Multi-Agent Orchestration5% of the exam
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.
Explain the purpose of existing open standard multi-agent protocols such as MCP and A2A.
~7 min read · 7 practice questions ·
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
MCP purpose
- Detail
- Open standard: a server built for a tool plugs into any MCP-aware app or agent
MCP stack
- Detail
- Host executes the client; client connects to one or more servers
Server capabilities
- Detail
- Tools, resources, prompts; Agentforce agents use tools only
Third-party server registration
- Detail
- Agentforce Registry; MuleSoft and Salesforce-hosted servers via API Catalog
Tools to actions
- Detail
- Allowlisted tools go to the asset library as agent actions
Server requirements
- Detail
- Streamable HTTP; no auth or OAuth 2.0 client credentials; new builder only
A2A purpose
- Detail
- Standardized handshake for inter-agent delegation across systems, orgs and vendors
Choosing
- Detail
- Tool → MCP; collaborating agent → A2A
Sources for this section (6)
- Introducing MCP Support Across Salesforcedeveloper.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Considerations for MCP for Agentforcehelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Connect Agentforce Solutions to MCP Servershelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Requirements for MCP for Agentforcehelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Enterprise Agentic Architecture and Design Patternsarchitect.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- The Architect's Guide to Agentforce Interoperabilitywww.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- 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?
The questions are free to read. Answers with their sources and self-grading are included with the pack.
Keep reading with the Agentforce Specialist pack
- Core concepts
- Exam traps
- Worked scenario
The pack includes:
- All 26 lessons of the Agentforce Specialist guide, with reading progress
- Interactive decision walks and step-by-step sequence steppers
- Inline practice questions and one-click topic practice (7 questions for this lesson)
- An official source cited for every claim
- An AI tutor that answers from the guide
- Unlimited timed practice exams