An MCP registry is a catalog and API for publishing and discovering structured information about Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. It helps clients and other catalogs find servers, but it is not where server code necessarily runs, and a listing does not certify that a server is secure or approved for your organization.
What does an MCP registry contain?
An MCP registry stores standardized metadata describing MCP servers. The official registry uses a server.json description that can identify a server, point to its location, describe how it runs, and provide discovery information such as its purpose and capabilities. The registry helps clients and downstream catalogs discover a server; the server implementation itself may be hosted elsewhere. See the official MCP Registry documentation and the server.json format specification.
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This is different from a package registry. Package services such as npm, PyPI, or Docker Hub distribute code or binaries. An MCP registry holds metadata that can point to those packages or to a remote server endpoint. A registry entry is therefore a discovery record, not the server software itself.
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The Model Context Protocol project announced the official registry on September 8, 2025, describing it as an open catalog and API and an upstream source of metadata for publicly available servers. Its documentation says the registry is in preview, so details such as supported fields and procedures may change. The project’s announcement explains that organizations can build subregistries with custom criteria: MCP Registry preview announcement.
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The official registry documents a REST API and DNS-based namespace management. Other catalogs can consume its metadata and supplement it with their own information, such as compatibility data or selection criteria. That means a client-associated marketplace and the upstream registry may present different context even when they refer to the same server.
Can I use the public registry to discover private MCP servers?
No. The official registry’s documented scope is publicly accessible servers; it does not support servers accessible only on a private network or through a private package registry. The project recommends that publishers of private servers host or use a private MCP registry. See the registry documentation.
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A private or enterprise subregistry can provide a catalog for internal use and apply organization-specific publication, privacy, or security criteria. The public registry and a private registry may use compatible metadata concepts, but visibility, admission rules, and controls depend on the implementation.
Is an MCP registry listing proof that a server is safe?
No. A listing, namespace authentication, or successful publication should not be treated as a security certification or organizational approval. The registry project states: “The MCP Registry focuses on namespace authentication and metadata hosting, while relying on the broader ecosystem for security scanning of actual server code.” Read its security guidance for that boundary.
For organizations, registry discovery should be one input to a separate governance decision. A practical review can cover:
- Who is allowed to publish a server or nominate one for internal use?
- Does the source repository and package provenance match the publisher and metadata?
- What tools, data, credentials, and network resources can the server access?
- Is the server maintained, and how are version changes reviewed?
- Where may it be deployed, and who authorizes its runtime access?
- How will its use and changes be monitored?
These are organizational review steps, not controls guaranteed by the official registry. The NSA’s May 2026 MCP security design considerations provide additional security context.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How do authentication and publication work?
Authentication and authorization are not identical across registry implementations. The official authorization documentation describes OAuth 2.1 as a model registries may follow, but says the official registry remains publicly readable and uses a custom JWT-based system for publishing. The API specification also allows compatible implementations to make publication optional. Check the implementation’s current rules rather than assuming that one registry’s publishing process applies everywhere.
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See the registry authorization documentation and the MCP Server Registry API specification.
How should you choose between a public catalog, marketplace, and private registry?
| Option | Typical audience and visibility | What it adds | What to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official public MCP Registry | Publicly accessible servers; not private-network-only servers | Upstream standardized metadata, API access, and namespace management | Current preview behavior, publication and authentication rules, and the server’s independent security posture |
| Client-associated marketplace or downstream catalog | Users of that client or catalog; visibility and access depend on the implementation | May add selection criteria, compatibility details, or other metadata | How entries are selected, what claims are evaluated, and whether those evaluations cover security or only compatibility |
| Private or enterprise registry | An organization’s internal users and systems | Private server discovery and organization-specific publication or governance rules | Who can publish, how reviews are performed, and how deployment and runtime permissions are approved |
The project describes the upstream registry as a source that downstream catalogs and subregistries can build on. The exact moderation, review, and access controls vary by implementation; a catalog’s existence alone does not establish the depth of its security checks.
Quick Recap
What an MCP registry does—and does not—do
- It does: provide structured server metadata and support discovery through a catalog or API.
- It can: support namespace authentication and supply data that other catalogs enrich or filter.
- It does not necessarily: host the server implementation, distribute its code, scan the code, or authorize its use inside an organization.
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