🎯 In one sentence: MCP (Model Context Protocol) lets Claude connect directly to your tools — Google Drive, Gmail, Notion, Slack, GitHub, and 30+ more — so it can read, search, and take actions inside them.
MCP stands for Model Context Protocol. Think of it like USB for AI — a universal standard that lets Claude plug into external apps and services. Instead of you copying and pasting information between Claude and your tools, Claude can access them directly.
For example:
MCP was created by Anthropic and has since been adopted by OpenAI, Google, Apple, and Microsoft as an industry standard.
As of March 2026, there are 38+ official connectors. Here are the most useful ones:
| Connector | What Claude can do with it |
|---|---|
| Google Drive | Search, read, and reference your documents and spreadsheets |
| Google Calendar | View your schedule, find free time, understand your availability |
| Gmail | Read emails, search your inbox, understand conversations |
| Notion | Search your workspace, read pages, create and update content |
| Slack | Search messages, read channels, understand team conversations |
| Connector | What Claude can do with it |
|---|---|
| GitHub | Read repos, issues, PRs, understand your codebase |
| GitLab | Same as GitHub but for GitLab users |
| Linear | Read and manage issues, understand project status |
| Jira | Access tickets, sprints, project boards |
| Sentry | Read error reports and debug information |
| Connector | What Claude can do with it |
|---|---|
| Salesforce | Access CRM records, accounts, opportunities |
| HubSpot | Read contacts, deals, marketing data |
| Asana | Access tasks, projects, workflows |
| Monday.com | Read boards, items, project status |