Skills and agents · Explainer

The beginner's guide to MCP

Beginner · Published 2026-10-10 · Reviewed 2026-10-05

Tools: Multi-tool
Audience: People getting started with AI
Topic: Skills and agents

You’ll finish with: a public documentation MCP connection and a source-backed test answer.

MCP is a standard for connecting an AI app to tools and information. It is not another chatbot. Try a documentation-only connection first, before introducing your inbox to the arrangement.

Set up

Allow 20–30 minutes. The example uses an already installed Codex CLI and OpenAI’s public Docs MCP server. Codex account access is separate from this public endpoint. If you do not use the CLI, follow the linked official instructions for your supported client.

Download this guide’s practice sheet ↓

Try this example

FICTIONAL PRACTICE MATERIAL
Server name: openaiDeveloperDocs. Endpoint: https://developers.openai.com/mcp. Test question: find the current documentation for creating an Agent Skill and list its required file fields.

Do the task

Read the official Docs MCP quickstart. In Codex CLI, add it with: codex mcp add openaiDeveloperDocs --url https://developers.openai.com/mcp
Start a session that can see the server and ask the test question, naming the documentation tool explicitly.
Open the returned documentation link. Disconnect or remove the test connection through the client controls when finished.

Your reusable prompt

Use the openaiDeveloperDocs MCP tools to find the Agent Skills file requirements. Give the documentation URL and required fields. If the connection is unavailable, report that instead of answering from memory.

PRACTICE INPUT
Server name: openaiDeveloperDocs. Endpoint: https://developers.openai.com/mcp. Test question: find the current documentation for creating an Agent Skill and list its required file fields.

Refine your result

Show which information came from the connected documentation. Do not request access to private files, email or unrelated services.

Check the result

A successful answer should identify SKILL.md and required name and description metadata with a current source. A correct-looking answer without a tool call does not verify the connection.

Save and reuse

Save the server name, endpoint and test outcome. Public documentation access does not prove any private app connection is configured.

Sources and notes

OpenAI Docs MCP setup and test Checked 2026-10-05

The practice input and teaching prompt are original 5HO material. Examples are fictional; they are not screenshots or claims of a completed real-world task.
Official documentation supports the relevant product concepts. Setup availability depends on your account; where a guide offers a fallback, it does not prove the connected capability worked.