The federated MCP (Model Context Protocol) is a lightweight, agent-first framework for building decentralized systems. Each home lab or node runs its own MCP server, exposing services that agents can discover and use across the network. It avoids blockchain infrastructure and focuses on peer-to-peer context sharing and service composition.
# Intent The goal of federated MCP is to allow distributed agentic systems to collaborate without central servers. Agents can carry context and continuity across services and nodes, making the system feel composable and intelligent across boundaries. Each node retains full control of its stack, tools, and data.
# Novelty Federated MCP is not just a remote procedure call system. It is agent-centric and designed for compositional workflows. The protocol enables agents to reason across systems while preserving memory and task structure. Nodes don’t have to standardize their internals—only their protocol surface.
Unlike REST or microservices, MCP carries meaning, not just data.
# Risks Exposing agentic services across trust boundaries introduces risk. A compromised node may receive a malicious call. A poorly designed agent could misuse another node’s compute or data. Without strong PKI, it's hard to prove identity or revoke access. Over time, nodes may diverge in how they interpret or extend the protocol.
There is also risk of centralization, if some nodes become privileged routing hubs or coordination points.
# Comparison with Blockchain and Enclaves
Projects like NEAR advocate using secure enclaves and smart contracts to achieve decentralized trust. In those systems, correctness is cryptographically verifiable and computation happens inside secure hardware.
MCP takes a different path. It assumes mutual trust and makes local agency a priority. It is easier to deploy on personal devices. It requires no special hardware or consensus layer.
Blockchain systems have stronger auditability, resistance to tampering, and built-in reputation. But they are slower, more expensive, and harder to experiment with. Secure enclaves preserve confidentiality, but limit transparency and developer control.
MCP favors fast iteration, flexibility, and human-scale federation.
# Use Cases MCP is well-suited to networks of collaborating home labs. It enables local-first agent infrastructure, co-owned data tools, and cooperative research. It is also ideal for federated creative or civic projects that need autonomy without central control.
# Summary Federated MCP is a simple but expressive protocol for distributed agents. It offers a middle ground between REST and blockchain: more context than the former, more flexibility than the latter. It is still experimental. But it invites a future where software ecosystems grow by conversation, not consensus.
# See
- github.com 
- onetab
- near.org