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CCDV-F · Domain 8 of 8 · 3 lessons · about 64 min
Domain 8: Tools and MCPs
Giving Claude tools: implementing tool use, building MCP servers, and choosing between built-in tools, custom tools, Skills and MCP. 10.6% of CCDV-F.
This domain is 10.6% of CCDV-F, about 6 of the 53 questions. It covers how Claude reaches beyond text: tools your code defines, servers that expose tools to many applications, and packaged capabilities.
The vocabulary: a tool is a function you describe to Claude, which Claude can ask your code to run. Client-side tools run in your application; server-side tools run on Anthropic's side. The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard for exposing tools, resources and prompts from a server that any compatible application can connect to. A Skill packages instructions and files Claude loads when relevant.
The recurring test: pick the lightest mechanism that is reusable enough. The official sample question has the pattern: a capability several applications need belongs in an MCP server, not hard-coded into each prompt, and built-in tools do not reach arbitrary internal systems.
What the exam guide tests
The official CCDV-F guide lists 3 skills for this domain. Exam questions are written against them, and so are the lessons: each row says where it is covered.
| # | Skill | Lesson |
|---|---|---|
| 8.1 | Tool Implementation (4.4%) | 8.1 |
| 8.2 | MCP Server Development (2.1%) | 8.2 |
| 8.3 | Agentic Customization (4.1%) | 8.3 |
Lessons
- 8.1 Implementing tools: definitions, dispatch, errors and approvalsHow Claude calls your code: the tool_use round trip, descriptions and schemas, is_error results, client versus server tools, and approval gates.22 min
- 8.2 Building an MCP server and connecting it to ClaudeHow an MCP server exposes tools, resources and prompts, when to use stdio or Streamable HTTP, and how Claude Code, Desktop and the API connect to it.21 min
- 8.3 Built-in tools, custom tools, Skills or MCP: choosing the right extensionHow to choose between built-in tools, custom tools, Skills and MCP servers by reuse, ownership, where the code runs and security, and how to combine them.21 min
Practice question
From the CCDV-F bank, tagged to this domain. Every answer option is explained. Nothing is stored, nothing to sign up for.
18 CCDV-F questions on this domain, free
The domain quiz in the question bank draws 10 random questions from the 18 tagged to Tools and MCPs, scores them and explains every option. Repeat it until the weak spots are gone, then sit the 53-question timed simulator.
Open the CCDV-F question bank → Start lesson 8.1 →
The question bank is free. It asks for an account only because the quiz engine has to store answers to score them and show which domains are weak. The questions on this page need nothing.