Definition
MCP server card
An MCP server card is a JSON document that describes a Model Context Protocol server, so an AI client can discover what the server offers before connecting to it.
The Model Context Protocol is the open standard AI clients use to reach external tools and data. A server card is its discovery layer: name, description, endpoint, capabilities and authentication, in one fetchable document. Without it, connecting an agent to a service is a copy-and-paste job for a human who already knows the URL.
The path is not settled, and that is the practical problem. Implementations in the wild use `/.well-known/mcp.json` and `/.well-known/mcp/server-card.json`, while a July 2026 draft (SEP-2127) recommends the MCP endpoint URL plus `/server-card`, with a site-level catalog at `/.well-known/mcp/catalog.json`. Any explainer or checker written against one of those alone will be wrong somewhere.
Our readiness audit probes the candidate paths rather than asserting the right one, and the check is dated because the spec is moving. If you publish a card, publishing it at more than one of the candidate paths costs nothing and is the pragmatic answer until the draft settles.
Frequently asked questions
Where should an MCP server card be published?
There is no single answer as of July 2026. The paths in use are /.well-known/mcp.json and /.well-known/mcp/server-card.json, and the current draft recommends the endpoint URL plus /server-card. Publishing at more than one is the pragmatic choice.
Do I need an MCP server to have a server card?
Yes. The card describes a server, so it is only meaningful once one exists. Publishing a card that points at nothing is worse than publishing none.