The open source decision aims to establish a unified extension standard across applications, forming a virtuous cycle similar to the browser plug-in ecosystem. This is manifested in 1) developers can make the MCP server compatible with multiple AI applications with just one package; 2) application developers can directly reuse the specification without having to build wheels over and over again; and 3) users enjoy a consistent installation experience across applications. This open strategy lowers the threshold of ecological participation, potentially attracting more developers to enrich local AI functionality, and ultimately reinforcing Claude's core position in the ecosystem.
This answer comes from the articleAnthropic's New Game: Can Desktop Extensions Break Down the Installation Barriers for Native AI?The
