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MCP Servers

MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers provide tools to your agents over a standardized protocol. Connecting an MCP server gives your agents access to its tools — database queries, API calls, file operations, code execution, and more.

Connecting an MCP Server​

Go to Settings → MCP Servers:

  1. Click New MCP Server.
  2. Provide a name, an optional description, and the server's URL.
  3. ORQO connects to the server and discovers available tools.

Once connected, discovered tools appear as MCP Tools on the server's detail page.

The description appears on the server's card tile, helping you distinguish servers at a glance. Servers added from the "Popular MCP Servers" catalog come with a pre-populated description.

Tool Discovery​

ORQO automatically queries the MCP server for its available tools. Each discovered tool includes:

  • Name — the tool's identifier.
  • Description — what the tool does (shown to the LLM).
  • Parameter schema — the inputs the tool accepts.

You can re-sync tools at any time if the server's tool list changes.

Auto-Created Skills​

When you connect an MCP server (either from the catalog or as a custom server), ORQO automatically creates a linked Skill for that server. This Skill:

  • Bundles all the server's discovered tools into a single assignable unit
  • Appears on the Integrations page alongside your other skills
  • Shows up in the Team Builder skill library for drag-and-drop assignment to agents
  • Stays in sync — when the server's tool list changes (re-discovery, verification), the Skill's tool list updates automatically

This means you don't need to manually create a Skill after connecting an MCP server. The auto-created Skill gives you the same assignment UX as any other integration.

Catalog servers create platform skills (read-only tools, editable credentials). Custom servers create custom skills (fully editable).

Lifecycle

Deleting an MCP server also deletes its linked Skill and removes it from all assigned agents. Deleting the Skill from the Integrations page only removes the Skill — the MCP server itself remains connected.

Using MCP Tools​

MCP tools become available to agents through the auto-created Skill or through any custom Skill that references them. Assign the Skill to agents in the Team Builder, and the agent gains access to all bundled tools.

When a workflow runs, the platform calls the MCP server's tools on behalf of the agent, passing parameters and returning results back into the conversation.

App-Managed MCP Servers​

When you install an App (such as Slack, GitHub, or Google Drive), the App automatically creates and manages its own MCP server. These servers are marked with an app badge on the card tile showing which App owns them.

App-managed MCP servers are locked -- they display a "Locked" badge and open in a read-only drawer. You cannot edit or delete them. The App's sync process manages the server configuration, URL, and tool list automatically. If you need to remove an app-managed server, uninstall the parent App.

What MCP Servers Can Provide​

The MCP protocol is open and extensible. Common use cases:

  • Database access — Query PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or any database.
  • Web browsing — Search and scrape web pages.
  • File operations — Read, write, and manage files.
  • Code execution — Run Python, JavaScript, or other code in a sandbox.
  • API integrations — Call third-party APIs (GitHub, Jira, etc.).
  • Custom operations — Any operation you can expose over HTTP.

See modelcontextprotocol.io for the protocol specification and available community servers.