Glossary
What is an MCP registry?
An MCP registry is a directory of Model Context Protocol servers: small programs that give AI clients like Claude or Cursor access to tools and data. Developers browse registries to find servers to install. Listings are usually tied to a GitHub repository or a published package, and some registries sync from the Official MCP Registry.
How it works
An MCP server exposes tools ("search my CRM", "create an invoice") over the Model Context Protocol. A registry lists these servers with install instructions. Some registries crawl GitHub and add servers automatically; others take submissions or read from the official registry, which lets publishers register a server once with a verified namespace.
What the numbers look like
We checked 8 MCP registries. Median Domain Rating is 70. Traffic is concentrated in a few, such as MCP Market, Smithery, mcp.so, Glama and PulseMCP.
How to list
Publish to the Official MCP Registry, then submit directly to the bigger registries so your listing gets a proper description and screenshots instead of an auto-generated stub. Guides: Smithery, Glama, mcp.so. Full list: MCP registries.
What a good registry listing has
- A clear one-line description of what the server lets an AI client do.
- The list of tools it exposes, with a sentence each.
- Install instructions for the common clients, including any API key setup.
- The transport it supports (local stdio or remote HTTP) and authentication.
- A link to the source repository and a license.
Example
A developer builds an MCP server for an invoicing API, publishes it to the official registry under their GitHub namespace, then submits it to three popular registries with a description and a short demo. Developers searching "invoicing" in those registries find it, and the GitHub repository gains its first stars and issues within the week.
FAQ
What is the official MCP registry?
A registry run by the Model Context Protocol project where publishers register servers under a verified namespace. Other registries can read from it.
Do I need a GitHub repo to list an MCP server?
Most registries expect a public repo or a published package. Some accept hosted servers with documentation instead.
Is an MCP registry the same as an AI tools directory?
No. MCP registries list servers that developers install into AI clients. AI tool directories list finished products for end users.