MCP Client
An MCP client is the application or AI agent that connects to an MCP server to use the tools and data it exposes.
The MCP client manages the connection, sends the user's or agent's requests, and receives the server's responses. Claude, an IDE, or an autonomous agent can all play this role.
It's the requesting half of the protocol. It doesn't provide data, it consumes it to complete a task, such as looking up information or triggering an action.