---
title: "MCP Registry"
version: "v0.24.0"
canonical: "https://docs.obot.ai/v0.24.0/concepts/mcp-registry"
unreleased: false
---

<a id="obot-doc-mcp-registry"></a>

# MCP Registry

The MCP Registry is a central place to list and discover MCP servers. It provides a curated collection of servers available to users based on their access permissions.

<a id="obot-doc-registry-concepts"></a>

## Registry Concepts

<a id="obot-doc-server-sources"></a>

### Server Sources

MCP server definitions can come from:

- **Official Obot repository**: The default set from [obot-platform/mcp-catalog](https://github.com/obot-platform/mcp-catalog)
- **Custom Git repositories**: Your own repositories containing server definitions (see [MCP Server GitOps](https://docs.obot.ai/v0.24.0/configuration/mcp-server-gitops.md))
- **Direct entry**: Servers added manually through the UI

<a id="obot-doc-server-definitions"></a>

### Server Definitions

Each server in the registry includes:

- **Name and Description**: Human-readable identification
- **Runtime Configuration**: How to run the server (npx, uvx, containerized, or remote)
- **Environment Variables**: Required and optional configuration
- **Tool Preview**: Description of available tools
- **Icon and Metadata**: For display in the UI

<a id="obot-doc-access-control"></a>

### Access Control

Administrators and Power Users+ control which servers are visible to which users by assigning servers to registries and granting users access to those registries.

<a id="obot-doc-mcp-registry-api"></a>

## MCP Registry API

Obot implements the [MCP Registry specification](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/registry/blob/main/docs/reference/api/generic-registry-api.md), enabling MCP clients to programmatically discover available servers.

<a id="obot-doc-learn-more"></a>

## Learn More

- [MCP Access Policies](https://docs.obot.ai/v0.24.0/functionality/mcp-access-policies.md) - Controlling which servers are available to which users and groups
- [MCP Registry API](https://docs.obot.ai/v0.24.0/functionality/mcp-registry-api.md) - Programmatic server discovery and contributing servers