Model Context Protocol - Ramnivas Laddad


Details
- 6pm Dinner
- 6:30-7:15 Presentation
- 7:15-7:45 Group Discussion
- 7:45 Door prizes
Getting Started with the Model Context Protocol
Large language models (LLMs) are powerful--but only when they have access to the relevant context for the task. While techniques like Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) help, they have limitations in the types of questions they can answer and tasks they can perform.
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) offers a simple, open standard for connecting AI models to real-time information and tools.
In this talk, you'll get a hands-on introduction to MCP: how it works, how it extends the capabilities of LLMs by enabling them to interact with external resources, and how it fits into the broader AI tooling ecosystem. You’ll see a basic MCP server built from scratch, watch a model interact with it to complete real-world tasks, and discover ready-made MCP endpoints you can start using right away. We will also take a peek into changes coming to the MCP specifications.
Perfect for developers looking to make their AI applications more capable and responsive.
Ramnivas Laddad is a technologist, author, and presenter who is passionate about doing software right. Ramnivas is co-founder of Exograph and has spoken at leading industry conferences including JavaOne, ScalaDays, JavaPolis, No Fluff Just Stuff, SpringOne, and O'Reilly OSCON.
Thanks to UJUG Sponsors, Tek Systems, STG, and O.C. Tanner

Model Context Protocol - Ramnivas Laddad