Microsoft partners with Anthropic: A C# SDK for AI Integration
Microsoft has partnered with Anthropic to release an official C# SDK for the Model Context Protocol (MCP). This is a big deal for .NET developers as it simplifies how we integrate artificial intelligence into our .NET applications. As AI is the new normal in software development, this SDK lets Microsoft developers embed large language models (LLMs) into their C# projects. From chatbots and assistants to full enterprise solutions, this is going to change application development.
MCP C# SDK Features
The SDK brings the Model Context Protocol to the .NET developers, so you can add AI based tools to your existing apps without learning new languages or frameworks. Here’s why this is a game changer:
Cross-Platform: Built for .NET 7+ , it supports Windows , macOS , and Linux environments.
NuGet Distribution:
Install it with:
bash
1 dot net add package Model Context Protocol –prerelease
Full Message Support: Supports all MCP message types like InitializeRequest, CallToolRequest, ListToolsRequest, and FinishRequest.
Asynchronous Tooling: Build and register tools that AI models can call dynamically. Tools can be grouped, versioned and hosted via REST or Web Sockets .
Security-Ready: Future updates will include support for OAuth 2.0 , OpenID Connect , and enterprise level authentication.
What is the Model Context Protocol (MCP)?
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open interoperability standard introduced by Anthropic. It defines a structured way for AI models to communicate with external tools, APIs and services. MCP is a universal protocol that allows LLMs to trigger actions, retrieve data or exchange information with applications—without hard coded logic.
Why is MCP important?
Before, integrating an LLM into traditional applications required building lots of glue code. MCP eliminates this complexity by standardizing the back and forth messaging between AI models and external components.
For example:
An AI assistant can call your internal weather API with structured parameters.
A business bot can retrieve HR records with proper authentication.* No more manual reports.
Why Microsoft’s C# SDK for MCP is a Game Changer
The C# SDK for MCP fills a big gap in the market. While many AI tools are for Python or JavaScript, few are for C# and .NET —used by millions of developers in enterprise environments.
With this SDK you can:
Create AI-native tools using Microsoft’s existing tech stack.
Extend LLMs like Anthropic’s Claude into desktop, web and mobile apps.
Run AI servers or tool hosts that work with multiple AI providers.
Build fully operational AI agents that understand context, call services and generate output in real-time.
This lets teams modernize existing C# apps with minimal changes and future proof them for AI driven workflows.
Practical Example: Hello Bot with C#
Here’s how easy it is to build a simple AI tool using the MCP SDK:
- Define the Tool
csharp
1 public class HelloTool : ITool
2 {
3 public string Name => “hello”;
4 public Task CallAsync(ToolRequest request, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
5 {
6 var name = request.Input[“name”)?.ToString();
7 return Task.FromResult(new ToolResponse($”Hello, {name}!”));
8 }
9 }
10
- Host the Tool
csharp
1 Host.CreateDefaultBuilder()
2 ConfigureServices((context, services) =>
3 {
4 services.AddMcpServer(options =>
5 {
6 options.Tools.Add();
7 });
8 })
9 Build()
10 Run();
- Call from an AI Model
Once hosted, any MCP compatible AI model can detect and invoke this tool.
Real-World Use Cases for the MCP SDK
C# developers can use this SDK to:
Enterprise Dashboards: Allow users to ask for sales reports, inventory metrics or customer data using natural language.
Smart Productivity Tools: Add AI powered assistants to apps like Outlook , Excel , or CRM platforms.
Healthcare and Legal Apps: Build HIPAA/GDPR compliant agents that interact with databases.
DevOps & Engineering: Trigger deployments, manage logs or summarize commits through AI agents integrated into CI/CD systems.
Developer and Industry Feedback The response has generated buzz in the developer community. Early adopters like Robert Recalde, Principal Engineer at Cigna Healthcare, are excited:
“This SDK fills the gap between traditional .NET development and modern AI. It’s the kind of tool that lets us innovate fast and stick with the language and frameworks we know.”
Open-source experts have also praised Microsoft for taking community contributions like mcpdotnet and turning them into production ready solutions.
Microsoft with Anthropic FAQs
Q1: Is it free?
Yes. It’s open-source under a permissive license, hosted on GitHub .
Q2: Can I use it with Claude or other Anthropic models?
Yes. It’s designed to work with MCP enabled models like Claude .
Q3: What about Azure OpenAI integration?
Not yet, but similar protocols may be supported in future Microsoft tooling.
Q4: What about security?
OAuth 2.0 , OpenID Connect , enterprise level authentication will be added in future updates.
Q5: Can I deploy this in Docker or Kubernetes?
Yes. It’s compatible with ASP.NET Core , Azure Functions , containers and serverless environments.