Specification map

Normative reference for implementers. This playbook page is a map into the official specification — not a replacement.

Source of truth: Specification 2026-07-28 (confirm current revision on the site). Schema: Schema Reference.

The specification defines interoperable behaviour across hosts, clients and servers.

Executive summary

Use Learn/Develop pages for conceptual onboarding; use the specification when writing SDKs, conformance tests or security reviews. Key areas: architecture, transports (stdio / Streamable HTTP), authorization, server primitives, client primitives, patterns and utilities.

Core specification tree

Architecture and basics

Topic	Official link
Specification home	Index
Architecture	Architecture
Basic overview	Basic
Versioning & compatibility	Versioning
Changelog / key changes	Changelog
Deprecated features	Deprecated

Transports

Topic	Official link
Transports overview	Transports
stdio	stdio
Streamable HTTP	Streamable HTTP

Authorization

Topic	Official link
Authorization	Authorization
Auth server discovery	Discovery
Client registration	Registration
Security considerations	Auth security

Patterns

Topic	Official link
Patterns overview	Patterns
Cancellation	Cancellation
Progress	Progress
Subscriptions	Subscriptions
Multi Round-Trip Requests	MRTR

Server primitives

Topic	Official link
Server overview	Server
Discovery	server/discover
Tools	Tools
Resources	Resources
Prompts	Prompts
Utilities (caching, completion, logging, pagination)	Utilities

Client primitives

Topic	Official link
Elicitation	Elicitation
Roots	Roots (deprecated)
Sampling	Sampling (deprecated)

Community & evolution

Topic	Official link
SEPs index	Specification Enhancement Proposals
Roadmap	Roadmap
Contributing	Contributing
Governance	Governance
Example servers	Examples

How to use this in the playbook

1. Learn concepts in Architecture.
2. Build with SDKs and Inspector.
3. Drop into the specification links above when behaviour is ambiguous or you need MUST/SHOULD language.

Key takeaways

• Specification is normative; playbook pages are explanatory.
• Bookmark transports, authorization and tools pages for implementation reviews.
• Track SEPs for upcoming breaking changes.

What to do next

Return to the MCP overview or open the live specification.