MCP Sampling

MCP

Definition

An advanced MCP capability that allows MCP servers to request LLM completions through the client, enabling servers to use AI without direct API access. The client controls model selection, permissions, and billing. Used for AI-powered tool implementations that need their own Claude calls.

Example Usage

An MCP server uses sampling to request Claude to summarize a document as part of processing a tool call, without the server needing its own API key.

Related Concepts

MCP Server Configuration & Scoping

Tool Design & MCP

Use project-scoped .mcp.json for team tools, user-scoped ~/.claude.json for personal tools

Related Terms

MCP Server MCP Client

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