API vs. MCP: Choosing How to Expose Your Systems
Understand how REST APIs and the Model Context Protocol (MCP) differ architecturally, and be able to decide whether a capability should be exposed as a traditional API, an MCP server, or both.
3 sections · 7 lessons
Course outline
How REST APIs Work
- Stateless, developer-oriented design
- Why determinism matters
How MCP Works
- JSON-RPC and runtime discovery
- Stateful sessions and the M×N problem
Making the Decision
- When API wins
- When MCP wins
- The common misconception: MCP doesn't replace APIs