Field notes on AI-native SaaS.
How to ship MCP servers, embed in-product AI assistants, and monetize AI usage — written by the team building the platform.
- MCP education
Slack's MCP server is live. Your users still can't connect their own workspace.
Slack's MCP server uses user tokens, supports PKCE and returns a spec-correct 401. It also has no registration endpoint, and Slack permits MCP only for Marketplace-listed and internal apps. What that means if you embed an assistant in someone else's product.
Sep 15, 2026 · 7 min - MCP education
MCP Tools vs Resources vs Prompts: which primitive when
MCP exposes three primitives because hosts render each as a different UI. Here's the decision rule for picking Tools, Resources, or Prompts — with examples.
Jun 27, 2026 · 4 min - MCP education
What is an MCP server? A plain-English guide for 2026
Plain-English guide to MCP servers: what the Model Context Protocol is, how an MCP server differs from a REST API, the anatomy of tools and resources, and a production checklist.
Jun 25, 2026 · 6 min - MCP education
OAuth for MCP servers: the 2025-06 spec, explained
OAuth 2.1 with PKCE is how the MCP spec authorizes remote servers. Here's the flow, the spec requirements, and the pitfalls to avoid when shipping a hosted MCP server.
Jun 23, 2026 · 5 min - MCP education
MCP vs function calling: what's actually different
MCP and function calling solve different problems. Function calling is a per-model capability; MCP is the cross-model protocol that makes your tools portable. Here's how they fit together in production.
Jun 22, 2026 · 5 min