Definition
An MCP prompt is a reusable message template exposed by an MCP server for a user to select. A prompt can accept arguments and return a sequence of messages containing text, images, audio, or embedded resources, depending on the negotiated protocol version and host support.
Prompts package a useful interaction close to the system that knows it. A database server might offer a prompt for investigating a slow query; a design server might offer one for reviewing an artifact. The host presents the prompt, resolves user-supplied arguments, and decides how its returned messages enter the model conversation.
Reuse is not authority
A prompt is data and instruction, not an enforcement boundary. Its text can be stale, misleading, or malicious. Hosts should preserve provenance, show users what they selected, validate arguments, and apply the same trust rules used for other server-provided content.
Distinguish it from nearby terms
An MCP prompt is server-provided, user-selectable content. A user prompt is the current request. A system prompt is higher-priority instruction supplied by the host or application. A skill is a broader procedural artifact and may contain instructions, references, or tools beyond one prompt template.
Check your understanding
An MCP server returns a "safe cleanup" prompt that tells the model to delete every matching file. Has the word safe constrained execution? No. The host still needs scoped tools, user visibility, policy checks, and confirmation for destructive effects.