HTTP Transport
HTTP transport allows MCP servers to communicate with AI clients over standard HTTP connections. This is the recommended transport for production MCP servers that need to be accessible from cloud-hosted AI assistants and services.
Explanation
HTTP transport turns your MCP server into a web service that AI clients can reach over the internet. It uses standard HTTP methods and supports TLS encryption, authentication headers (Bearer tokens, API keys), and modern deployment platforms like Vercel, AWS Lambda, and Cloudflare Workers. HTTP transport is ideal for production environments where your MCP server needs to handle multiple concurrent connections, integrate with existing auth systems, and scale horizontally. With xmcp, deploying an HTTP-based MCP server to Vercel takes a single command. The framework handles request routing, session management, and protocol negotiation automatically.
Related Terms
MCP Transport
MCP transports define how AI clients communicate with MCP servers. The protocol supports two transport types: HTTP (for cloud-deployed servers accessible over the internet) and STDIO (for local servers that communicate through standard input/output).
STDIO Transport
STDIO transport allows MCP servers to run as local processes that communicate with AI clients through standard input (stdin) and standard output (stdout). This is ideal for developer tools, CLI integrations, and local-first AI workflows.
MCP Server
An MCP server is a service that implements the Model Context Protocol to expose tools, resources, and prompts to AI assistants. It handles connection management, capability negotiation, and request routing between AI clients and your underlying systems.
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