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An MCP registry is a catalog and API for publishing standardized metadata about Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers so clients and other catalogs can discover them. It points to a server’s package or remote service; it does not host the server code, certify it as safe, or approve it for use in your organization.
What does an MCP registry contain?
A registry record describes a server in a standard format, including its name, description, capabilities, and where and how it can be accessed. The official registry uses a server.json description to support publication, discovery, and package management. The implementation itself may be distributed as a package or run as a remote service.
This is different from a package registry. npm, PyPI, and Docker Hub distribute code or binaries; an MCP registry stores metadata that can point to those artifacts or to a remote server. A registry listing is therefore a discovery record, not the server itself.
How does the official MCP Registry fit into discovery?
The Model Context Protocol project announced the official registry on September 8, 2025, as an open catalog and API for publicly available MCP servers. It describes the registry as an upstream metadata source that other catalogs can build on. The documentation currently labels the registry as being in preview, so its scope and implementation details may change. Official MCP Registry documentation · Project announcement, September 8, 2025
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The registry provides a REST API and DNS-based namespace management. A downstream marketplace or client catalog can consume its records and add its own selection criteria or additional information. Compatibility with the registry API does not mean every implementation has the same publication rules or review process.
Public, downstream, and private registries
| Registry type | Audience and visibility | What it contributes |
|---|---|---|
| Official MCP Registry | Publicly accessible servers; its documentation excludes servers reachable only on a private network or through a private package registry. | Upstream server metadata, namespace management, and discovery through its API. It does not perform security scanning of server code. |
| Client marketplace or downstream catalog | Users of a particular client or service; visibility and access depend on that catalog. | Can build on upstream metadata and add client-specific selection criteria or other information. The amount and type of evaluation vary by implementation. |
| Private enterprise registry | An organization’s internal users and systems. | Can catalog private servers and apply organization-specific publishing, privacy, security, or use criteria. Controls vary by implementation. |
The project recommends that publishers of private servers use or host a private MCP registry rather than treat the public registry as a home for private-network services. The announcement describes subregistries as a way for organizations to set custom criteria. Model Context Protocol project announcement
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Does the MCP Registry verify that a server is safe?
No. A listing, authenticated namespace, or published metadata does not establish that a server’s code is secure or that your organization has approved it. The registry documentation says it focuses on namespace authentication and metadata hosting, while relying on the broader ecosystem for security scanning of server code. Official registry documentation
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How should an organization govern MCP servers?
Use the registry as a discovery input, then make a separate decision about whether and where to run each server. The following controls are organizational practices, not features guaranteed by the official registry:
- Set a clear intake route. Decide who may publish or nominate a server and what evidence they must provide.
- Review the implementation and provenance. Examine source code, the package or image, its publisher, and how releases are produced. Do not rely only on the registry description.
- Assess permissions and data access. Determine what tools, credentials, files, services, and information the server can reach, and whether that access is necessary.
- Approve a deployment context. Specify which users, environments, and data classifications may use the server, and configure access accordingly.
- Track changes after approval. Reassess material version, dependency, ownership, or permission changes; monitor use and define how to suspend or remove access.
This separation matters because a catalog answers “What server is available, and where is its metadata?” Governance answers “Should we trust this implementation for this use, with these permissions, in this environment?” The NSA’s May 2026 security design considerations provide further context for assessing MCP deployments: NSA, MCP Security Design Considerations.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What do authentication and API compatibility mean?
Registry implementations can differ in how they authenticate publishers, authorize changes, and allow publication. The official registry’s documentation describes public read access and a custom JWT-based publishing system. Its authorization documentation discusses OAuth 2.1 as a model registries may follow; that does not mean every registry uses OAuth 2.1 or that the official registry does. Registry documentation · Authorization documentation
The registry API specification also makes publication optional for compatible implementations. An API-compatible catalog may therefore support discovery without accepting submissions. Confirm the controls and behavior of the particular registry you plan to use rather than assuming the official registry’s configuration applies to it. MCP Registry API specification
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