}}",
"AWS_REGION": "us-east-1"
}
}
}
Using Template Variables
Store secrets in variables.yml:
GITHUB_TOKEN: ghp_xxxxxxxxxxxx
DATABASE_URL: postgresql://user:pass@localhost/db
AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID: AKIA...
AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: secret...
template.json with {{VARIABLE_NAME}}:
{
"env": {
"GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "{{GITHUB_TOKEN}}"
}
}
# List all available tools
stn mcp tools
# Sync tools (after config changes)
stn env sync
tools array:
---
tools:
- "__read_file"
- "__write_file"
- "__search_files"
- "__github_create_issue"
---
Agents can only use tools explicitly listed in their tools array.
| Tool | Description |
|---|
create_agent | Create new agents with prompts and tools |
update_agent | Modify agent configuration |
update_agent_prompt | Update agent system prompt |
delete_agent | Remove an agent |
list_agents | List all agents (with filters) |
get_agent_details | Get full agent configuration |
get_agent_schema | Get agent’s input schema |
add_tool | Add MCP tool to agent |
remove_tool | Remove tool from agent |
add_agent_as_tool | Create multi-agent hierarchies |
remove_agent_as_tool | Break agent hierarchy links |
| Tool | Description |
|---|
call_agent | Execute an agent with task |
list_runs | List agent execution history |
inspect_run | Get detailed run information |
list_runs_by_model | Filter runs by AI model |
| Tool | Description |
|---|
generate_and_test_agent | Generate test scenarios and run agent |
batch_execute_agents | Run multiple agents in parallel |
evaluate_benchmark | Run LLM-as-judge evaluation |
evaluate_dataset | Evaluate entire dataset |
export_dataset | Export runs for analysis |
list_benchmark_results | List evaluation results |
get_benchmark_status | Check evaluation status |
| Tool | Description |
|---|
create_report | Create team performance report |
generate_report | Run benchmarks and generate report |
list_reports | List all reports |
get_report | Get report details |
| Tool | Description |
|---|
create_environment | Create new environment |
delete_environment | Delete environment |
list_environments | List all environments |
| Tool | Description |
|---|
add_mcp_server_to_environment | Add MCP server config |
update_mcp_server_in_environment | Update MCP server |
delete_mcp_server_from_environment | Remove MCP server |
list_mcp_servers_for_environment | List configured servers |
list_mcp_configs | List all MCP configurations |
| Tool | Description |
|---|
discover_tools | Discover tools from MCP servers |
list_tools | List available tools |
| Tool | Description |
|---|
set_schedule | Schedule agent with cron expression |
remove_schedule | Remove agent schedule |
get_schedule | Get agent schedule details |
| Tool | Description |
|---|
create_bundle_from_environment | Package environment as bundle |
| Tool | Description |
|---|
faker_create_standalone | Create AI-powered mock data server |
To see all available tools in your AI assistant, just ask: “Show me all Station MCP tools available”
Next Steps
