MCP Isn't Replacing APIs: It's Changing Who APIs Are Designed For
kush_patil · reddit · 2026-08-22
This post shares Google Cloud's explanation of the difference between MCP (Model Context Protocol) and traditional APIs. The core idea is that MCP doesn't replace APIs but changes the audience: instead of developers hardcoding endpoints, the model receives structured descriptions of capabilities and decides which tools to use at runtime. The author raises a design question: if MCP servers just expose REST endpoints 1:1, is the point being missed? For agents, high-level capability tools like resolvecustomerissue may be more useful than orchestrating multiple low-level APIs.
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