# MCP and A2A open agent protocols

*Agentforce Specialist Study Guide · Multi-Agent Orchestration · Last updated October 15, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-specialist/multi-agent-orchestration/mcp-and-a2a-open-agent-protocols*

Why Agentforce uses open standards: MCP connects an agent to external tools and data through a host, client and server, with registered and allowlisted server tools becoming agent actions; A2A delegates work to another reasoning agent across orgs and vendors. Includes how admins govern MCP servers and the tool-versus-agent rule for choosing.

- Certification: Salesforce Agentforce Specialist
- Exam section: Multi-Agent Orchestration
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-specialist

**Official exam objective:**

> Explain the purpose of existing open standard multi-agent protocols such as MCP and A2A.

## What the exam expects

- Explain what MCP is for and why an open standard beats point-to-point integrations.
- Describe the MCP architecture: host, client and server, and the tools, resources and prompts a server exposes.
- Explain how MCP server tools become Agentforce agent actions and how admins govern which servers and tools agents may use.
- Explain what A2A is for: delegating work to another reasoning agent across systems, orgs and vendors.
- Choose MCP or A2A for a scenario, and rule out neighbours such as Agent API.
- Key terms: **MCP (Model Context Protocol)** (open standard for connecting AI applications to external tools and data); **MCP server** (exposes a system's tools, resources and prompts); **MCP client** (connects a host to one or more servers); **A2A (agent-to-agent protocol)** (a standardized handshake for delegating work between agents); **MCP tool action** (an agent action that references an allowlisted MCP server tool).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| MCP purpose | Open standard: a server built for a tool plugs into any MCP-aware app or agent | [Introducing MCP Support Across Salesforce](https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/2025/06/introducing-mcp-support-across-salesforce) |
| MCP stack | Host executes the client; client connects to one or more servers | [Introducing MCP Support Across Salesforce](https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/2025/06/introducing-mcp-support-across-salesforce) |
| Server capabilities | Tools, resources, prompts; Agentforce agents use tools only | [Considerations for MCP for Agentforce](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_mcp_considerations.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Third-party server registration | Agentforce Registry; MuleSoft and Salesforce-hosted servers via API Catalog | [Connect Agentforce Solutions to MCP Servers](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_mcp_connect.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Tools to actions | Allowlisted tools go to the asset library as agent actions | [Connect Agentforce Solutions to MCP Servers](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_mcp_connect.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Server requirements | Streamable HTTP; no auth or OAuth 2.0 client credentials; new builder only | [Requirements for MCP for Agentforce](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_mcp_requirements.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| A2A purpose | Standardized handshake for inter-agent delegation across systems, orgs and vendors | [Enterprise Agentic Architecture and Design Patterns](https://architect.salesforce.com/docs/architect/fundamentals/guide/enterprise-agentic-architecture.html) |
| Choosing | Tool → MCP; collaborating agent → A2A | [The Architect's Guide to Agentforce Interoperability](https://www.salesforce.com/agentforce/resources/interoperability-guide/) |

## Check yourself

- Why did Salesforce adopt MCP instead of point-to-point integrations?
- What does an MCP server expose?
- When should you use A2A rather than MCP?
- Where is a third-party MCP server registered so its tools can become agent actions?

## Sources

- [MCP for Agentforce](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_mcp.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Introducing MCP Support Across Salesforce](https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/2025/06/introducing-mcp-support-across-salesforce)
- [MCP Solutions for Developers](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/ai/agentforce/guide/mcp.html)
- [Enterprise Agentic Architecture and Design Patterns](https://architect.salesforce.com/docs/architect/fundamentals/guide/enterprise-agentic-architecture.html)
- [The Architect's Guide to Agentforce Interoperability](https://www.salesforce.com/agentforce/resources/interoperability-guide/)
- [Considerations and Limitations in Multi-Agent Solutions](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_multi_orch_consider.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Connect Agentforce Solutions to MCP Servers](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_mcp_connect.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Considerations for MCP for Agentforce](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_mcp_considerations.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Requirements for MCP for Agentforce](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_mcp_requirements.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Allow or Remove Access to MCP Tools](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_mcp_registration_manage_allowlist.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Add an MCP Tool Action to Your Agent](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_mcp_tool_action_add.htm&language=en_US&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 7 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Agentforce Specialist pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams